DISCOVERY TEACHING IN MATHEMATICS

The author is Teacher Pam panga

AGNES A. REYES

There is no point to argue even just for the sake of argument about the importance of mathematics in our daily lives. In a matter of factly statement, Mathematics is important for everyone just like it is one of the very important tools in the tool box of life. According to Roger Bacon, an English monk, a philosopher and scientist, “For the things of this world cannot be made known without a knowledge of mathematics”. Therefore, as mathematics is one of the basic fundamentals of learning, teachers should not let mathematics be neglected in teaching.

If that is so, then the problems of the pupils with regard to learning mathematics should be clearly identified by the teacher in order to be able to address the problem at once, so that the pupils will not have difficulty in learning mathematics. As what Jerome Brunner said that “Discovery teaching is self-rewarding, learning to learn, active participation on the part of the learners, and it is long lasting.” Consequently, teachers should have a very good grasp of discovery teaching in mathematics to make the teaching in-put much easier and more effective. That is so, because the pupils themselves are the ones who discover their “own learning.” And how rewarding for the teacher when he/ she hears the pupils shout, “Eureka!”

— oOo— III at Alasas Elementary School, City of San Fernando,