What Do you think of Math education.

Ronal Rifandi

I am in line with an opinion which states that goals and needs of a learning process will represent by the emotion, attitudes and values of the students (Hannula, 2006). Based on this opinion, teachers have to consider a teaching and learning method that will lead to the increasing of students’ motivation towards mathematics. However, first and foremost, we need to change our paradigms about mathematics, what mathematics is? As Fosnot and Dolk (2001) argued, mathematics is not a dead language and in a classroom of mathematics, mathematics is seen as “the activity of mathematizing one’s lived world”. So, what teachers provide students in the teaching process is not only transfer the abstract knowledge about mathematics, but also more in supporting students in mathematizing.

Why mathematizing? Because, according to me, when students get the knowledge by doing some activities and lead to reinvent the mathematics through the activity it will make the students learn deeply and more understand the concept. The teachers just take a role as the facilitator. Moreover, in this activity, the mathematizing, teachers have to create such a learning environment that supports the students’ need of autonomy, since it will relate with the increasing of their motivation in doing mathematics. When they enjoy the learning mathematics then they will involves in the learning process well.

Let student do the mathematics and allow them to feel as a mathematician and reinvent the concept of mathematics in the classroom might be one of the interesting way to engage students and increase their motivation toward the learning activity. To make it happen, teachers can use a “context” as a starting point in the learning process. From a context, students try to model it in a simple representation, then move on to model for thinking and finally using the strategies to reach the big ideas (the mathematical concept). I believe that if the context used by teachers is interesting then the students’ motivation to join in the learning activity will be increase.

I agree with Sri Rejeki point of view about seeing mathematics in education more as applicable subject and including the use of context in the curriculum. She also mentioned what Freudenthal argued about mathematics as a human activity. In my opinion, this insight will make mathematics become more real in students’ mind and not far away from their daily life.

Fosnot, C. T., & Dolk, M. (2001). Young Mathematicians at Work: Constructing Multiplication and Division. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Hannula, M. S. (2006). Motivation in Mathematics: Goals Reflected in Emotion. Educational Studies in Mathematics , 165-178.