Mathematics, POA and EBS

Mathematics/POA/EBS

OUR BELIEFS

The overarching goal of the Mathematics curriculum is to ensure that all students will achieve a level of mastery of mathematics that will serve them well in life, and for those who have the interest and ability to pursue mathematics at the highest possible level.

The Mathematics Curriculum aims to enable all students to:

acquire mathematical concepts and skills for continuous learning in mathematics and to support learning in other subjects;
develop thinking, reasoning, communication, application and metacognitive skills through a mathematical approach to problem solving;
connect ideas within mathematics and between mathematics and other subjects through applications of mathematics; and
build confidence and foster interest in mathematics.

HOW WE ENGAGE OUR STUDENTS

Teachers use a repertoire of pedagogies to engage students in learning new concepts and skills. Three pedagogical approaches form the spine that supports most of the mathematics instruction in the classroom.

Activity Based Learning
Students engage in activities to explore and learn mathematical concepts and skills, individually or in groups.

Teacher-Directed Inquiry
Teachers lead students to explore, investigate and find answers on their own. Students learn to focus on specific questions and ideas and are engaged in communicating, explaining and reflecting on their answers.

Direct Instruction
Teachers introduce, explain and demonstrate new concepts and skills. Teachers draw connections, pose questions, emphasise key concepts, and role-model thinking.

OUR STUDENTS & TEACHERS @ WORK

PROGRAMMES	OBJECTIVES
Sec 2 Mathematical Modelling	• to connect Mathematics to the real world • to enhance understanding of key mathematical concepts and methods as well as develop mathematical competencies • to learn to deal with ambiguity, make connections, select and apply appropriate mathematical concepts and skills
Sec 2 Express and 2 Normal (Academic) Algebra Clinic	• to strengthen the pupils' foundation in algebra • to provide pupils with timely support and address misconceptions • to better prepare pupils for Additional Mathematics learning
Elements of Business Skills (EBS) Learning Journey	• to experience an authentic setting to observe and learn business skills • to learn about retail and hospitality application • to collect more information about business in the hospitality and retail sector for coursework preparation
Basic Use of Excel for Principles Of Accounts (POA)	• to expose students to the use of Excel spreadsheet to prepare income statements and financial reports
Participation in Competitions	• Australian Mathematics Competition for Sec 2 Express • Singapore Mathematics Olympiad to stretch higher ability students

2023 Lower Secondary Mathematical Modelling

In order to ignite a greater enthusiasm for Mathematics among our lower secondary students, we implemented a strategy that involved assigning them Mathematical Modelling tasks. These tasks were carefully designed to present our students with real-life problems, challenging them to think critically and work collaboratively. Throughout this process, our students were encouraged to deeply engage with the problem at hand, applying their knowledge of relevant mathematical concepts and skills. Additionally, they were taught how to effectively collect and analyse data, in order to identify the most promising solutions. To foster a sense of teamwork and encourage creativity, students worked together in groups, allowing them to share their ideas and perspectives. Each group was responsible for creating their own unique models to solve the given problem. Then, students presented their models to their peers and teachers, recording their presentations using a virtual platform. This allowed for an inclusive and interactive experience, where feedback and questions could be shared among the students. Overall, this initiative not only enhanced our students’ mathematical skills and knowledge, but also strengthened their ability to think critically, collaborate effectively, and communicate their ideas confidently

Elements of Business Skills [EBS]

2023 EBS Digital Tic-Tac-Toe Competition

Our Sec 3 EBS pupils participated in the EBS Digital Tic-Tac-Toe competition. It is a nationwide online competition for EBS students. Students are engaged in short quizzes and games online to score points. Questions are gamified and game board uses Tic-Tac-Toe, allowing students to select the topics on the board to form a connecting line.