What Factors Affect Elementary Math Performance?
Whether just entering elementary school or preparing to move up to junior high, math can be a difficult subject. Despite the usefulness of elementary math in daily life, several different factors diminish a child's ability to understand and apply math concepts. These factors should be considered when teaching children math.
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Pedagogical Knowledge
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One factor which directly affects the performance of students in a math class is controlled not by the students themselves, but the teachers. This factor is called pedagogical knowledge and it is not the knowledge of any kind of math, but instead the knowledge of how to teach. Teachers who are trained in education as well as their subject matter have a larger arsenal of teaching techniques, as well as a psychological understanding of what it means to be a student in their classroom. According to a study conducted by the Australian Association for Research in Education, these extra pedagogical skills add up to more ways the teacher can get through to students.
Subject Content Knowledge
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Of course, the teacher's understanding of the subject matter will have a direct impact on the student's learning ability. The ability to answer math questions quickly and work out problems with the detailed explanations of a practiced hand gives students not only a more accurate and detailed picture of math, but also the confidence to ask questions. This interaction makes it possible for the teacher to see where the student requires extra help, allowing him then to move his course curriculum in that direction or to supply the student with tutoring. Math teachers who had not received specialized math training underperformed compared to their better prepared counterparts in the same AARE study.
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Time
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Time spent by the student, with and without parental interaction, is crucial to the long-term retention and understanding of mathematical concepts, even in elementary math. Through homework and study periods, the student gets a second chance to go over concepts on their own terms, while the repetition helps students retain concepts in their long-term memory. Additionally, the early learning of good study habits helps the student with future math studies.
Relevant Examples
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One problem with math in particular is the abstractness of the subject. Although many elementary math concepts are used in daily life, this is not always apparent when looking at numbers on a blackboard. Chinese school teachers engage their students to find examples of where the mathematical concept being learned is active in their daily life or in popular culture. This method connects the students to the math in a deeper way than simple utilitarian understanding and also gives the teachers insight into the lives of their students.
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