Learning maths through kolams ? It could be easier than what they teach you at school, says Ambattur resident Sitalakshmi Seshadrinathan, a Maths teacher with over three decades of experience in home tutoring.
She’s put that belief to good use herself, so there is something to it. For seven years now, she has been maintaining a free website, www.gymnasiumforbrain.com, to sharpen the analytical skills of students and professionals. She also derives her content from a lot of traditional wisdom, handed down from generation to generation.
Her website is a treasure trove of puzzles, which uses illustrations and diagrams based on maths, to solve them. “Nowadays, maths learning is restricted to school syllabus and several students dread the subject. Children in nuclear families may not have much opportunity to gain knowledge from elders. This site helps people of all age groups to apply their maths knowledge to solve puzzles through fun activity,” said Ms. Sitalakshmi, who recently launched her website in Tamil.
Her website provides exercises that would excite the brain, keeping it agile.
The site has a collection of about 350 puzzles and speed maths sums.
Visitors to the website could develop their creative skills through the traditional kolam segment.
“The dots and patterns of kolams are an interesting tool to enhance drawing skills and help mind and body co-ordination. I wanted rural students also to benefit from learning maths in a fun and creative way. So, I launched this website in Tamil as well,” said Ms. Sitalakshmi.
The website has been recognised with awards from the American Library Association and the Australian Government’s education department, she says.
