We must become the students we expect ( Teacher CHAN Sum Chuen)
Children love to ask "Why?" I believe many parents or people engaged in early childhood education will feel the same way because children feel fresh and curious about the things around them and every topic the teacher talks about. As children grow up, into upper primary school and then into middle school, there are fewer and fewer students who are keen on asking “Why?” Perhaps it is because students’ cognitive levels have increased and they have an understanding of many things. They can find the answers through their abilities and independent learning and no longer need to pester the teacher to ask “why”. We are glad that we have such students but unfortunately, they may not be the majority! So, what do most students think?
I have not done any research in this area, nor have I seen any relevant research results. However, after working in mathematics education and STEM education for many years, I found that many students do not ask why, not because they can find the answers themselves but because they think that there is no need to get to the bottom of everything and that it is enough to be sufficient! Since you know the questions that will not be asked in the exam, there is no need to ask for clarification Perhaps this is the most effective learning strategy.
There is one student who left the deepest impression on me. He was a Form 2 student with special learning difficulties whom I met many years ago when I was doing voluntary teaching in an institution. One day, he walked into the classroom angrily sat down, and started complaining about what sin, cos, and tan were doing! When he opened the homework, he had answered every exercise correctly. So, what was there that he didn't understand? It turns out that what frustrates him is: "Why is sin the opposite side divided by the hypotenuse, cos the adjacent side divided by the hypotenuse, and tan the opposite side divided by the adjacent side! What is the purpose of such definitions?" I believe that students who did not ask this question did not know the answer to the question, but thought that this was the definition! Just work out the answer to each question Why bother with questions that won't even appear on the test paper? I like this student very much because he still maintains his curiosity and drive to seek knowledge.
In class, we try our best to remind students to take the initiative to learn and learn how to learn. Reminders are necessary but teaching by example and leading by example are more important. I went from being familiar with general mathematics education to mathematics education for students with special learning needs, then to the unfamiliar environment of caring for children with intellectual disabilities, then took on the work of gifted education, and finally switched to become a STEM teacher. I am ashamed that I did not obtain any relevant certificates or qualifications during the process but I feel very fulfilled because every challenge is a learning experience, and every learning happens naturally to solve real problems encountered at work without any planning. The joy of work lies in constantly discovering new challenges and finding sufficient nourishment for one's curiosity. If we want our students to be what they are, we must first become the students we expect.
