Improving maths skills?

Question

The latest solution is to develop "maths champions" in schools. 10,000 teachers, 1 for every school, will get ONE DAY OF TRAINING to achieve this.

Is one day of training in maths is just piddling into the wind?

Answer 1

I don't know about the program you are discussing but I have done quite a bit of research on math instruction in the last few years.  Research shows that distributed practice over time, strategy instruction, problem solving practice and explicit instruction of the underlying principles are effective practices.  I personally use Mountain Math in my classroom and have seen fantastic results.

Answer 2

I think one day training will do good because maths is a simple subject which we can learn easily . If they are interested in the subject they themselves can find many ways to solve the problem. The logic behind it can be understood one day itself but it depends on their interest to know it.

Answer 3

I think it is really bad that the teachers in our schools are not good enough at maths to begin with, shouldn't they be passing maths exams to become teachers!

On TV this morning they asked people in the street what 20% of £2.00 was and people didnt know the answer!

Answer 4

Yeah i saw the 20% thing. It was completely unbelieveable.

I think one day of training should be enough. Primary school teachers dont even reach algebra, so its not as if they need some degree level training. I think it would be a good idea.

Most teachers already have the knowledge required, but just need help on how to actually TEACH the maths to the children. This could probably be sorted out in a day of training.

Answer 5

I dont think one day of training, for one teacher in each school, will solve the sort of problem the first poster refers to.

Answer 6

that's not gonna solve anything.

its teaching a teacher how to do math in a split second but how does that solve the problem of the growing number of american children who have problems doing math?

ok. i get the idea. teach one and hope that that ONE teaches a thousand. but cmon, second hand information can be confusing especially when that CHOSEN ONE was only taught that technique for one day.

i think our government should step up a bit about education. instead of spending money on guns and bullets in other countries, i think its more efficient for us to buy new books and fun our school systems more.

gah. what  has our country gone to?

dont get me wrong though. id rather live here than canada. sometimes, you just cant help but wonder and rant.