The concept of contemporary learning

Instilling Initiative and Trust in Children

It is important to instill in children the ability to approach challenges with initiative and trust... Mathematics has shifted from a focus on meticulous repetition of routine processes to a focus on mathematical reasoning and communicating to train them for the world of tomorrow.

The Shift Towards Contemporary Learning

The idea of contemporary learning has recently emerged as a hot subject, with teachers opting to deviate from the prescribed curriculum. Mathematics is one of those difficult subjects that we have been taught that can only be memorized and not truly understood. Essentially, every child is required to memorize multiplication tables and different formulas during mathematics class. These are just the tools that are used to solve complex mathematical problems. The important thing is to teach students the ways to use these tools. Making students memorize the tools is not an effective teaching strategy. However, the focus is now shifting towards mathematical thinking and communication to motivate the students in building up their confidence and thinking for themselves. For this whole thinking process to be understood, it is imperative that we understand the perspectives and theories involving the development and nature of a child’s thinking process.

Importance of a Child’s Thought Process

Even before starting school, majority of children have developed a sense of basic mathematics like counting, adding, and subtracting due to the environment they are raised in. A child’s thought process is very fast and accustomed to thinking in broader terms. Children, before going to school, have not been subject to standard thinking boundaries and, as such, can come up with unique answers that are so simple yet no adult would have thought of them. Every student’s thinking process develops at a different pace from the other, depending on his or her environment. Teachers must comprehend the cognitive levels of every child and teach accordingly. Simply focusing on getting children to memorize the course has never helped; it forces students to do what they are being told and discourages them from thinking outside of the box. Children tend to question everything and reason for this is that their mind is full of questions. They are curious about every new thing they learn and they want to apply it in their daily lives. They demand a reason for everything they do, see or hear. It is imperative that teachers focus on the concept of reasoning to adjust according to a child’s thinking process and motivate the child to understand mathematical concepts through investigation. The children look for a meaning behind the numbers and their arrangement and subsequent formulations. It is very necessary to make students comprehend knowledge rather than just memorizing knowledge. An ability to comprehend leads to an ability to apply knowledge and this application of knowledge results in great inventions. Not every child possesses the capacity to understand concepts just as they are written in a book, for instance. In fact, most students do not. Experiencing those concepts in real life or being exposed to an environment where you get to form your own path towards the conclusion of a certain concept is much more helpful. Getting the child to apply mathematical equations practically will help the learning process, given that no one can live off memorization forever. A teacher’s stance on teaching methods has a major impact in determining how the children learn. Plenty of children face problems in learning mathematical concepts due to the subject calling for a lot of memorization. Or at least that is how we have been taught to learn mathematics. The student is taught to accept the formulas and the answers without questioning the concepts that lie behind it. For a child to be able to understand the subject in a broader context by applying reason, the teacher must also hold the same point of view to encourage the child to think (Nisbet 36). In a contemporary environment where mathematics is practically applied, the subject focuses on experiences that go beyond the school premises where problem solving in the real world is given importance.

The Role of Cognitive Development in Mathematical Thinking

A child’s cognitive development takes place via a consecutive thought process transformation (Piaget 112). According to Piaget’s constructivism approach (1970), there are four stages of cognitive development: Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete Operations, and Formal Operations. These four stages help in the development of how children think and how they come to shape their thoughts. Piaget’s work on the cognitive development of a child gained a lot of hype in the education sector, given his interest in how children’s thinking process develops and how their answers come about. His work has proved to be of great value to teachers in understanding how children come to learn the concepts and ideas behind mathematical topics. According to Piaget, a child’s development takes place amid a continuous thought process which transforms with age. The constructivism approach stands out over the behaviorism approach because it looks at the child’s thought process based on his or her own capabilities and encourages the child to think creatively. Behaviorism, on the other hand, works through reinforcement, which is not always the best solution in developing a learning process. Reinforcement forces the child to do what is being taught and how it is being taught. It does not encourage creativity, as such, and limits our ability to think from different perspectives.

The Importance of Intellectual, Emotional, and Physical Aspects in Mathematical Thinking

Intellectual, emotional, and physical aspects are all very important when it comes to thinking about mathematical concepts. Where most adults would come to a halt on a mathematical equation, children think from several perspectives. They break down the question and analyze it from different sides, testing different methods to see which one works. They often come to the most logical conclusion that adults usually overlook by thinking too hard. In recent years, children have started developing mathematical skills from a very young age, given the use of technological applications. Learning from an early age opens children to self-awareness as well as an awareness of the environment in which they are growing up. The child learns to justify and interpret mathematical concepts as well as develop an understanding of mathematical thinking. This developmental process gives rise to the development of one’s “communal self,” which calls for a child who is part of the historical and social surroundings to gain knowledge (Radford 222). Access to mathematical computer games provides the children with an environment in which they can build and break down different shapes, for instance, as well as come up with interpretations of the mathematical concepts. The time a child spends playing and developing mathematical skills in that way is more beneficial than standard teaching methods. This approach can be considered as learning with fun as young children enjoy playing games and interactive games can be very helpful in making them understand the concepts of basic mathematics. For instance, describing shapes and sizes of various objects can be better understood by a child through real-life examples like a comparison between short and tall buildings. Incorporating fun activities into the syllabus results in a better chance of children developing their spatial and numeracy aptitudes. It encourages the children to step out of the classroom environment that can quickly become boring to the children, and into a world of shapes and colors that holds their interest for a longer period. Numeracy is an essential part of learning how to succeed in school and future work. Mathematics has the tendency to fall under the category of transmission pedagogies that make students gain knowledge in a passive way, rather than active. For students to understand numeracy, they must be able to avail opportunities that allow them to apply mathematics outside of the classroom. Teachers, themselves, now encourage students to dream big and think outside of the box. They encourage students to form their own opinions because they can understand how hard it can be to memorize things that a person is unable to understand. To bridge the gap between numeracy and mathematical learning, and learning in a person’s daily life, children now can practically apply what they learn in the subject and to get help from teachers, parents, and peers if they are unable to grasp a concept clearly. If that fails to happen, then mathematics holds no value in a person’s life and future work. Today, we have access to multiple creative ways that can help students learn mathematics in an easier and more comprehensible way.

Conclusion

In conclusion, changes brought about in a school syllabus and pedagogy come about with some difficulty and face opposition at times. However, the teaching methods of mathematics have come a long way in the 21st century. Old methods of teaching cannot be used in today’s world where the speed of change in innovation is massive. Technology plays the most significant role in helping the learning process. Nowadays, every other child has access to a tablet or even just the parents’ phones that allows them to watch interactive videos or play games that test the child’s mathematical thinking and capability. There are even plenty of colorful, attractive books that pique the child’s interest in learning about the concepts. Learning starts right from the time a child is born. The child picks up on his or her surroundings and uses cognitive processes to understand, learn, and question every other piece of information. This will only enhance the learning and understanding of mathematics if utilized properly.

Works Cited

Nisbet, Steven, and Elizabeth Warren. “Primary school teachers’ beliefs relating to mathematics,

teaching and assessing mathematics and factors that influence these

beliefs.” Mathematics Teacher Education and Development 2.34-47 (2000).

Piaget, Jean. “Science of Education and the Psychology of the Child.” New York: Orion (1970).

Radford, Luis. “The ethics of being and knowing: Towards a cultural theory of

learning.” Semiotics in mathematics education: Epistemology, history, classroom, and

culture (2008): 215-234.