Maths course in progress at Aarohi – Some of us meet regularly in the afternoon. Everyone is at different level of maths skills. We start with understanding where I am in maths – do I know process, am I clear about concept and where all do I apply? We together test our skills and based on our assessment we choose what one needs to work on. We use textbooks, tools, games, peers, people, worksheets, daily application….
- One child tested in basic addition till percentage, She expressed that she knows these concept but when it comes to application, she is not confident. We started journey from number lines, did exercise from text book on bigger numbers. She choose to do different worksheets on mixed concepts. She continues to do practice through worksheets.
- Another one tested in bigger addition numbers, he was stumbling with bigger addition, but he wanted to do multiplication. Initially introduced him to multiplication in text book but he did not want that, he wanted someone to write sums in his note book and check at the end. Introduced him to playing cards and games involving all different operations. He continue to do that. Also added writing of those operations in notebook when playing games.
- Another child tested herself on numbers and additions, and wanted to worked on multiplication. She began with worksheets on multiplication, introduced table chart for reference. Also introduced games through graph and drawing various operations visually in graph book. Like find from the table what all makes 12, it can be 3×4, 4×3, 2×6,12×1, 6×2 – when we plotted this in graph book, the boxes were of different sizes … child was mesmerized to see that, but she continued doing the same.
- One child is quick with mental maths – he tested himself on verbal as well written skills, he assessed himself that he need to work on procedural steps of different concepts.
- One child has volunteer to teach maths others and while teaching he works on the concept which he is no able to teach. He is self announced teacher of the group. He plays games with the child who plays playing cards, checks sums of different children who are doing worksheets, and take part inmapping campus mathematically.
- I am working on mapping campus mathematically. I began with measuring volume of curry and milk in glasses and bowls we use in the kitchen, volume of the water in play pool….some kids join me in between, some just listen what I am doing and go back to their work, some ask me later “how is this volume?”
I play passive role. When they want me to teach, I do. When they want me to give resources, I do. I bring different kinds of resources, even when they do not ask for and they are free to accept or reject that resource. All I understand is how this child is learning and this allows me to observe and free of all theories of how children should be taught maths. This sets me free of images of ‘learning’ and kids too – it makes both of us equal and free to explore ourselves.