When it comes to mathematics, many students find the subject torturous while others find it difficult to remember the formulae. To put it simply, ‘mathematics-phobia’ is what many school students suffer from.
Taking the problem into perspective, the Mathematical Sciences’ Foundation (MSF) of St Stephens College, has set up its resource centres in a few schools in Delhi. The Indian School is one such school where the resource center has been running successfully for the past three months. Besides this, they have recently started another center at the Tagore International School in Vasant Vihar.
MSF is the brainchild of Dinesh Singh, professor of mathematics at the University of Delhi. The society runs various other programmes and their school project for the Indian School called ‘sahyog’ has worked wonders for students.
“Mathematics as a concept needs a strong foundation without which a student cannot move forward. Our main aim is to strengthen their basic concepts and make mathematics fun for them,” said Dr Manika Agarwal, associate professor at MSF.
Their way of teaching is unique and fun-filled. Experimental games are conducted amongst the students where they are expected to derive a certain formula through a game. Other games on integers are also conducted where the students are made to stand in various combinations to understand the concepts of integers. “The whole idea is to make the subject fun so that the students enjoy studying it and not avoid it,” she said.
The Indian School conducts the classes after school hours for classes VI to VIII. “We have had a very good response from the students. Their performance has really gone up,” said Poonam Chopra, principal, The Indian School. She further informed that the school might have a mathematics laboratory in the near future where the practical aspect of the subject will be taught. Interestingly, even parents have a role to play in the MSF programme. Regular interactive sessions are held between the MSF staff and the parents. The staff informs the parents how they can make mathematics fun at home.
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