Mathematical reading (1st session)

Date and Time  : 15-07-2020, 10:00 – 11:20 am

Facilitator: Mr. Sushant Pawar.(Dept of Math edu. HBCSE)

As the title suggests the webinar was conducted to read the research reading. Primary focus of the research reading is how a teacher can handle different approaches of students for solving mathematical problems, and how teachers should/can be sensitive about the socio-economic status of students. Also this reading describes the thought process of a teacher while teaching and dealing with different approaches of students. Webinar was conducted by Mr. Sushant Pawar who has been working in Department of Mathematics Education HBCSE since 2 years. PDF copy of research reading was shared with participants on whatsapp group so they can go through it prior to the webinar. The resource person prepared the presentation in such a way that part of the research reading was displayed on the slides. The resource person used to read those slides and then used to give 2 minutes to participants to note down the key points from the slides. After some slides there used to be discussion about what participants have noted down and what they feel about it. Experts from HBCSE and outside and teachers shared their experiences too while the discussion part.

This webinar was the first part of the research reading webinar. Here the participants read the initial part of the reading and they discussed that. Some notable discussion points are mentioned below:

  • Resource person shared the reason for selecting this particular reading. Then Aaloka Kanhere ma’am also shared her experience about this particular reading and how it helped her in her teaching.
  • Satyawati Rawool ma’am described how important the seating arrangement of the classroom is. Which is important for the peer discussion.
  • Sandhya Thakur Ma’am noted the point about the diversity of students described in the reading and importance of the classroom environment.
  • She also noted the importance of observation and discussion of teachers in each other’s classroom.
  • After that Shweta Naik ma’am told participants that she had visited the school described in the reading. And the students of that school could not write English since their language at home was not English.
  • Narendra Deshmukh Sir added the point how the teacher from the reading had asked the students to draw and justify their solutions. And how it is important for understanding of students and how participant teachers can also ask their students to draw the solution of the problem.
  • He also shared his personal experience about how students from unprivileged backgrounds could not relate to mathematical problems. And How teachers can include local context while teaching mathematics.
  • After reading the students’ response part of the reading Sandhya Thakur ma’am shared how sometimes being wrong and right might not be important and students’ participation is more important.
  • Shweta Naik ma’am added that one needs to take efforts to create an environment for students to express themselves.
  • Then resource person spoke about how social discrimination is also observed inside the classroom.
  • Shweta Naik ma’am also added to that point that how a teacher/educator needs to provide more opportunities to students from socially discriminated backgrounds. And we need to think about availing equal opportunities to discriminated students.
  • Then Aaloka ma’am also added how we need to underline the issue of discrimination inside the classroom.
  • Satyawati Rawool ma’am also described how some students dominate others inside the classroom. And how this reading has underlined that issue very nicely.
  • Sandya ma’am added her point about how teachers in this reading have underlined the social issue in her reading.

Since the paper was long, Narendra Deshmukh sir decided to conduct the second part of the webinar to complete the remaining part of the webinar.

Report prepared by: Sushant Pawar