Recently there’s news that the
I still remember that particular instance of my life, which coincidentally, I’d to face in my 9th standard, and in mathematics itself. I was an average student, studied only during exams. If I’d put in lots of hard-work it showed in the result. I still remember in the first semester I’d scored really badly in mathematics, especially in algebra. I was told if I get a bad score in my coming algebra test in my coaching classes I wouldn’t be allowed to sit any further lectures. Imagining the situation was most difficult for me, so I’d studied real hard, and as fake as it may sound I’d scored full, it was a test on the topic of logarithms.
Moral of the story is right in front of you, if you don’t let the students face a difficult situation, they’ll never learn, especially if given an option of running away. Just in the race for scoring more, students will try to go for the easier route. The school level mathematics isn’t something out of the world, it’s quite basic. If I wouldn’t have done logarithms then, would calculations have been as easy as they are for me now?
Talking about students having dyscalculia [fear of math], do you want the students to run away from the phobia, instead of facing it? If hard work leads to a full score for an average student, then a student with dyscalculia might easily get a decent score with even effort, or might even come over the dreaded phobia. It is surely much better than chickening out of the situation. Oh! But how did I forget in that case the score, or rather the average percentage won’t be enough, and people won’t get to show off!
Let’s hope that such a rule is not imposed, or rather, such an option is not given to students. And if given, students chose to face their fears
16 comments:
I disagree. Trusting students and giving them a choice to choose what they want is a step forward.
But isn't this a step backward?
I mean it's basic mathematics anyways, why drop it down even more?
and if they are told they have a fear of something, and allowed to chicken out, how will they learn to face it.
Again as I said, just a bit of hard work, and the students will clear it at ease, if not with high scores.
Tell me, Sameeta, what would you prefer to learn:
Would you like to learn something which someone else thinks that you need to learn?
or
Would you like to learn the ability to choose for yourself what is right for you?
If a kid chooses not to learn the tough part of the course, and later realises that he/she finds interest in it and should learn it, he/she would have already made progress in thinking about his/her interests. It would be then his/her responsibility to learn what he/she lost through another way. That would teach him/her to take better choices in the future.
The post has hit a chord, but u knw wht? theres a catch!
the students who don't take the usual maths are not allowed 2 take up science or commerce for 11th 12th. Don't u think this a gr8 step for students who knw tht their love belongs to art - fine, performing or literary.
And its not like they don't have maths at all. You tell me, who applies advanced geometry in daily life?
But then lazy people like us would never have chosen the easier way, coz v love science, don't we?
I agree with alok, it indeed is a step forward.
I'd Read this news in a completely different light.
It focused on the statement "This option is given taking into consideration the students suffering from dyscalculia", so i ended up with such a post.
I thought for quite a while on your point of view "IT'S A MATTER OF CHOICE" both of you were quite convincing, but again, i think the school level syllabus is necessary.
Like if given an option to me in school level for social studies i would've gone for the easier version, for sure and then maybe i wouldn't have known which country the second world took place, and i wouldn't have tried knowing anything about it either. I think categorization at school level is really not needed. We should know a fair bit of everything and a great deal of our field. You may accuse me of comparing, but i really can't help, in Russia my friend's there doing medicine. For her first year she had the following subjects physics, chemistry, biology. Latin and Russian. And for the second year she has the following subjects psychology, biochemistry, microbiology, ECONOMICS, and subjects related to anatomy. I really liked the system, and i think categorization is really not needed in class ninth. I still don't agree it's a step forward.
arre...bhai art - wart sab theek hai...but when these people will star t to earn money coz of their art how wil they manage their money..how will they invest..how will they avoid tax by investing in funds etc...how will they calculate EMI on their studio apartment...get it...i am all for choice of subjects...but at least make basic calculations stuff compulsory...
Exactly. I do agree with Sankoobaba, one should learn the basic maths first. U can't choose an easy way out there n just escape away.
You see, the problem is that we don't trust those teens to make a right decision for themselves.
If they really think that they need the course, they will take it.
But the most important point is that even if they try to shy away from responsibility and take the easier way out, they will face the consequences and learn from it. When they do discover what they like, they will make a better, responsible decision the next time.
If they need those mathematical abilities in order to survive and get what they want, they will learn them, and with much more fervour than when forced to learn those things.
So you see, it is indeed a step forward.
Let me give you an example:
When I was in my 11th Std., I went to this person called Mr. Upadhyay for coaching in Maths. He was brilliant, and taught with bright enthusiasm. But he wasn't always this way. In fact, during his college years, he'd been a "gunda" and a loafer. It was when he faced the real world that he discovered his love for maths and teaching, and now he was the most popular teachers in the city.
As I said, this will teach the students to choose for themselves. A most primal of abilities.
you cant always touch a hot pan ...and then say ..ok i touch hot pan now i know it is hot...i wont touch again..
sometimes its better to listen to someone ..when they say it is hot and dont touch it..
Pain is a better teacher than any other person. Feeling the pain teaches you better than hearing of it from someone else.
Primitive people would say, the Earth is flat, so don't go and explore. Did the explorers listen to them?
@ alok
When you know that this option really won't work. Why give it in the first place.
When you know it is something they should know, then why let them chose!
Nope, I never said that this option won't work. It will work out for students who don't want to pursue a very science-oriented career, as Express pointed out.
And about handling your money and investments, You don't need an advanced course in mathematics to learn what to do with your money.
That's what i mean, we don't need an advance course in mathematics, but it's not at all advanced, it's absolutely BASIC
alok, stop beating around the bush and come 2 the point...
See, all v r trying 2 do is, atleast thr is an option.
And we all know that with MU, they introduce stuff n incase it doesn't work, its dropped. So experimentation is good.
And no, it is not playing with their knowledge.
and here is a question to every1 who thinks 10th level mathematics helps us calculate EMI,
d u ve ne idea how many engineers associate with CAs for filing income tax returns?
If school level maths made us very good at everything related 2 money, CAs, agents, councellors, organizations simply devoted 2 money managing advice; would not exsist.
BTW, all I ws trying 2 say is, don't bother singers n writers with mathematics, their right brain is too well developed 4 such petty things :-P
PLUS, if trigo is not basic maths, i dunoo wht is. calculus and conics? tht still goes 4m above my head baby, and I have done 12th WITH maths! :-|
And as far as economics being in curriculum in MBBS is concerned, haven't u heard to many of Phadke sir's lectures to know the reason?
P.S. I know i shud've written a mail instead, hehe
*claps* for Sameeta, Express, Alok, and last bu not the least Maharashtra Board.
Hey Sameeta,
You know i have faced similar problem in my class 9th it wasn't abt maths but was for some language called Sanskrit .. we had three options Full, composite or complete hindi..
I chose composite
1st Unit test... 3/20 (I passed coz the marks in Hindi were good.)
1st Semister 44/ 50
after first semister i wrote a nice letter address to my principal to change my subject to HINDI full time.. and I got it done..
u know y there was such a drastic change in my scores .. that was bcoz i studied hard in unit test ... but I cheated in 1st Sem..
(u know something... this is the first time i m confessing this.. )
I have never cheated in academics after that..
when you get an option you tend to choose the toughest one .. just becoz u dont want to be the black sheep in the herd... but when you realise that your decision was wrong u can always correct the mistake... but things are different when you don't get an option.. foreg. had I got compulsory sanskrit then things would have been as follows:
1st unit test 3/ 40(efforts)
1st sem 44/50(copied)
2nd ut- 19/20(copied)
2sem- 48/50(copied)
and so on it would have afftected me all my life..
I hope u got what i wanna say..
Tc.
Omi
Ok, I am getting what you are saying. But what if you wouldn't have gone for the tougher choice,you wouldn't know you didn't like it, everyone in life doesn't want excitement, some don't care even if they are the black sheep. Express said there might be people who want to be artists and singers, but how many are that determined and focused and sure about their career at that age? I am not talking about the geniuses, I am talking about the students who haven't decided, these are generally those who would go for the easier option. And these form the major population of students.
My point is its too early to give an option in the class 9, students are given option after 10th and i think its apt! And if these students who go for an easier option, will surely score great and then they might just drop their plan of becoming a singer or a painter. Again it might be their loss and then they'll be learning from their mistakes and all that, but by giving the option if we know there might be an option now or then, why give it? Whereas not giving is not making a difference..then why give it
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