THE TEACHING OF MATHEMATICS
GIRLIE L. ROMERO
My experience as a mathematics educator and instructional leader (in my own rights) at various levels has shown me that the chosen learning predilections and methods and practices of public school students are not considered in the learning of mathematics. According to experts in pedagogical leadership, the incongruity between the teaching preferences of teachers and the learning predilections of students leads to frustration and lack of continued educational development. Similarly, instructional leadership experts explain that when students are taught with methods discordant from their learning predilections, they do not succeed in mastering the subject matter as quickly as they could have. Moreover, students are expected to construct their own mathematical knowledge, discover relationships and find facts by using their own learning options and predilections or techniques rather than memorizing mathematical formulas and procedures.
Mathematics teachers need to develop their practice so as to fit more closely with the roles, values and philosophies underpinning the mathematics curriculum they teach. Mathematical pedagogy asserted that teachers need to match their teaching predilections to students' preferred learning methods for difficult tasks, and to underpin the learning of contents by employing diverse teaching techniques. The study conducted by the Department of Education (DepEd) in its National Curriculum Guideline indicates (DepEd, 2003:11) that:
“Mathematics teachers are not necessarily good at teaching in schools by using active learning methods for exploiting the advantages coming through promoting learners' learning preferences and techniques.”
Moreover, my practical experience as a mathematics educator showed me that most public elementary school students consider mathematics as one of the most difficult subjects. This prejudice might obstruct students not to use their own talents to learn m at h em at i cs.
It is envisioned that students will guide their learning of mathematics with regard to their predilections. Secondly, the weaknesses students might encounter to use their own learning predilections will be identified. Thirdly, the assistance students require to use their own learning preferences will be determined. When children do not learn the way they are taught, then the teachers must teach them the way they learn. This shows that teachers must teach according to the interest of their students and organize their teaching techniques so as to fit the chosen learning preferences and techniques of their students. Moreover, pedagogical experts stressed that learning preferences are mostly an individual’s personal characteristics and these characteristics are subdivided to include environmental, emotional, sociological, physiological and psychological categories.
As one pedagogical expert argues, students should be encouraged to use their preferred learning styles and strategies in order to understand the subject they learn. Similarly, instructional leadership experts discuss the importance of learning predilections and techniques for learners’better achievement. To this end, following the implementation of its Education and Training Policy (ETP) under the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 or more popularly known as the K-12 Program of DepEd in 2013, the government has been engaged in a very comprehensive reform process to re-align its education system to meet the needs of learners. As the policy clearly stipulated in its objectives:
“… the development of the physical and mental potential and the problem-solving capacity of learners; bringing up citizens who… . appreciate aesthetics and show a positive attitude towards the development and dissemination of science and technology in society; and cultivating the cognitive, creative, productive and appreciative potential of citizens by appropriately relating education to environment and societal needs (DepEd, 2013:7-8).”