In an effort to make teaching mathematics to students of upper primary classes simple, lively and more interesting, the School Education Department has started training teachers in Systematic Learning Methodology in association with Educomp, a private firm.
In a pilot project teachers from schools in the St.Thomas Mount (Urban) Block will receive this training. An in-depth, hands-on training programme for Mathematics teachers in 10 Middle Schools, commenced at the office of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in Chitlapakkam on Monday. Representatives from Educomp and coordinators from the State Headquarters of SSA conducted a training programme for Mathematics Block Resource Teacher Educators last week.
SSA officials said kits designed by Educomp would be distributed to the schools. The material would help students understand even complex topics in mathematics under the ‘do-and-discover’ method. They would be able to observe, experiment, record observations, analyse data, identify patterns and make them think logically, contrary to learning by rote.
C.V.Vijaya Kumar, Assistant Vice President - ICT, Educomp, said the ‘mathemagic kit’ would help students convert abstract ideas into concrete experiences and develop confidence by allowing children to test and confirm their reasoning. S. Kannappan, Joint Director, SSA, said the methodology was being tested as a pilot project in St. Thomas Mount (Urban) Block in Tamil Nadu. “Based on the feedback from students and teachers, it will be extended to the rest of the government schools in a phased manner,” he said.
Mathematics teachers of Municipal Middle Schools in Pallavaram, Keelkattalai, East Tambaram, Irumbuliyur, West Tambaram Anakaputhur and St. Thomas Mount Panchayat Union Middle Schools in Pammal and Adi Dravidar Welfare Middle School in Anakaputhur are part of the training programme.
