Classroom Tools Series:
Mathematics Resources II
In
this issue, we will be focusing on two categories. First, links that
contain motivational articles and answers to the classic students’
question, “Why do we have to study math?” These include reasons why the
subject matters and the advantages of actually liking it, so you can do
away with answers like “because it is part of the curriculum and we’ll
be seeing each other again next year if you don’t pass it,” that most
of the time makes the students even more frustrated. We’ve also
included interesting math-related articles and news. The second part is
more on recommended sites that you can suggest to your students should
they need further assistance in understanding the lessons better.
Online free tutorials, games, puzzles, and more can be accessed.
a. Why study math
Why You Should Choose Math in High School
Although written in the Norwegian academic context, this article proves
to be one useful weapon. Professor Espen Andersen of the Norwegian
School of Management came up with 12 reasons to entice students why
they should take more of math in high school than any other subjects.
Who knows, you might convert a number of your students to become math
fanatics too.
Math: What Is It Good For?
Even if students don’t pursue math-centric courses in college, the
author of this article emphasizes why math is still important
especially in developing critical thinking and analysis of each
individual. Though we try to ignore it, we can’t deny the fact that
there is essentially a need for it.
Math Beyond the Realm
Check out these interesting math articles: the alarming status of math
in the US and its implications in their economy, why only a few girls
choose science and math, and math reforms (all about the ways children
learn math). Then you can compare if the same situation can be said
here in the Philippines.
b. Helpful sites for students (and teachers too)
Math for Morons Like Us
At some point of our lives as students, we experience brain freeze in
the middle of math classes, trying to understand what all the x’s and
y’s are. Apparently, the creators of this site felt the same way, too,
so for math ‘morons’ out there who need a boost in number skills,
here’s the guru for us.
Ask Dr. Math
What makes this site different? You can write Dr. Math directly your
questions or mathematical problems which you’re having difficulty of
solving! Aside from this, there’s an archive for FAQ’s (classic
problems, probabilities, theorems, permutations and combinations),
formulas (geometric and trigonometric), selected answers (algebra,
geometry, trigonometry, calculus, measurement, statistics, functions,
puzzles), and topics from elementary math to college and beyond. See
also essays on mathematics, written in a creative manner…believe it or
not!
Maths is Fun
Yup, you’ve read it right. Math (or maths according to this site) can
be fun too, with their creative and colorful pages, cool graphics, and
exciting puzzles and quizzes. They even have a forum page where
students and teachers alike can join and post math problems, exercises,
puzzles, formulas, as well as suggestions and comments.
