The Ministry of Education has launched an initiative that it says will give students from grades two to four a new way to learn and remember their multiplication tables and assist in tackling the acute problem of mathematics in the nation’s schools.
A CD entitled “Multiplication Tables: Mastering Tables Through Music” was launched on Friday and it is expected to get students interested in mathematics.
The CD, with six songs, was produced by numeracy specialist Clement Vital and directed by Ian Jackson.
“This multiplication tables CD represents another tangible indicator of the efforts of the Ministry of Education to try to address the acute challenges in respect of mathematics performance in primary schools,” Vital said.
He said the CD will hopefully raise the enthusiasm of students in learning the multiplication tables, particularly the students who are musically inclined.
The CD comprises mathematical tables of 3,4,6,7,8 and 9 with multipliers 1 to 9 and is designed to engage students and re-enforce the concepts of learning multiplication tables.
It uses different genres of popular musical beats, including bouyon, and challenges students at three levels of difficulty.
The table is first sung completely twice, at challenge level one. Students will then be given the opportunity to provide the products of the multipliers at challenge level two. Each table is shuffled at challenge level three and students are allowed to give products of multipliers.
The CD can be used to introduce math lessons, for class and grade competitions, during assemblies and to settle students down in the afternoon sessions. It can also be played in homes and in the car to engage students meaningfully,” Vital said.
The CD is available for purchase at the Ministry of Education but each school on the island will receive a copy.
Statistics released by the Ministry of Education have revealed that performance in Mathematics among Dominican students is below regional rates. In 2012, 27.9 percent of students taking mathematics CSEC exams achieved acceptable grades compared with 37.9 percent in 2011.
Education Minister, Petter St Jean has also expressed concerns over performance in mathematics in Dominica’s schools. “CSEC results show consistent poor performance in Mathematics. Student’s scores point to the need to address with greater urgency the problems associated with teaching/learning of numeracy in the education system,” he said recently at a press conference to release CSEC results.
Click below to listen to one of the tracks on the CD.
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Great idea but the problem with our cxc results is universal education.
You need to think again. Before universal secondary education all students were not doing well at CXC. There were students who were failing many subjects and you should know that. Teachers are paid and trained to teach students. In their training they are also taught to understand different children including slow learners, accelerated learners, audio learners, visual learners and those who learn better by manipulating objects. Consequently, when a teacher is given a class to teach, he/she must first find out what mix of students exist in this class group. This has to be done to help the teacher design lessons and activities to reach all the children. So there would be lessons where children are playing games, sometimes they are working in small groups completing tasks, other times working with the teacher at the chalkboard and times when they are observing and following what the teacher is doing. It is the teacher who has to make learning fun and achievable for the children no matter at what level they are. If a teacher cannot teach a child to move from point A to at least point B that teacher should find another job.
So what is wrong with the children of today that they cannot learn maths in the proper manner as it was in those days?
What is also wrong with those educators that they are not able to seriously teach the children properly so that they will take an interest in maths and learn it?
These days there is a tendency for adults and educators to cater to children rather than to teach them the basics of what they should learn. Surely they are not so dumb? They are capable of memorizing whatever is not educating. Why not maths?
I do believe that there is a more underlying problem why they are not able to learn maths – without music. Educators should get to the root of it. In those days others before them learned maths without music and excelled to the point of being accountants, engineers, doctors, nurses, etc.
There is a time and place for everything. We cannot go through life with only music. For those who will be attending high school they will not be learning maths with music. Music will be taught on a higher level. How will they cope?
This WILL get them interested in math, J&T. That’s the purpose of it. When I was a kid we had something called “Multiplication Rock” on TV, which was our “times tables” set to music with animation. It was wonderful and helped me learn math in a way that my mother’s rigid, autocratic flashcard flashing ways could not. You need to be a little less rigid in your thinking, Herbert.
A junior monarch calypso that there?
great idea Vital.
I hope the students appreciate it.
GREAT IDEA. AT LEAST IF MUSIC IS USED IN MATHEMATICS. THEN THE STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO APPRECIATE AND LEARN WITH ENTHUSIASM.
Stuppes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good initiative, but the problem of numeracy in schools runs so much deeper. The problem seems to be getting students to think critically, reason, logicize and solve problems. Moreover research has shown that students don’t necessarily need to cram and memorize these tables. It’s more important that they understand the concept of multiplication and be able derive these multiplication facts rather than recall them.
Blaize, Senior Education Officer makes a book to sell. Vital makes a CD to sell. Nice initiative but wouldn’t this be considered a conflict of interests considering the positions they hold?
What if the Minister of energy was selling personalized generators to government institutes or if school principals were selling their private stationary from their school offices?
Whattttttttttttttttt??????And 8 people like this?
You people must be CRAZY!!!!!
I KNOW!!! JALOOSIE KA FEH SORCIAY!!
it is being sold by the Ministry of Education. Not Mr. Vital. As for Blaize’s book… where is the conflict of interest?
The man is a PhD who gets a publisher, writes a book published in the region and you see a conflict of interest there? You guys are freaking amazing!
Good observation! However, while Blaize’s project is private, this new project seems (based on what the article suggests) to be a «Ministry» undertaking that has been spearheaded by Mr. Vital and Mr. Jackson.
The “sewo” riddim defeats the cause….more harm than good….just my opinion, o.k.?
Love it…different..
But thats not new! Thats how we did it ole skool style. At least they listening when we say bring back the ole days.
Fantastic news! Congrats are in order to Mr. Vital and his colleagues.
Well, they have had the ABC song for centuries now so why not some math music.
An excellent initiative. Anything to help students excel in mathematics. I am concerned about the results on math examinations. Some approaches should include: teacher training in content and methodology. Although a student may have passed mathematics at the CXC level, there is no guarantee that that teacher can actually impart the knowledge in such a way that students would understand. What about ongoing instructions to teachers?
Many many years ago there was a move to test teachers in the areas of English Language and Mathematics, and then there were remedial classes 2 afternoons a week by lecturers from the Teachers’ College. In addition there were classes during Easter break, and then again two weeks during the summer.
What about a Continuing Education program for teachers sponsored either by the State College or UWI to keep teachers current?
with the agwass money they getting.
Stuppes…. All you people in education are all confused people.
I agree with you.
Excellent initiative Mr. Clement. I need one for my daughter
This is nonsense..pure nonsense…even the annunciation is terrible..there is no educational value in this…call it what it is…THAT IS NOT THE FORM OF EDUCATION THE KIDS NEED
Great!You think it’s now my friends and I have mused that this is the way to go… Math through music.
*teaching
Fantastic news! As someone who actually utilizes music as an approach to tkeaching math to my 5th Graders I know that it will definetly impact students positively. THUMBS UP MR. VITAL. Math Rocks !!!! GREAT MOVE.
Pretty Impressive work, Mr. Vital! Not only is the music quite catchy, I think the cloze format where the learner has to fill in the missing product will be particularly helpful in forcing him to think. Ultimately, that’s what we want our students to do–to think critically and to find solutions to their problems.
Brilliant! This is a prayer answered……..God bless you Mr Vital, I am struggling to get my students to learn their times tables. Very Good effort, I can’t wait to get a copy of the CD………I call this progress. I am proud of the good work done by you and Mr Ian Jackson. Keep it up!!
Good initiative. but as far as i can see maths only seems to become a reAL problem when we reach high school, mainly 3rd 4th and 5th form.
All them students saying the same thing…’them teachers can’t teach maths’, the teachers know the maths but they can’t diseminate the info effectively. Don’t take my word for it, ask any 4th or 5th former.
That’s VERY TRUE! I loved maths all the way through school until i reached 4th form and they put a fellow that was a few years my senior straight out of college to teach my class. My class and I were so frustrated we brought our concerns to the principal requesting a new teacher and she threatened to suspend us!
That was the end of our love for maths.
@ Jayson
Not all teachers make excellent teachers. It also exists in computer courses. It takes certain skills to teach.
I learnt the multiplication table through ‘music’ when i went to St.John school in Portsmouth all those years ago.
We would beat on the desks and chant the 2X table to the 16x table. Possie people can remember this through the 70’s and 80’s.
Right now the ministry of education says no more ‘drilling’ in order to learn the multiplications table.
I wish they would make up their mind.
@ Donk
A for Apple. C for cat., etc., etc., etc.,
Did you learn this?
I do not know where he is going with this, but there is some truth to the math/music thing. Basically, some of the best musicians, are also very good at physics, and other upper level math.
Unfortunately, some of us who scored an ” A” in physics in their college days have lots of difficulties learning to play his base guitar, ( ah been learning for years oui)!
Perhaps Petter Piper pecked a peck of pepper might be on to something, we just have to wait and see if he actually got it right!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
stupes so long people doing that this is how i learned my time table etc etc nothing new
Way to go Kem! Great initiative!
That music is really catchy…I can see my daugter taking her kicks on that ….
2 ones are 2, 2 twos are four, 2 threes are six and 2 fours are 8…i remember that version
Great work Clement. Let them sing and learn something valuable all at once. This is fun and interactive. I hope parents by this to help their kids and turn off the rap they grasp so quickly.
After they sing and learn, later ask them to repeat it. Bet they will not know it.
Great job Mr. Vital, if we continue to incorporate music in maths at the high school level i think we will definitely see improvement at the CSEC exam.
I love it and need a copy for my kids up in the states
Excellent Mr. Vital. What a wonderful achievement.
I really like that! learning with music so much fun!!
I really think it’s a great way in helping kids grasp faster and yeah math…GREAT ONE!!
I need a copy pls tell me how much it cost and where i can get it from great idea
this cd can be received at the ministry of education i am not sure of the cost but i am singing on the cd and trust me what ever the price it is worth it
I know that Phael it is nice
Where can a copy be obtained? I do home school. Would like to test the idea
“The CD is available for purchase at the Ministry of Education but each school on the island will receive a copy.”