Improving teaching Methods in Mathematics and Science

Action Plan

Mpumalanga – South Africa

David

CONTENT

• Background

• Problem Tree

• Objective Tree

• Content Learned

• Operational Plan

• Conclusion

• References

BACKROUND

• A research was conducted in South Africa and revealed that learners in the intermediate and Foundation Phases have challenges in Mathematics especially with regard to counting.

• A project called Foundations for Learning is put in place to address these challenges.

• Most learners perceive Mathematics as a difficult subject and hence they do not like it. They also don’t see a link between what they learn and their daily experiences, and that some of the teaching methods do not challenge their thinking and creativity.

• The New teaching methods I have learned here in Japan will assist a great deal in improving learners performance in Mathematics.

Problem TreePoor Performance in

Mathematics

Learners don’t like Mathematics

Learners don’t learnFor/by themselves

Learners’ daily Experience not

Linked with Content

Learners thinking Not challenged

Teachers lack Open Ended & Hands on

Approach

Lesson Study is notPracticedregularly.

Objective Tree Improve poor performance

Make learners like Mathematics

Make Learners learnFor/by themselves

Contextualize theContent

Challenge learners’thinking

Know Open Ended & Hands on

Approach

Make TeachersKnow

Lesson Study

Content learned

• Japanese learn for/by themselves• Education System & Practice in Japan• Open ended Approach, Origami,and

Hands on approach.• Japanese’ Curriculum and Challenges in

Mathematics and Science.• Pre-service and In-service Teacher

Training• Lesson Study.

Tentative plan DATE ACTIVITY

15 March 2010 Submit a report to Region and Head Office curriculum management

17 March 2010 Workshop curriculum advisors on lessons learnt in Japan

April 2010

ongoing

Workshop educators on Lesson Study, Open ended and Hands on Approach

May 2010

On going

Implement Open ended and Hands on approach in 2 selected schools.

glue

here

Cut here

What is the result?

Professor Tsubota Lecture

Project Outline

• Project title: Improving Teaching Methods in Mathematics at Primary School.

• Period: March 2010 – December 2012

• Project Site: Ehlanzeni Region

• Target group: Dinaledi Feeder School Math Educators

• Overall Goal: To improve learners Performance in Mathematics

Plan of OperationsActivity Year

2010

Respon-sible Person

Budget

Month J F M A M J J A S O

1. Work shop educators on

- Open ended, andHands on approach

DAVID

2. To implement the

- Open ended,and Hands on in 2 selected school.

DAVID

3. To work shop educators on

Lesson Study

DAVID

4. To workshop educators on origami

DAVID

5. Workshop educators' on how to make learners learn by/for themselves

DAVID

Conclusion

• It is very possible to implement lesson study in Mpumalanga because it has been introduced already. So I will support the existing program.

• Our Curriculum is using a learner centered approach, of which Open ended and Hands on approaches are also learner centered. So these approaches compliment each other, and that simply means that they does not clash with the NCS.

References• PROFESSOR ISODA MASAMI, UNIVERSITY OF TSUKUBA, MATHEMATIC

EDUCATION • PROFESSOR TSUBOTA KOZO, ATTACHED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OF

UNIVERSITY OF TSUKUBA • PROFESSOR KAZUO HAGA, UNIVERSITY OF TSUKUBA• Abraham Arcavi, Ph.D., Associate Professor Incumbent of the Lester B.

Pearson Professorial Chair • DR. HIROKI YAHARA , UNIVERSITY OF TSUKUBA, MATHEMATIC

EDUCATION• SEIYAMA SENSEI LESSON STUDY • Maeno Elementary School• Sakura Junior High School• Otsuka Attached Junior High School

– PROFESSOR OONEKA, MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT• Attached Elementary School

– PROFESSOR HITOSHI SHIRAIWA, SCIENCE DEPARTMENT, – PROFESSOR KAZUO TSUYUKI , SCIENCE DEPARTMENT– PROFESSOR YOSHIKAZU YAMAMOTO, MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT, – PROFESSOR NATSUSAKA MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT