How to try to improve that boy/girl who is always lagging behind in Mathematics

One beautiful but rainy and gloomy tuesday morning, we sat with a group of mathematics teachers from different schools around Gatundu South sub-county. Such kind of meetings rarely happens but our mission was plain simple, clear and bare bones: 'to learn how to teach and mark mathematics as a subject'.
Rain was pouring heavily in the wee hours of the morning but suddenly it stopped and swapped with a shiny lining on the sky accompanied by a bright sun. I was seated on lab stool sandwiched between my fellow colleagues as I attentively 'donated' my three senses to the speaker in front of me about ten yards away. The speaker was explaining mathematics to me, new concepts, new drills, new tricks, new techniques and how to approach the subject from different perspectives and that is why I want to share some of this knowledge with you (AtikaSchool visitors) and for my own future reference. However I will be brief and up to the point.

HOW TO TRY TO IMPROVE THAT LITTLE BOY/GIRL WHO IS ALWAYS LAGGING BEHIND IN MATHEMATICS

on teaching ...

1. Be close to the students: 
   ​What most low performing students need is not motivational speakers per se but attention. Categorise students according to their performance and attend them separately. Give more attention to low achievers and calculate with them simple mathematics as you test them of the same. What high achievers need is more content. Try to cover the syllabus with this group and seek perfection with them through thorough revision.
2. It's not covering the syllabus that matters, its the quality of coverage: 
   You can easily cover the syllabus depending on the type of students you have, but with low achievers, you may cover the syllabus on your own (minus students), what you need to focus on is to teach from known to unknown, make things simple and easier for them and they will cope slowly by slowly. Most low achievers lack the basics of mathematics and that is why a good teacher must revisit the past and start a new foundation.
3. Motivation is a catalyst:
   If you want your low achievers to change their attitude towards mathematics stop saying too much theories about the subject, action speaks louder than words. Get sweets, bread and award good work and effort. Kids love presents and its what motivates them most, imagine what could happen if they associate their love for sweets to mathematics - sounds like cognitive theory to me.
4. Listen to your pupils:
   Pupils have different problems and needs, a good teacher is the one who listens to the needs of his/her pupils. By doing so, your pupil will develop trust thus opening up the problems that may make him/her perform poorly in the subject. This will help the teacher to be able to make judgement and take drastic actions. Also be close to your students and create an atmosphere where students will seek solutions to their problems and be consistent on this.
5. On managing students:
   A good teacher is the one who keeps control of his/her class and carry out his/her mission as planned in the lesson plan. Don't let bad students interfere with a well planned academic environment to execute your teaching business. Let them know the consequences of disrupting your lesson.

KCSE PAST PAPERS

knec kcse past papers, marking schemes and reports

KCPE PAST PAPERS

KCPE PAST PAPERS AND ANSWERS

FORM 1 TO FORM 4 PAST PAPERS

KCSE Assessment Tests [Form 1,2,3,4]

On Assignments ...

1. Copying? Ooh no!: 
   Almost all students copy from one another whenever homework assignment has been issued. This creates a false believe that they understood the topic but score nil in the main examinations. The best way therefore to issue assignments is by giving a small assessment test of 20 or so marks that covers the key areas of the topic. The teacher in charge should supervise the test by invigilating it and marking it in accordance with the KNEC marking rules and regulations and then revise with the class by putting more emphasis on how students can make maximum score from the question being discussed.
2. Standard Questions:
   All mathematics teachers are advised to set examinations with standard questions. Standard questions are questions that test pupils on the concept that was being taught but gauging the student from a different perspective. Teachers should therefore avoid direct questions such as (what is the L.C.M 12 and 18) and instead compose an application question such as (Boxes that are 12 inches tall are being stacked next to boxes that are 18 inches tall. What is the shortest height at which the two stacks will be the same height?)
   Note that, there are abundance of application questions in the following resources:
   1. Mock examinations
   2. KCSE Examinations
   3. Revision Books
3. The teacher should make a sacrifice and ensure that he/she checks his/her students books on whether the pupils are doing the correct thing as required. 

biology notes

KCSE BIOLOGY NOTES

history notes

KCSE History Notes Form 1 to 4​

computer studies notes

kcse Computer Studies Notes

ON mARKING ...

Marking should adhere to the rules and regulations of KNEC-The Kenya National Examinations Council and these rules should be taught and implemented.

1. Instructions
   Following instructions is the key to passing examinations. If the question paper asks to answer only 5 questions in section B, stick to five questions only.
   Other Questions requirements that should be strictly be followed;
   1. By the use of matrix method (especially when solving simultaneous equations, do not use any other method)
   2. By the use of square method (when dealing with quadratic equations)
   3. Without using a calculator
   4. Assumed mean
   5. Factorize
   6. Using the graph
   7. Expand to n-th term
   8. Construct
   9. Give your answer to x d.p or x s.f 
   10. Using pie as 22/7
   11. By using mathematical tables 
   12. By using logarithm tables

On kcse setting of questions ...

It was analysed that Mathematics paper 1 focuses more on form 1 and form 2 work than form three and four. While mathematics paper 2 focuses on form three and form 4 work. However, a student who focuses on form 3 and form 2 work will be APPROXIMATELY 65% most likely to pass all the two papers than those who focus on form 1 and form 4 work. If anything but analysing of KCSE question papers is to be believed from the last few years or so. 

oTHER AREAS THAT TEACHERS SHOULD FOCUS

1. Use more hours to attend to 'E' students. What they need is attention
2. Be more strict on how students give answers, arrange their work and whether instructions were followed.
3. Teach students to calculate mathematics and not cramming. 

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