I was looking forward for the 1st lesson in NIE again! I enjoyed the lesson and I have gained much insights about initiatives discussed in Math curriculum with my tutor and my course mates.
Dr Yeap has modeled the strategy of using experiential learning (using concrete materials i.e. tangrams) which I feel is very useful for young learners especially pupils in lower primary. Pupils nowadays are more visual and kinesthetic learners so they learn better through hands-on activities. These activities will create moments of joy and excitement in terms of the affective aspect.
Also, we moved on from using concrete to pictorial approach whereby we drew the shapes after making squares. I feel that it is meaningful in this way. Using relevant ICT tools can also be used to enhance visualization among learners. They will be more engaged and enjoy learning mathematics more.
We were encouraged to share our views freely in a conducive environment which promotes a professional learning community. In addition, Dr Yeap also modeled one of the reflection models i.e. doing his blog reflection.
I think in the weeks to come… there will be more fruitful discussions to be discovered through group meetings, readings and tutorials… :)
