Comment on Teach primary pupils real-world maths - Labour

• stevecrox@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  Not really.

  There are multiple ways to approach and conceptualise multiplication, division, simultaneous equations, binomial distribution, probability, etc..

  I have met a few maths geniuses and we teach Maths the way they think and conceptualise Maths.

  In my last job I was viewed as a superstar because I could take the algorithms the data scientists produced and explain them to non data scientists.

  I didn't change the underlying maths, I tailored what to explain and examples to use based on my audience. This tended to get people really excited at what the data scientists had done.

  Its the same with teaching, people need to understand and conceptualise a problem in a way that makes sense to them.

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  • Zeppo@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    How is that not the idea behind using relevant real-world applications?

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    • stevecrox@kbin.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Using real world applications is changing the problem (what are you trying to solve).

      My issue is teaching how you solve the problem.

      As an example the indian method to teach multiplication is to draw lines equal to the first number, then perpendicular lines equal to the second and then count the points they bisect (e.g. draw 3 horizontal and 3 vertical lines and they cross 9 times).

      Lastly I coach people in Agile (its a way of delivering stuff). An Agile team is brought together because a Product Owner has a problem and a vision on how to solve it.

      The biggest factor in motivating a team and getting high performance is the product owners passion for their vision. You can have the most interesting problem in the world, if the product owner doesn't care neither does the team.

      I suspect the same is true of teaching

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      • Zeppo@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        I see. Yes, I’m a former software developer and am familiar with agile practices.

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  • JeeBaiChow@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    Agreed. Great teachers and speakers describe complex concepts in a language that is appropriate for the student.

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