For many students, math is a subject that causes anxiety, confusion and sometimes even frustration. But, what if math could be seen differently, as a fun, exciting, challenging and enjoyable topic that stimulates the mind and the imagination? Ph.D. Georgiana Popovici, with over 20 years of teaching experience and an expertise in preparing students for international exams such as A Level, SAT, GMAT or International Baccalaureate (IB), believes that math can be fun. She shares a few ways in which it can be transformed from an “untamed beast”, into an intellectual adventure.
Here are three ways to create a stronger student-math connection, that Ph.D. Georgiana Popovici uses with her students:
1.Celebrating Pi Number Day (π)
One way Ph.D. Popovici makes mathematics more engaging is Pi Number Day, celebrated internationally on March 14 (3/14 – in American format). In 2015, this event had a special significance, when the date and time 3/14/15 at 9:26:53 a.m. represented the first 10 digits of π (3,141592653).
“We celebrated the day at the center with π-shaped cupcakes. I told students about the history of the number Pi and they solved math problems involving its use. We even had a contest: who knows the most decimals of Pi? The winner got a cake with a picture of Pi on it“, says Ph.D. Popovici.
This method stimulates students’ memory, developing their ability to retain information in a relaxed and fun way.
- Math in everyday life
“Mathematics is not just about numbers and equations, it helps us cope with everyday life, whether it’s shopping, managing a budget for a holiday or measuring the space needed to buy new furniture,” explains Ph.D. Popovici.
Students are encouraged to ask engaging questions such as “If you double the radius of a pizza, how much food do you get?” These simple exercises can make math more interesting. And the fact that students realize how present math is in their lives, makes it much easier to understand.
- Teacher for a day
Students love being the center of attention and sharing their knowledge. That’s why Mrs. Popovici gives students the opportunity to become “teachers for a day”. They have to explain a math concept to their classmates. “Not all students are comfortable with this role, but those who do, realize that by teaching others, they reinforce their own knowledge”, says Ph.D. Popovici. This exercise gives students the opportunity to become more confident and see math from a different perspective – not as an obstacle, but as a resource.
According to Ph.D. Popovici, it develops important skills such as patience, perseverance and resilience. Mathematics not only shapes the intellect, but also influences the way we think, bringing clarity to our ideas and training logic. By applying these creative and practical methods, math can become a more friendly subject.
As for people who have a harder time understanding the world of mathematics, Georgiana Popovici recommends creating a well-structured study program to help them maintain their concentration and create their own routine. And another important aspect of learning and understanding mathematics is that students who tend to abandon difficult problems should be encouraged to analyze where the error occurred and try to correct it. Through this reflection and problem-solving exercise, students develop not only mathematical skills, but also perseverance.stud