Mastering Mathematical Facts Essay Example for Free

Mastering Mathematical Facts Essay The basis for success in elementary mathematics is mastering basic facts which mean that a student should acquire the ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide basic numbers automatically (O’Connell, 2009). Regardless the importance thereby attached, it is very hard to dismiss the relationship between mental computation of basic facts and the memorizing power of a student. The strategies-based approach emphasizes mostly on developing mastering skills from the natural informal knowledge that the child has (Andrew Carroll, 1999). This is better than the usual rote approach which presented such drawbacks as inducing anxiety due to demand for quick performance. Also, students had a tendency to adapt the element of memorizing facts in these rigid schedules rather than application of thoughts in solving mathematical problems. Strategies-based approach requires that the natural thinking of children is utilized whereby informal mathematical knowledge is set as basis to understand harder concepts after learning simpler facts. To help students master basic facts, the elementary step involves testing them on subtraction and addition where they are required to work out simple tests in real life situation. In the meantime, the students should be encouraged to develop patterns, think logically and use their manipulative skills in solving these exercises. It should be noted here that unlike adults who will process this information directly from their memory, children will use the direct manual counting, a technique referred to as direct-modeling technique. As their understanding gradually develop over time, some students would tend to grasp concepts at a faster rates than others where they can use even more than one strategy in solving mathematical problems. It is therefore very important to request students to share their strategies with their peers in class in order to help them advance to more efficient methods and encourage development of self-invented strategies (Steinberg, 1985). ? References Andrew, C. I. and Carroll, M. W. (1999). Teaching children mathematics, 5 (9):508(8) O’Connell, S. (2009). Mastering basic math facts. Retrieved August 09, 2010, from http://www. qualityteacherdevelopment. com/blog/25/mastering-basic-math-facts/ Steinberg, R. M. , (1985). Instruction on derived facts strategies in addition and subtraction. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education , 16: 337-55.

Do you understand? :: Essays Papers

Do you understand? There are many bases of discrimination. Some people are treated unfairly because of gender, race, religion, language, weight, education, height, etc. Stay with me as I ask the question, "Do you understand?" Do you understand what it is like to be treated unfairly because of how you look? Do you understand how it feels to go to a restaurant to eat, only to be told that "people of your color are not allowed to eat here"? Do you understand how it feels not to be allowed to sleep in a hotel because of your color? "Kaffirs are not allowed to sleep in this hotel," said the hotel manager to my cousin Jabu. Perhaps you don't understand how it feels to be made into an issue instead of a human being. Well, I understand. I know how hurtful it felt when I was told, "Boy! People of your color do not swim in this part of the ocean. It is reserved for Whites only. Go away from here." I know what it is like to pay taxes yet be denied the right to vote. I know what it is like to apply for a job and to be told that the jobs are reserved for whites only. Dr. Verwoed, the former South African President, was once quoted as saying, "Blacks are inferior from birth to death." Don't you think it is depressing to be treated as less than a human being in your own country? You see, education for Africans in South Africa is inferior. It has made Africans slaves of circumstances instead of masters of circumstances. I know you will be astounded to learn that Africans pay more for their inferior education than whites pay for their education. If one would write a paper like this, that person would be making an open invitation to be jailed without trial. Discrimination of any kind is evil, whether it is about race, gender, religion, language, education, etc. I cannot change my color. I had no say in the matter when I was formed. I love my country. I abhor the system. I refuse to be the target of all injustices because of my color.

Mind Is Not a Vessel to Be Filled, but a Fire to Be Kindled Essay

â€Å"Education† may be an ordinary word to most people, but very few actually understand the deep meaning beneath it. In this dynamic world, we need to be equipped with the necessary skills and hard work to survive. Understanding the education system is integral to allow students to understand the purpose of studying, the purpose of going to school everyday. Is education in Singapore really â€Å"holistic†? Are there flaws? What is education? By definition, it would be something along the line of â€Å" transferring knowledge†. I beg to differ. In my opinion, education consists of more than just knowledge. From Kindergarden to University, students are put through the daily routine of waking up early in the morning, going to a place where teachers teach â€Å"the same old stuff†. By that, I am referring to knowledge. Knowledge is power, you might say. Indeed, being knowledgeable helps you stand out among the rest during the tests and examinations. But is that all about education ? Acing the tests and getting a degree? I’m afraid no. Years after years, Singapore universities and institutions are well-known on the global front for being able to produce students with top grades. These results just keep getting better and better. Foreigners come to Singapore for education. Most people might therefore think education in Singapore is perfect. I also acknowledge that these are true, but only to a certain extent. On the other spectrum ( which is usually not shown), there are students who are not performing as well as their peers, students who are doing well but facing a lot of unnecessary stress. This is prevalent as well. The obsessive reliance of tuition to produce grades, online forums to discuss ways to â€Å"headstart my child in education†. I find no meaning in these. This is passive learning. Similarly, there are exceptional cases which bring out the ugly truth about education in Singapore. Students faking degrees to earn scholarships, jobs , graduates saying vulgarities during graduation ceremony to ‘rejoice’ over the achievements, even local scholar prosecuted overseas for doing unethical things such as watching child pornography. If education in Singapore is so perfect, why would such disgraceful incidents occur? Let us look at some possible reasons. Memorizing dictionaries, memorizing textbooks, doing thousands of assessment books, attending endless tuitions and supplementary classes†¦ These are some things most pupils in Singapore are going through. They have my sympathy. Everything I have described until now is about passive learning, which revolves around results and lacking in true meaning of education. Now, let us zoom into another aspect. Imagine this : a child who does his work consistently, revises on daily basis, reads newspapers everyday. Everything without being told. Seems like a utopian child? No. It is possible. The only thing he has compared to other students is the passion. The burning passion inside him to learn, to absorb knowledge. This drive pushes him to do everything on his own. There is no tuition, no supplementary classes, reasonable number of assessment books. Yet, this child is scoring ‘A’s for his subjects. In Singapore schools, Ministry of Education is encouraging a whole new approach towards â€Å"holistic† education. Co-curricular activities, Community Involvement Program, Civics & Morals Education†¦ these are programmes put in place after much effortful planning of the education ministries. There are even more recent policies such as not revealing top students for national examinations such as Primary School Leaving Examinations. I respect them for that. However, there are rooms for improvement. CCA, short for co-curricular activities, is a word that is often hung in the pupils’ mouth. Whether they say it out of pride in a good way or bad way, I do not know. This brings me to the point of CCA mismatch. Students who feel they are â€Å"not good enough† for a CCA only after a few years in that CCA, students who feel indignant as they feel they could have gotten into â€Å"better CCA†. What are the consequences of this? Students not attending CCAs regularly, students complaining about how ‘ sien ‘ ( boring and uninteresting) their CCA is. This leads to stereotyping about CCAs and split between different CCAs, especially Sports vs Non-Sports. While you might say it is good that CCAs are bonded together as a team, the purpose of bonding is wrong. They are making fun of other people and things they do. In the long run, this will not work. Another thing is when pupils do not attend CCAs, the school has no choice but to use deterrence methods such as demerit points. To tackle this whole situation, there is Direct- School- Admission put in place to reduce scenarios like this however the success is limited. After talking about limitations of the current education system put in place, I have some suggestions. What I will say is also something simple : passion. Again, a simple word yet deep meaning behind it. If a student is an active learner, problems such as late/no submission of work, lack of focus during lessons, loss of notes, game/social networking addiction etc will all be eliminated at once. Students will not complain ‘ Life is Tough’ or ‘ There is too much work yet too little time’ etc. Teachers no longer have to chase after the students for work, give students boring supplementary classes. Teachers no longer have to scold students, which deviates their focus on teaching that will result in drop in productivity. This will lead to more supplementary/remedial classes which make students get tired of learning. Ultimately, they lose passion in learning. This evil cycle of mad chase, forced homework, drilled practice will keep on going until the students change their attitude. If the students take charge of their own learning, they will automatically focus during lessons and give constructive feedback that can engage the whole class in a positive manner. This will accelerate learning so much that the teachers will be more willing to teach and even plan fun activities for pupils to play and learn at the same time. At the same time, the students will strive to do their best in everything including daily worksheet, assignments. Ultimately, success ( which is good grades people chase after) will follow them. Therefore, I strongly feel that passion is much more important than knowledge. To put this passion in them, I think teachers, parents and students themselves all play a crucial role to ‘kindle the fire’ within them. They can help create encouraging environment to allow pupils to share their opinions on certain topics and letting them think ‘out of the box’. They can reduce things such elitism stereotyping to encourage the pupils to exchange feedback healthily and letting them learn from one another. Occasionally, having useful motivation courses in schools by professionals also might help. Once this fire is lit, the action will follow. Students will start finding joy in learning and unknowingly, they will get good grades without even getting stressed or tired.

All Quiet on the Western Front Destroying a Generation...

All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Remarque, is a classic anti-war novel about the personal struggles and experiences encountered by a group of young German soldiers as they fight to survive the horrors of World War One. Remarque demonstrates, through the eyes of Paul Baumer, a young German soldier, how the war destroyed an entire generation of men by making them incapable of reintegrating into society because they could no longer relate to older generations, only to fellow soldiers. Paul believed the older generation ...ought to be mediators and guides to the world... to the future. / The idea of authority, which they represented, was associated in [their] minds with greater insight and a more humane wisdom. Paul, his†¦show more content†¦When he is reunited with his mother [they] say very little, but when she finally asks him if it was very bad out there Paul lies. In trying to protect her by lying, Paul creates a separation between his mother and himself. As Paul sees it, the tragedies and horrors of war are not for the uninitiated. Sadly, the true nature of war further separates the two generations. While on leave, Paul also visits his father and some of his fathers friends, but does not wish to speak to them about the war. The men are curious [about the war] in a way that [Paul finds] stupid and distressing. They try to imagine what war is like but they have never experienced it for themselves, so they cannot see the reality of it. When Paul tries to state his opinion, the men argue that [he] sees only [his] general sector so [he is] not able to judge. These men believe they know more about the war and this makes Paul feel lost. He realizes that they are different men here, men [he] can not understand... and Paul wants to be back with those he can relate to, his fellow soldiers. Paul wishes he had never gone on leave because out there [he] was a soldier, but [at home] he is nothing but an agony to himself. When Paul returns to the battlefield, he is excited to be with his comrades. When he sees his company, [Paul] jumps up, pushes in amongst them, [his] eyes searching, until he finds his friends. It is thenShow MoreRelated All Quiet on the Western Front Essay927 Words   |  4 Pagespreceding war novels to All Quiet on the Western Front, misrepresented or overlooked the anguish of war, in favor of more resplendent ideals such as glory, honor, or nationalism. The predominant issue of All Quiet on the Western Front is the terrible atrocities of war. The reality that is portrayed in the novel is that there was no glory or honor in this war, only a fierce barbarity that actually transformed the nature of human existence into irreparable, endless affliction, destroying the soldiers longRead MoreAll Quiet on the Western Front1141 Words   |  5 Pagesthe lives of many men as they were lured to abandon their lives and fight. 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