Understanding or Doing

As I go about my daily tutoring, I found that for the most part western education concentrates on the understanding when teaching mathematics. Well initially I do subscribe to that premise but as I teach different type of syllabus and different type of nationality, my views has definitely change.

First, to understand, maturity of mind and actions are required and it is for the tutor or teacher to identify and to adopt teaching techniques on that basis. Different students mature differently in their thoughts at different ages. Having said that, to learn mathematics, first the proper methods and techniques have to be taught. A student has to diligently do the math either in thought or on worksheet to progress and mature.

I read a book called the outlier, and it mentioned that to be good at whatever we do, we have to do it for 10,000 hours. So why does some students progress further even without the necessary work output. Well Mathematics unlike sports can be done in thought. Well genius in Math, are always busy calculating in thought. Or if you want your children to progress, you must always tease their mind with mathematics so that they can progress, thats how the doing part comes in. The faster a student reaches maturity, the earlier they will progress to the understanding part.

As for the understanding, in understanding that is where the exponiential progress kicks in and this may lead to inculcating a habit of undertanding whatever things that we do.

So, I believe that the progress in Science and Mathematics have to do with a tutor first guiding on the basic methods and recognising patterns. Of course, memory training and boosting is essential for retaining what has been taught.

Remember, there is no short cut.