ನಾಲ್ಕನೇ ಸಂಚಿಕೆ: ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಸ್ವಯಂ ಕಲಿಕೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಗಣಿತ ಕಿಟ್ ನ ಪಾತ್ರ (Episode 4 : How The GKA Maths Kit Helps In Self-Study, by Hemakshamma)

Hemakshamma has been a teacher at GHPS Ajjappanahalli, Tumkur for the past 24 years. She teaches Mathematics and Hindi to students in grades 1-7. She has been attending many training programmes like ‘Chaitanya’ in 2002 and CLM sessions later on. She has been using self-made teaching aids for the past 15 years. She feels it creates special attention in children towards self-study.

The school was given a maths kit under ‘Ganitha Kalika Andolana’ by Akshara Foundation. She found the kit to be very helpful in teaching Place Value and Fractions. It has reduced the burden of preparing the teaching aids herself to a great extent. She has divided the students into groups named after great mathematicians. Some of the brighter students in a group help their peers learn mathematical concepts. 

Though the kit is meant for grades 1-5, they are using it all the way up till grade 7 as well. Currency games become more useful in higher classes just as advanced concepts such as Fractions and Division. 

It was observed that in her maths class, students were totally involved in some activity, on their own. She says that culture has been ingrained in them from grade 1 itself. They are informed about a concept, where the learning aids are, and about the groups. They do the rest on their own!

They are given reward points for following the process and being disciplined. Group leaders, who change every week, award the points. She was found to be an excellent manager of time. On further interaction, we found that she delegates some supervision work to quick learners. She uses flashcards effectively for this purpose.