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MathematicsIn many schools, maths teachers nowadays are too interested in students solving for the correct answer using risky, short-term methods. Undeniably, the ultimate goal may be to get the correct answers and in turn, attain a higher score on standardized tests. But in many cases, unlike maths teachers at dot Ed, they create an intense amount of mnemonics and catchy phrases for students to memorize formulas and theorems. Although mnemonics and catchy phrases are popular forms of learning, students ultimately neither learn the historic development of the Pythagorean Theorem, nor challenge themselves to prove the theorem’s validity other than use of random integer plug-ins. This, in itself, can prove detrimental in later years of mathematical study. All in all, many maths teachers dismiss the formula proofs altogether. At best, they assign the printed proof from the textbook for homework as a reading assignment and never review it in subsequent classes. After all, what use is learning the history of the formula if it won’t give you points on a standardized test. That's not our belief here at dot Ed.
Acknowledging this blatant, but too often ignored, problem, we make it our goal to provide time for students to truly understand formulas beyond irrelevant mnemonics. We do not discount mnemonics and catchy phrases for formula memorization, but we mostly value the need for students to understand mathematical concepts in its original form. Using curricula from Singapore Maths and Finnish Core Maths, we teach students to draw bar diagrams that make advanced word problems easily solvable. And frankly, mathematics taught outside of the U.S. heavily involve diagrams and logical thinking for elementary school students to solve near high-school level algebra word problems. This process undoubtedly is more time consuming, but it is more valuable for long-term goals beyond standardized tests. We customize our classes to meet each student's needs. We would love to work with you to enrich your understanding of maths, develop your problem-solving skills, and hone your ability to think analytically. Popular topics that our effective teachers regularly help students with include:
For more examples of how we teach students to analyze, solve, and apply maths, visit our blog: Ed's Scribbles |
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