Maths Camp boosts students’ performance
By John Okumu
M
aseno University hosted a Maths Camp intended to demystify the negative perception that clouds the subject. The one-week camp that took place from August 19-23, 2013 is the third to be held in Kenya following an effort put by Maseno University to help in improving the usually poor grades resulting from lack of interest in the subject by majority of students. The camp included introduction of different learning methods, styles and techniques other than the normal teaching usually conducted indoors. Other learning skills included games, plays and skits. The students also had a privilege of doing calculation tasks in computers using different soft wares. The facilitators of the camp included Dr Rejoice from South Africa who supports teachers to teach mathematics, Dr Tom Denton from America who is on a Fullbright Scholarship on mathematics, Ms Emily Hobbes, a school teacher from the UK, Mr Zachary Embasu from Muhoho High School in Kakamega and also a postgraduate mathematics student in Maseno University. Due to positive results exhibited by Kenya, other countries like Ethiopia and Ghana have also joined the sequence. Visitors from across the world also came together to share their experiences and skills in mathematics. There were also students from French School in London who came to share their knowledge in mathematics. The founder and lead organizer of the Maths Camp, Dr David Stern of Maseno University’s School of Mathematics, Applied Statistics and Actuarial Science says that the main aim of the camp is to help change students’ negative attitude towards mathematics in school. He says most students do not like mathematics because they view it as boring and difficult. On the contrary Dr Stern argues that students only need to change their attitude and perception towards mathematics and view it as fun and enjoyable discipline. According to Dr Stern, the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) results show that Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates from Western region do not perform well in mathematics compared to other subjects. This, he argues,
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Students receiving instructions on how to perform mathematical operations in the Mathematics Lab is not because of lack of ability among the candidates but because of negative attitude that some people have developed towards the subject. The annual camp has brought remarkable benefits to participants of the past camps. One such beneficiary is Mr Evans Odhiambo who confessed that he used to perform poorly in mathematics and hated it with passion. He said he felt like a prisoner of mathematics and viewed the subject teacher as someone sent to torture and nail him. “I lost hope in mathem F?72?B&W6?'FVBF??F?W"7V&?V7G2F?B?f?WvVB26f??W'2?( ??R6?B?Wf?2?66?&VB"??????F?V?F?72??F?R6?V?G???6?W??2???????F?V?F?72???54RW???F????B"????V?w&FR?B?2&VV?F?GFVBF?F?RFV6???6?V??fW'6?G??b?V??F?W'7VR?VB7FF?7F?72??F?W"&V?Vf?6?'???"Ff?B&?6?&R6?B??2GF?GVFR?B??FW&W7BF?v&G2F?R7V&?V7B??&?fVBG&V?V?F?W6?gFW"?RGFV?FVBF?R#"6??6??V?B???6V??V??fW'6?G???R66?&VB2????F?V?F?72??F?R6?V?G???6?W??2?B????54R??R?2F?GFVBF??????V??fW'6?G?F?W'7VRFVw&VR??w&??V6????72?F?R7GVFV?G2v??GFV?FVBF?R6??Bf&?VB'WB6F?fF??rW?W&?V?6W2?F?V?"W?W&?V?6W2?B?W76??2&?fVBF?R7V66W72?bF?R6???"6??Gv&&?6?g&??W6?v66????6?BF?BF?66???R?2?W?F?7V66W72?BF?B?F?V?F?726?2vV??&R6???R7V&?V7B?( ??V&?BF?B?F?V?F?72?2???F?ff?7V?B?b???6?F?ff?7V?B?B?B?2V7?v?V??F?????v??B??RF???rF???w2?F?V?F?6???( ??R6?B??72&WfW&???Rg&???WfW?R??v?66????V?VBF?F?R???7G'??bVGV6F???F?&?f?FR6??WFW'2F?66????2f?"?F?V?F?72?W76??2?( ??r?v?6?F?R???7G'??bVGV6F???6?V?B???r?B7&VFR6??6W2f?"6??WFW'2??F???F?V?F?72?W76??2??f??rW???R6??f??r7F?f?F?W2???F?V?F?72?26???V?v??r'WB?2&?r7FWF?v&G2V?FW'7F?F??rF?R7V&?V7B???Wv?6R?F?RW???W2?V??W"7&?F?6?F????r?????r?BV6?W"F?V?FW'7F?B?( ?6?R6?B??"f?7F?"g&???&?F??v?66????w&VVBv?F?G"7FW&?( ?2??????F?B?F?V?F?72?2??&?WBgV??Bv?W2?( ?B?2?W7B6??RF??&V??F???F?B?F?V?F?72?2??B??&?WB6?7V?F??r??F??6R?&B7V?2'WB??R6??6?W6R6&G2?B6??WFW'2F??V&???&R?F?V?F?72???fR?6?7F'FVBF?&V?WfRF?B?F?V?F?72?2gV??( ??R6?B???&R??f?&?F??????F?26?6?&Rf?V?BBwwr??6V???F?66???WB?)j ??f'6?G??Ww0??0???