Academic fun day - St Andrew Prep School aims to demystify mathematics

In a revolutionary way to make the often-feared subject accessible and exciting for youngsters, St Andrew Preparatory School recently dedicated a full day dubbed 'Mathematics Day'. The exciting event was created to demystify the subject and make it relevant, exciting and fun for the school's students.

Mathematics Day featured a series of enjoyable activities, eye-catching displays and creative teaching exhibits all designed to get students engrossed in the subject with a view to improving their academic performance.

Games and other activities were set up across the school compound to entice children to do calculations, measurements and other mathematical activities. Also, art was used to creatively illustrate mathematical concepts and practical applications of the subject matter.

Creative, enjoyable day

Betty Edwards, senior teacher of the Primary Department, said: "With Mathematics Day, we have devised a creative and enjoyable way to help our students to develop a love for what is often seen as a very difficult subject.

"Students spent the entire day totally immersed in mathematics, which helped them to realise that what may seem like a challenging subject is actually fun to figure out, and it also applies to almost every aspect of their daily lives," she added.

The event came against the background of disappointing national pass rates in mathematics at several levels. Last year, just about 57 per cent of the students who took the subject in the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) were successful; and the past decade has seen inconsistent pass rates at the CXC level. In response to this, earlier this year the Ministry of Education announced that it would be implementing a national campaign to increase the awareness and importance of developing students' numeracy skills.

Trendsetters

St Andrew Prep is ahead of the game as their academic 'fun day' has been a big hit with the youngsters, who are getting early exposure to the practical nature of mathematics, which will most likely be part of their academic curriculum until their high school graduation.

"It is important for students to gain a good appreciation for mathematics at an early age, as this helps them to develop sound numeracy skills that will provide a solid foundation for several aspects of their overall education," Edwards said.

"If we can get students to cultivate a healthy attitude towards mathematics at the primary level, it will serve them well as they go on to the secondary and even tertiary level," she added.