Learning mathematics is a problem for most primary and secondary school students. This is what the performance of Brazilian students in international assessments proves. According to the latest International Student Assessment Survey (Pisa), for every 10 young people aged up to 15, seven do not know how to solve simple mathematical problems.
This means that students have difficulty converting values and comparing distances, for example. The number of students who perform poorly in mathematics is much higher than the global average. While Brazil recorded 73%, the world average was 31%. Furthermore, the research shows that only 2% showed that they were able to learn mathematics, registering greater proficiency in the subject.
Making a comparison with previous evaluations, Brazilian performance has not improved, it has been the same over the last decade, which shows that there is a major bottleneck in education. But what can we do to help change this reality? ?
To assist in the development of students, the Ramacrisna Institute offers reinforcement activities for children, teenagers and adults. For children aged six to 14, the Ramacrisna Educational Support Center (CAER) carries out activities after school, which help to develop learning in various areas.
One of the resources used in the activities is the Digital Whiteboard. Connected to the internet, students learn mathematics and Portuguese subjects in a playful and dynamic way. Another method used is the Digital Literacy Table, which helps students not only in mathematics, but also in Portuguese. Through it, they become familiar with written language, fitting colored blocks into a large electronic panel, as well as activities that include fables, proverbs, nursery rhymes, tongue twisters, among others. In this way, one of the great challenges of literacy is accelerated, the child rebuilds their self-esteem and expands the learning process.
For young people and adults between 16 and 45, Ramacrisna offers the Portuguese and Mathematics Reinforcement course, which is part of the Construindo o Futuro VI project, carried out in partnership with Petrobras. The classes aim to contribute to the development of learning and improving student performance. Furthermore, it raises students’ self-esteem and makes them more autonomous, participative and motivated. Classes are based on the minimum school curriculum. The course is open for registration until May 23rd for residents of Ibirité.
In mathematics, it is important to understand that the discipline goes beyond the calculator. It involves logical reasoning, that is, the student must be able to understand the thinking behind solving the problem and only then perform the calculations.
The reasoning also applies to formulas: instead of memorizing, the tip is to understand the calculation. To do this, understand the theoretical part before going into practice. And when it’s time to get your hands dirty, don’t be afraid. Practice is the key word.
It is also important to understand that mathematics is not limited to four operations: addition, subtraction, division and multiplication represent the most basic aspects of the discipline. Of course, to be able to understand more complex subjects, the basics must be on the tip of your tongue.
Finally, you need to be able to take the content into your daily life. Going to the market, for example, is an opportunity to convert measurements and compare product prices. For sports lovers, knowing the size of a football field, analyzing the number of fans in a stadium and even the number of goals per round are ways of seeing mathematics in everyday life.
To find out more about the classes, learn about our work or help transform people’s lives, contact us.
