Teacher’s Attitudes towards Mathematics Subject Verses Students Attitude
Teachers’ views toward mathematics may be a sign that they feel obligated to share what they have learned with their pupils or that they see it as a precious source of knowledge that will benefit them. On the other hand, the learner’s attitudes toward mathematics may be assessed in relation to innate tendencies, environmental exposure, value scales, or personal tendencies, which necessitates more study to identify the gap in mathematical proficiency. Scientists Aiken and Aiken (1969) found that science instructors differed from math professors after looking at 54 studies on attitudes toward science done in the United States of America since 1960.
It was widely understood that instructing pupils to promote good attitudes constituted a major aspect of their work. According to Newton and Tarrant (1992), teachers’ behaviors and attitudes in the classroom may have a big influence on the students’ learning.
Growing attitudes and ideals of children toward mathematics. The authors also argued that teachers’ opinions about a certain curriculum had an impact on students’ sentiments toward that same program. The attitudes of teachers and their educational methods are positively correlated (Newton & Tarrant, 1992). The authors highlight how developing a positive mindset is often stressed as a need for effectively implementing curricular adjustments.
In a research carried out in Gongola State, Nigeria, using a descriptive survey technique, Banu (2008) investigated the opinions of secondary school pupils towards the sciences in relation to their professors. Disproportionate stratified sampling was used to choose the sample schools. Based on deliberate sampling, the instructors’ and children’s samples were selected. Surveys of students and teachers, interviews, and observation schedules were used to collect data. Data analysis used descriptive statistics.
The study’s findings showed that regardless of the teacher, male students usually had a more positive attitude toward mathematics and science than female students. According to the data, 65% of the students preferred science lessons above sessions in other subjects. Seventy percent of the students said that they would choose to work in professions related to mathematics, just like their tutors. He concluded that more effective teachers and the development of a more relevant curriculum would alter students’ perceptions of math and science.
Shumba (2008) did a similar study in Zimbabwe with students in forms two and four. In his study, he assumed that students’ perceptions of science classes would be an indication of their capacity and preparation for familiarize yourself with science and utilize it. Data study revealed considerable mentality differences between the two groups. Form two students had a very strong and favorable affinity for scientific subjects. Although form four students as a whole tended to have a larger range of attitude ratings, it is possible that this group comprised both students with very positive and significantly negative attitudes. Form four students usually exhibited a negative attitude toward the sciences.
Even though four students had greater exposure to the sciences throughout their school experiences, their views about them were still rather immature. According to this study’s author, the students’ unfavorable attitudes may be due to the instructors’ influence. In contrast to Form Four, when students were expected to be independent, Form Two students received strong encouragement from their lecturers to study the sciences. The secondary school science teachers in the Harare area, where the study was done, also emphasized the lack of materials and infrastructure to support practical exercises.
He noted that the methods used in the Harare region to communicate scientific knowledge were unlikely to help students form favorable attitudes about science subjects, especially mathematics. In order to establish in the future teachers a positive attitude toward the sciences, he urged against utilizing the simple lecture method for pre-service teacher education.
As sciences are applied fields, they should be taught utilizing discovery or inquiry methods (Shumba, 2008). Also, the writer said that academics could not be eager due to a lack of accessible experimental techniques and tools for engaging people in mathematics.
Our attitudes have an impact on almost everything we do in life, including how we read, write, work, and even perform math. When it comes to attitudes, Cockroft (1982) and Kilpatrick (1992) are in agreement. With the help of instructors and everyone else involved in a child’s education, a positive attitude toward mathematics must be nurtured. Deeply held opinions in favor of or against mathematics that are connected to an emotion like love, hate, or fear are often indicators of attitudes. It is generally accepted that a student’s emotions, attitudes, and beliefs, in addition to being a result of earlier learning experiences, have a role in how he responds to new learning scenarios.
Hence, in order to create positive and productive learning environments, educators need find ways to blend the high cognitive demands they want to set on their pupils with enough emotional reinforcement. Ability, preference, attitudes, and motivation all contribute to why some pupils achieve more than others, claims Orton (1987). It is believed that an optimistic outlook is a helpful addition to learning. So, both the instructors’ and the students’ attitudes toward mathematics may have a significant influence on how well pupils do in arithmetic. Examining the connections between teachers’ learning and performance and affective components including emotions, attitudes, and beliefs may be important. This may Why does mathematics, maybe more than any other subject, elicit strong emotions in students, whether positive or negative ones?
Download Full Material-N5000