WEAVING TOGETHER THE THREADS OF LOGIC & MASTERING THE NUMERICAL

PROWESS- MATHEMATICS TEACHERS (Classes 3 to 10)

As a math teacher, you embark on a journey to inspire and educate students in the fascinating realm
of mathematics. Your role extends beyond imparting knowledge; it's about igniting a passion for numbers,
problem-solving, and critical thinking.

Your classroom becomes a dynamic space where theories are explored, equations solved, and minds
sharpened.

Your primary objective is to facilitate a deep understanding of mathematical concepts while fostering an
environment that encourages inquiry and discovery.

From arithmetic to calculus, geometry to statistics, you guide students through a diverse landscape of
mathematical disciplines, equipping them with essential skills for academic success and beyond.

You tailor your instruction to meet the unique needs and learning styles of each student, ensuring that no one
is left behind. Through engaging lessons, interactive activities, and real-world applications, you make
abstract concepts tangible and relevant.

Methodology:

Introducing a topic in mathematics requires clarity and engagement. Here are some basic rules for a
mathematics teacher:
Understand the Topic: Ensure a solid understanding of the topic yourself before introducing it to students
and have a proper plan in introducing the concepts.

1. Start with Basics: Begin with fundamental concepts and build upon them gradually. Concept should be
introduced in a simple way by giving various examples. The teacher should not assume that children
know things.
Teacher should probe previous knowledge and move from the known to the unknown. Explain the
general and move to specific. This is to ensure that the concept is clear, connected and etched in the
minds of the children forever.

For example: Geometry, Introduction to Basic Shapes: Begin by introducing students to basic shapes such
as squares, rectangles, and circles.

Show them examples of these shapes in their environment, such as squares in tiles, rectangles in
books, and circles in wheels.

The move to the exploration of Properties: Explore the properties of each shape with students. For
example:

Squares: All sides are equal in length, and all angles are right angles.

Rectangles: Opposite sides are equal in length, and all angles are right angles.
Circles: All points on the boundary are equidistant from the center, and the distance around the boundary
is constant (circumference).

2. Relate to Real-life Examples: Use real-life examples to make abstract concepts more relatable and
understandable.
Few Examples:
a) Introduction of negative integers – When you go to a Mall for watching a movie in a car/bike, you
observe that your bike/car is parked in the lower level compared to ground/road level. After parking,
you are again coming to upper level by using an elevator. You observe the numbers in elevator as B1,
B2 or -1, -2 etc … Here, the ground level is taken as Zero and when you are going down from ground
level, we need to represent them with some numbers which are -1, -2, -3 etc… as they are below ground
level. These numbers are called negative numbers/ negative integers. We can also use the examples of
temperature in cold and hot regions, height of mountains/ depth of valley by using sea level.
b) Introduction of Fractions – On Fruity Friday, Rahul bought an apple and his friends have asked for
share. So, the child wanted to share equally among his friends. He has cut apple into 4 pieces and gave
one piece each to his friends. So, Rahul has got 1 piece out of 4 pieces. Here 4 pieces together called as
a Whole, and he got 1 piece out of it i.e. 1 part. This is represented as ¼ i.e. Part of a whole, which is
known as a Fraction.
c) Introduction to Algebra- Sachin scored few marks and Ravindra scored 5 more than him. How to
find Ravindra’s marks?
As Sachin score is unknown, we can use a variable y to find out the Ravindra’s score. Using the variable
y, we can say Ravindra’s score = y + 5. For different values of y, we get different answers.
3. Encourage Questions: Create an environment where students feel comfortable asking questions to
clarify doubts. This helps teacher to know more about the understanding levels of the students and
teacher can change his/her way of approach in teaching, if required.
4. Provide Context: Explain the relevance of the topic and how it fits into the broader scope of
mathematics or its practical applications in day-to-day life. Make use of various examples in creating
interest and learn the concepts. Emphasize problem-solving skills by presenting students with real-
world problems and encouraging them to apply mathematical concepts to solve them.
For example: When teaching Fractions, the teacher may use the following case study: "It’s Eid/Diwali.
You're cooking a traditional dish that requires measurements of ingredients like spices, lentils, and rice.
How can you adjust the recipe to serve a larger or smaller number of people?"
Such interaction encourages critical thinking, reasoning, and perseverance among children when
faced with similar situations in real life!
5. Step-by-Step Approach: Problem solving approach should be simple to complex. Break down complex
problems into smaller, manageable steps, demonstrating the process clearly. Provide opportunities for
students to work at their own pace and offer additional support or challenges as needed. Involve the
students in simplifications and motivate them to solve the problems on their own.
 Let's illustrate this approach with an example of teaching fractions:
Concept: Fractions
Start with the basics of fractions, such as understanding that a fraction represents a part of a whole. Use
concrete objects like an apple/a chapati to visually demonstrate fractions. For instance, show a chapati
divided into halves or quarters and explain that each slice represents a fraction of the whole chapati.
Then, progress to understanding proper fractions, improper fractions, and mixed numbers. Break down
the concept into smaller steps:
Proper Fractions: Explain that proper fractions represent parts of a whole where the numerator (top
number) is less than the denominator (bottom number). For example, 1/2 represents one out of two
equal parts.
Improper Fractions: Introduce improper fractions, where the numerator is greater than or equal to the
denominator. Show how to convert improper fractions to mixed numbers and vice versa.
Mixed Numbers: Define mixed numbers as combinations of whole numbers and fractions. Provide
examples and guide students through converting mixed numbers to improper fractions.
Complex: Move on to operations with fractions, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and
division.
Break down each operation into manageable steps:
Addition and Subtraction: Start with like denominators and then progress to unlike denominators. Teach
students how to find a common denominator and adjust the numerators accordingly.
Multiplication: Demonstrate how to multiply fractions by multiplying the numerators and denominators
separately, then simplify the result if possible.
Division: Show how to divide fractions by multiplying the first fraction by the reciprocal of the second
fraction. Emphasize the importance of simplifying the result.
Offer Opportunities for Independent Work: Provide practice problems at each level of complexity and
encourage students to work through them at their own pace. Offer additional support or challenges as
needed, such as providing extra practice problems for students who need reinforcement or more
advanced problems for students who grasp the concepts quickly.
Encourage students to simplify fractions whenever possible. For instance, after adding fractions, ask
students to reduce the result to its simplest form. Guide them through the process and explain why
simplifying fractions is important.

By following this simple-to-complex approach, breaking down complex problems into smaller, manageable
steps, and providing opportunities for independent work and support, teachers can effectively teach fractions
and empower students to master this fundamental mathematical concept.
Active Learning: Incorporate videos, activities, group work, or problem-solving exercises to engage
students actively in the learning process. Make the concepts interactive and relevant to students’ life to
increase their interest and motivation.
Ask children to come to the board and solve a problem or two or orally discuss the steps involved
while others are listening keenly and correcting the child, rectifying the error, if any to the whole class,
thereby benefitting the entire lot of students. A teacher should focus on developing logical and critical
thinking skills.

6. Integration and Connections: Help students make connections between different mathematical
concepts and between mathematics and other subjects or real-life situations. Foster a holistic
understanding of mathematics rather than teaching topics in isolation.
For example:
 Fractions and Decimals: Explain how fractions and decimals are related and can be converted into
each other. For example, illustrate that a fraction like 1/4 can be written as a decimal as 0.25, and vice
versa.
 Show how mathematics is applied in health and fitness contexts. For instance, discuss how to calculate
body mass index (BMI), track calorie intake and expenditure, or analyze workout data using
mathematical formulas and graphs.
 Explore the use of mathematics in travel and navigation. Discuss concepts like distance, speed, time,
and map scale, and demonstrate how to use mathematical calculations to plan routes, estimate travel
times, and navigate unfamiliar locations.

Thus, teachers can help students see the interconnectedness of mathematical concepts and their application
in various fields and real-life situations. This approach enhances students' appreciation for the importance
of mathematics and their ability to apply mathematical thinking in diverse contexts

7. Check for Understanding: Regularly assess students' understanding through questions, quizzes, or
discussions to address misconceptions promptly. Keep checking the Practice books, and follow up
whether the children are able to solve problems on their own or not. Revise the concepts, wherever
required based on students’ feedback. Provide constructive feedback to students to help them improve
their understanding and skills. Encourage self-reflection and self-assessment to foster meta cognitive
skills.

By following these rules, a mathematics teacher can effectively introduce a topic and lay a strong
foundation for further learning. By following a proper methodology, a teacher can create a
supportive and engaging learning environment that promotes mathematical understanding and
proficiency among students.
 Every teacher is evaluated or assessed monthly. The following are the details of how a Subject teacher is
assessed by the executives concerned:
S. No Area of Assessment Marks
1 Subject 50
(giving conceptual clarity by giving as many examples as possible, making
concepts simple and connecting them to daily life)
2 Involving children, making them solve problems on the board, checking 20
attentiveness of the children in the class
3 Mental Maths, Mental ability, Maths Kit 10
4 Note Book Corrections 10
5 Class control 10
Total 100
 Impactful Teaching:

You should have the feel for teaching well, an urge to want to change the society. You can browse the net,
collect more examples and add value from your experience and more real-life examples, relevant to the
content.

 Voice to be loud enough with the correct pronunciation, diction and intonation/ move around in the
class:
 Look at the children’s expression, you can easily understand whether they are following or not. Check
their body language and facial expression.
 If a child is not showing interest, draw the child to the class by asking questions.
 After a while, when children are bored ask one of them to explain or explain in such a way that the class
is interactive.
 Don’t aske too many questions in the beginning, it distracts the children’s attention, besides wastes time.
 Don’t introduce the topic in a remote and then try to join the dots.
 Keep the introduction simple, logical and interesting.
 Make rules and stick to them. Tell children that you’ll give them time to raise doubts. Only during the
doubt clarification session, children must raise hands, wait for their turn and ask. Teacher should at this
time, be patient and answer all the queries raised.
 Tell children that unless you point out to any student, they need not answer questions that arise in course
of the classroom transaction (teaching). For example, while explaining, the teacher might say, “Which
vitamin do we get from sunlight?” the children need not answer, it is a way of teaching.
 Discourage group answers!
 Keep the doors closed to minimise the noise from outside (wherever possible), reduce the speed of the
fans to moderate, explain the reason why this is done…ensure your voice is clear and loud enough for
even the last child in the class to hear.
 Keep moving in the class, stand near the first bench so that all the children in the class are clearly visible
to you. This is to enable to be impactful.
Class Control

 A teacher can be friendly towards the students but cannot be a friend to them.
 The teacher should not over pamper the children or be over-friendly. She must exhibit such behavior that
children understand the distinction between a teacher and a student.
 The child must feel free to share his/her problems/ happiness with the teacher but also learn to respect the
teacher.
 Teacher must not be too casual or light towards the children. Teacher must enforce strictness as per the
need, always. Make them understand that the dignity and respect of the teacher cannot be taken for
granted.
 A classroom has 25+ children and everyone is the same for a teacher. Your duty as a teacher is to
accelerate every child’s progress for the best of their abilities.
 Make the children understand that if the class room is noisy/disturbing, children are not concentrating
properly, the teacher feels de -motivated to teach. The teacher may not be able to give her/his best.
 So, the only way to get the best from the teacher is to listen attentively to the class, respect the teacher
and ask any questions only in the stipulated time allotted by the teacher.
 Children must be told to avoid giving answers in a group and always stand and answer when given a
chance. This can be an exception in case of Mental Math which requires quick answers. Here, its ok if
some child answers while sitting.
 Children must be explained how to greet the teachers. Saying a HI, HELLO, is not an appropriate way of
greeting a teacher. The child must bend a little and greet the teacher as per the need of the hour.
 Example- Good Morning / Good Afternoon Ma’am/ Sir ,etc
 The general Indian tradition teaches to say Namaskaram but since we are an English medium school.
 In High School, make the children understand that if someone disturbs the class, the real losers are other
children of that class.
 The de-motivated teacher hurries to complete the lesson in a huff and the other children end up with
half/no clarity on the concepts.
 Explain the children that such children who cause disturbance are not any hero but the villains of the
class. Drop a letter in the complaint box against such children, inform your Mentor so that suitable action
is taken against these trouble mongers.
 Create a spirit in the class that such disturbing children are projected negatively.
 It is not just the duty of the Mentor / ADP but that of every teacher, to counsel the child as per the need. If
needed, raise your voice, be assertive. Show anger but abstain from any abusive words/language.
 Isolate and handle the trouble-mongers. If needed, stop teaching for a while, sit down n tell assertively
that you will not take such behavior for granted.
 In case of recurrence, write a letter on the trouble-monger and submit it to the ADP.
 All said and done, if the teacher makes the class lively and interactive, such situations can always be
avoided.
 Make the concepts clear and interesting. This year the system has enough checks to ensure the
methodology is followed thoroughly.

Note: As per the scores, a teacher moves into a particular zone and there is a set follow up.

Score Zone Follow up Measure

Less than 40 Red Calls for immediate action
(ranging from suspension to termination)
40-49 Orange Teacher is cautioned, remarks are posted in the Intra-face register
by the Principal, explanation letter to be taken from the teacher,
explanation should seem like questioning the authority.
If the teacher continues in the same zone for the 2nd continuous
month, it will be considered that the teacher is in Red Zone.
50-59 Light Green The teacher is just ok and there is a lot of scope for improvement.
The teacher should approach the Mentor / principal for guidance
and perform better.
60-69 Green Can be better. Teacher is putting in efforts but can seek guidance
in improving further.
70 and above White Very Good; Keep surging ahead

Teachers in the first 3 categories, i.e. all those who score 59 and below are not eligible to become
‘Best Teachers’. If the teacher is in any of these zones for more than 3 months continuously, then
continuation with him/her for next Academic Year may not be considered. The teacher needs a fresh
Assessment and Interview by Sir.
A few more points for Mother Teachers to note:

EVERY TEACHER SHOULD ENSURE THAT WHATEVER SHE SPEAKS IS CLEARLY AND
AUDIBLE TO ALL THE CHILDREN IN THE CLASS!

In order that this happens:

i. Ensure that there is not much disturbance in the class (some unavoidable disturbance will surely be
there because there'll be other classes on the floor). The disturbance, if any, should be minimised to
the maximum extent.

It is the duty and responsibility of the Teachers to ensure this otherwise, the teacher in question will be
held answerable.

What can be done??

# closing the door wherever required (if there's no disturbance, the door need not be closed)
# depending on the conditions, ensure that the fans are in moderate speed.

You may have to put the fans in high speed when the weather is too warm, in such a case you need to rise
the voice level.

When the fans are put on high speed, ensure that you speak loud enough so that you are audible even to
the child who is sitting on the last bench.

When listening task is going on, i.e. when you are speaking or reading aloud the lesson, ensure children
occupy the benches in the front.

Later when they begin writing (solving Maths problems, writing the Q/As, Art and Craft kind of
activities), they may go back to their place.

# If there is AC in the class, that can be switched On when the speaking/reading tasks are going on.

# Children should be sensitised that if the fans are at high speed then what the teacher speaks in the class
will not be audible.

# It is the duty of the Mentors to sensitise children how fans at a high speed are more of a disturbance
than a comfort.

When focused listening doesn't happen and the very purpose of they coming to school is defeated. Yes, when
they are writing down something, when drawing or colouring, they can keep the fans in full speed. But
when listening is happening, the speed should be moderate.

It is the duty of the Teachers to bring to the notice of the Admin, in case any fan is malfunctioning
with a lot of sound so that it is repaired /replaced at the earliest.

# The teacher should keep moving in the class, to ensure all children are focusing on what you speak, same
way while they are writing too, if the teacher is on rounds, checking and correcting children becomes easy,
thereby benefitting the entire class.

In other words, every time a teacher speaks, children are expected to listen carefully.

 The teacher must speak correctly and clearly with the correct pronunciation, diction and intonation and of
course make the class as interesting as possible, only then making the right impact is possible.
 If some child disturbs the class, explain to the child that he/she is not just being disturbed but is
disturbing the whole class and thereby losing out on a lot of learning.
 All said and done whatever you speak in the class, ensure that it is audible to all the children in the class.
Ensure there is active and focused listening.
 A quick recap of what the Subject Teacher must Do and mustn’t DO:
 The Do's for a Subject Teacher in the class:
 1. Plan the topics / lessons properly.
  2. Prepare well for the topic. Refer the teaching notes and other books as specified in the
Methodology.
 3. Follow the Methodology.
 4. Create positive and inclusive Classroom environment.
 5. Encourage active participation and collaboration among students.
 6. Conduct activities based on the topic as and when required.
 7. Use real life examples to make the children understand better. Apply the situations in the lesson to
the child’s world to ensure they understand it better and remember it for long and associate easily
with what is learnt in the class.
 8. Encourage children to present seminars.[High School]
 9. Adopt Inter-disciplinary approach or cross-curricular teaching. This involves integrating a
concept of one subject with other subject to provide a more holisticand inter-connected
learning experience for students.
 10. The teacher can make the corrections in the Class itself while he/she is on rounds so that the child
whose errors are being corrected in front of him/her will have an easier understanding where he is
gone wrong.
 11. An important point to be noted here correction of notes doesn't mean that the teacher collecting
all the books and correcting them sitting in the staff room. To a possible extent the child can be made
to check the errors in the class itself.
 12. The teacher should encourage the child to write the answers on his or her own. This will help the
child to become independent as well as put his or her thoughts on the paper.

A Math teacher should understand that role of a teacher extends beyond the classroom. Teachers serve
as a mentor, a coach, and a motivator, instilling confidence and resilience in your students as they
navigate the challenges of mathematics. The guidance, support, and encouragement, empower children
to overcome obstacles and reach their full potential.

Ultimately, a math teacher, plays a crucial role in shaping the next generation of problem-solvers,
innovators, and leaders.

Your dedication and passion lay the foundation for a lifelong journey of mathematical exploration and
discovery.

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