International Day of Mathematics

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“Without mathematics, there’s is nothing you can do. Everything around you is Mathematics. Everything around you is numbers. Shakuntala Devi. Like most societies the teaching of Mathematics continues to be problematic for a significant number of students. The teaching of Mathematics requires a new approach given the poor performances of students over the years. Teachers of Mathematics need to revisit their pedagogical methods regarding the teaching of this numeric subject in order to make it more practical and meaningful to the everyday lives of students. Most students who shy away from Mathematics did not obtain a good foundation in the subject. Teachers of Mathematics need to spend more time setting the foundation. The results from the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) were discouraging for Jamaica in Mathematics. In Jamaica, 26% of students attained at least Level 2 proficiency in mathematics, significantly less than on average across The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries (OECD average: 69%). At a minimum, these students can interpret and recognize, without direct instructions. Disappointingly, almost no students in Jamaica were top performers in mathematics, meaning that they attained Level 5 or 6 in the (PISA) mathematics test (OECD average: 9%). Girls outperformed boys in mathematics by 13 score points and in reading by 35 score points in Jamaica. Globally, in mathematics, boys outperformed girls in 40 countries and economies, girls outperformed boys in another 17 countries or economies. In reading, girls, on average, scored above boys in all but two countries and economies that participated in PISA 2022 (79 out of 81). The International Day of Mathematics (IDM) is a worldwide celebration that is observed annually on March 14. It is also known as the Pi Day, because the mathematical constant π can be rounded down to 3.14. The theme this year is “Playing with Math”. In 2020, the world celebrated its First International Day of Mathematics. It is hoped that this year’s theme will spark creativity and bring light to connections between mathematics and all sorts of fields, concepts and ideas. In celebrating International Day of Mathematics we have the opportunity to celebrate mathematical games, puzzles and other entertaining activities, but also "playing" with mathematics itself, exploring, experimenting, and discovering. Let us also encourage our teachers to utilize their creativity by making banners with the theme and decorating their classrooms. Publishers must also pay more attention to text features, such as pictures, maps, graphs, that assist the student in navigating the text. The International Day of Mathematics is an opportunity to explain and celebrate the essential role that Mathematics and Mathematics Education play in breakthroughs in Science and Technology, improving the quality of life, empowering women and girls, and contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda (SDG1-17) of the United Nations. The major goals of the International Day of Mathematics is to improve understanding among the general public of the importance of Mathematics in education, raise awareness of the role of Mathematics in modern society, Science, and Disaster Management; increase access to information about mathematics, increase international networking, and collaborations in public awareness of mathematics and more. Other goals associated with the International Day of Mathematics include the contribution to capacity building in mathematical and scientific education, with special focus on girls and children from developing countries (SDG4); achieve gender equality and empower women and girls in mathematics (SDG5); highlight the role of mathematics in the organization of modern society, including economic, financial, health and transport systems, telecommunications in the quest for human well- being, etc. (SDG3); Increase the access to information, providing a simple way to give citizens a choice in all aspects of their daily lives. Mathematics is essential in almost every profession and day-to-day life activities. Undoubtedly, students need to see clear career paths regarding Mathematics in order to value and appreciate the subject. Factors Influencing Learning Outcomes. The teacher student ratio also plays a role in how Mathematics is received by students. The larger the class size is the more likely that some students will be left behind. Sadly, many students over the years have fostered and developed a phobia for Mathematics. In many families this dislike for the subject is accepted and even passed along from generation to generation. Then there is also the sore issue of Out of Field teaching. Out-of-field teaching occurs when a teacher is assigned to teach a subject without specific training in that subject area. Unfortunately, few have spoken about this issue due to its ubiquity. The practice of Out of Field teaching is very much unprincipled. Highly qualified teachers may actually become highly unqualified if they are assigned to teach subjects for which they have little training or education. Out- of-field teachers should be concerned about the negative impact their teaching might have on student learning, such as lower achievement scores. Disturbingly, there is a disconnect in the real world with regards to the application of Mathematics. Noteworthily, mathematical skills are used daily and are an important part to our lives. Notably, societies also need to move away from long held gender stereotypes that imply that males are more proficient in mathematics than females. Research has showed no cognitive biological differences between men and men in mathematics. Without a doubt, the acquisition of mathematical skills is akin to life skills and lifelong learning opportunities. New Approach. The time has come for an unbiased and holistic approach to the teaching of mathematics. It is imperative that governments worldwide invest more resources concerning the training of teachers of Mathematics especially since Mathematics is one of the core STEM subjects, the others being Science, Technology and Engineering. Governments should continue to build the capacity of teachers in Mathematics amid concerns concerning the on-going migration of qualified educators from the Global South to the Global North. Currently, the teaching of Mathematics is being done in a straightjacket approach. What is needed is an approach to the teaching of Mathematics that will encourage critical thinking skills. Mathematics can be a gateway to exploration, experimentation, and discovery, as well as a source of fun. As a result on this International Day of Mathematics let us recommit ourselves to rid the society of the negative utterances and stigma that are attached to the teaching of Mathematics. In the words of William Paul Thurston, mathematics is not about numbers, equations, computations, or algorithms: it is about understanding. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo #InternationalDayofMathematics

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