The Hindu : New Delhi News : Removing `maths phobia' from student's minds

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 25, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Removing `maths phobia' from student's minds

By Sujay Mehdudia

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 24. It is back to basics for children of Delhi Government schools in the Capital. In an attempt to sharpen the innate numerical skills of young students at primary and middle level, a unique "Mental Mathematics Competition" has been launched. The objective of the scheme is to achieve 100 per cent results in mathematics in Board examination by rekindling interest in the subject and removing "maths phobia" from their minds.

The competition, a brainchild of the additional Secretary and Staff Officer to the Chief Secretary, D.S. Pandit, is being seen as going back to the old system of teaching mathematics through learning tables by heart, a practice that has been given up in a majority of the schools these days. Under the competition -- open to students of fourth and fifth standard -- students would be made to learn tables by heart, up to 20 at primary stage and up to 30 by the end of middle stage. The aim is to teach them a few simple tricks that allows them to do mental calculations quickly and accurately and making simple mathematical concepts clear to them through games and competitions. The effort is to remove math phobia from their minds, introduce health competition between schools, zones and regions in maths and re-kindle interest in mathematics as a subject.

At present, the Board results are marred by poor performance of children in maths in Class Xth and XIth. This is because of the children's weak foundation in mathematics. It has been observed that even if concepts are clear, calculations and answers go wrong resulting in marks being cut. This actually renders them incapable of participating in competitive examinations at higher levels. It has also been revealed that even if a child knows how to solve a problem, he cannot hope to get full marks unless he arrives at a correct answer through a series of calculations. This could be achieved through constant practice and no better way than catching them young and teaching them to learn tables up to 30 by heart. As there is a lack of interest shown by parents of children especially in government schools, it has been decided to make teaching of mathematics in primary and middle sections interesting and fun-filled. The competitions are to be held in the South Zone in the first phase and later will be carried on to other zones.

The competition calls for ensuring participation of each and every child in fun-filled games and competitions among schools in all the zones and districts. Cash incentives to children who win inter-zonal and inter-district competitions would also be given and maths laboratories would be set up in schools where one class per week could be taught through games, models and other tools to be followed by discussions. For this purpose, the Delhi Government has already prepared a question bank on 11 topics for this competition based on syllabus. Already mock tests have been held in a few schools to determine the level of difficulty of questions and the ability of the children to answer them. The questions have been prepared to test the ability of students to answer without the use of pen and paper. Questions on simple multiplication, addition, division and subtraction (MADS), per centage, place value, tables, decimal and fractions and areas and volume have been prepared.

The schools in Zone 24 and 25 have been divided into three categories including schools that have scored less than 60 per cent in boards, 60 to 80 per cent and above 80 per cent. Each category of schools would compete among themselves to select two best class IV students and three best Class V students through a series of inter-zonal competitions. In the final round two zones would compete in each category.

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