For older children use oral exercises, for example, a dress costs $100. In a sale it is reduced 10 per cent, so how much is it now? What if it is reduced a further 10 per cent? What is its new sale price? Then, do it again for 20 per cent discounts.
Second, teachers should constantly set review exercises at the beginning of each lesson when teaching mathematics. Students in general love competition and seeing improvement. In basic facts you can have students tested easily for accuracy and speed. I did this at a school I was involved in and tested each Year 9 and 10 class - it took me five minutes to test each class and I had two pieces of valid assessment (accuracy, speed) for students to record and improve upon. I would do review tests in geometry, measurement and trigonometry as well.
Third, teachers need to be confident about their own maths, and the ways to teach this complex subject. A quick check of the curriculum offered for future primary school teachers shows two specific in-college courses out of 16 are directed at mathematics (12.5 per cent of time) while there are six courses directed at history, philosophy, curriculum design and assessment (representing 37 per cent of time). From my experience teaching in two teachers' colleges, the time now allocated to mathematics (and indeed to teaching literacy) is far too low. Teacher training institutions should review the time they allocate to fundamentals of teaching subjects, and reduce (not exclude) the time allocated to the general topics. Important features of curriculum, education history, learning and teaching can be explored further in post-graduate courses.
Fourth, a number of teachers attracted to the profession have not had satisfying experiences in their own mathematics learning at primary and secondary school. How many moved away from the subject as soon as it became optional, only to find they needed good knowledge in their teacher training? I wonder what, or if, remedial courses in basic mathematics are offered to our existing or future teachers? Many would appreciate making improvements in speed and accuracy in basic and more complex functions.
Fifth, there are many websites that allow children to practise their basic facts and receive immediate feedback. These can be reinforced in school newsletters.
Changes should occur in pre-service teacher education courses. Presumably there will be considerable evaluation of what has been offered in recent in-service teacher education professional development. There is room for basics and rote learning, as well as the problem solving processes, estimating and other cognitive skills.
We must first admit that what we have is not working anywhere near as well as it should. We generally have enormous teacher goodwill, but they need appropriate training and direction. Let us again take on and solve an identified weakness in what is generally an effective, productive education system.
Brendan Schollum has had 16 years as a secondary principal, and was a lecturer at two Teachers' Colleges at primary and secondary levels.
