Towards Optimal Learning in

Mathematics:

MATHEMATICS SUCCESS
2012 Bicol Mathematics Conference
February 4, 2012
Ateneo de Naga University
City of Naga

Cresencia C. Laguerta
Chairperson, Department of Mathematics
Ateneo de Naga University
City of Naga
 Questions for Thought
Do you remember students in your class/classes
who
never complete class assignments or do
their homework?
did poorly in mathematics
rarely participated in class activities?

How many of those students actually

graduated from high school? from college?
Public and Private (Both Sexes)
Discipline Group Enrolment Graduates
2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09
GENERAL 35,257 13,750 14,198 3,411 1,964 1,562
EDUCATION SCIENCE AND TEACHER TRAINING 370,441 325,186 352,046 70,711 63,682 56,777
FINE AND APPLIED ARTS 12,931 13,732 16,682 1,796 2,118 2,137
HUMANITIES 29,241 28,287 28,089 4,645 4,429 4,678
RELIGION AND THEOLOGY 7,884 7,804 6,943 1,392 1,403 1,131
SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES 73,512 72,196 76,546 11,937 11,493 12,506
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND RELATED 612,481 649,549 724,215 95,646 93,273 106,746
LAW AND JURISPRUDENCE 18,159 19,293 20,144 2,792 3,260 2,931
NATURAL SCIENCE 25,044 22,641 24,127 3,768 3,609 4,194

MATHEMATICS 12,688 14,636 12,154 1,787 2,115 2,105

IT-RELATED 280,596 300,882 348,462 35,901 38,665 45,830
MEDICAL AND ALLIED 547,595 517,319 440,335 110,312 121,401 128,057
TRADE, CRAFT AND INDUSTRIAL 5,799 4,330 3,833 1,528 1,221 946
ENGINEERING 311,437 319,775 344,662 49,617 48,464 48,448
ARCHITECTURAL AND TOWN-PLANNING 19,288 18,004 20,441 2,401 2,277 2,286
AGRICULTURAL, FORESTRY, AND FISHERIES 58,168 63,315 59,692 12,528 11,181 9,842
HOME ECONOMICS 4,952 4,847 5,149 877 942 952
SERVICE TRADES 23,951 26,814 36,355 2,355 2,434 3,490
MASS COMMUNICATION AND
DOCUMENTATION 28,385 29,132 30,994 4,439 4,258 5,454
OTHER DISCIPLINES 107,452 108,450 117,448 15,463 16,197 17,814
MARITIME 69,033 65,443 88,450 11,121 10,429 11,768
Total 2,654,294 2,625,385 2,770,965 444,427 444,815 469,654
CHED Statistics 2011
 2006- 2007- 2008- 2009- 2010-
ELEMENTARY 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Gross Enrolment Rate1 105.49% 106.20% 106.84% 107.23% 107.47%
Participation Rate (or Net
Enrolment Rate)2 87.90% 88.31% 89.18% 89.43% 89.89%
Cohort Survival Rate 73.43% 75.26% 75.39% 74.38% 74.23%
Completion Rate 71.72% 73.06% 73.28% 72.18% 72.11%
Dropout Rate 6.37% 5.99% 6.02% 6.28% 6.29%
Transition Rate2 96.19% 96.97% 97.05% 96.99% 96.87%

SECONDARY
Gross Enrolment Rate1 80.86% 80.89% 82.54% 81.53% 81.78%
Participation Rate (or
Net Enrolment Rate)2 59.60% 59.88% 60.46% 59.86% 60.88%
Cohort Survival Rate 77.33% 79.91% 79.73% 78.44% 79.43%
Completion Rate 72.14% 75.37% 75.24% 73.55% 75.06%
Dropout Rate 8.55% 7.45% 7.45% 7.95% 7.79%
Transition Rate2 97.53% 99.32% 98.45% 99.79% 100.41%

Source: DEPED Fact Sheet, November 16, 2011

 Why do students leave
school?
Aside from Personal or family issues and
financial constraints.
Educational burnout.
Academic unpreparedness.
 2006- 2007- 2008- 2009- 2010-
ELEMENTARY
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Grade VI Grade VI Grade VI Grade VI Grade VI
Achievement Rate 59.94% 64.81% 65.55% 68.01% 68.15%
Mathematics 60.29% 63.89% 67.37% 63.26% 68.43%
Science 51.58% 57.90% 58.86% 63.14% 60.37%
English 60.78% 61.62% 61.81% 67.81% 65.12%

SECONDARY
2nd Year 2nd Year 2nd Year 2nd Year 2nd Year
Achievement Rate 46.64% 49.26% 46.71% 45.56% 47.93%
Mathematics 39.05% 42.85% 38.03% 39.64% 42.00%
Science 41.99% 46.71% 42.11% 43.80% 39.35%
English 51.78% 53.46% 52.90% 46.95% 46.45%
Source: DEPED Fact sheet , Nov 16, 2011
Grade 4 (TIMSS 2003)
Countries Years of Average age Average scale
schooling score
1 Singapore 4 10.3 594
2 Hong Kong SAR 4 10.2 575
3 Japan 4 10.4 565
4 Chinese Taipei 4 10.2 564
12 United States 4 10.2 513
International 4 10.3 495
Average.
22 Iran 4 10.4 389
23 Philippines 4 10.8 358
24 Morocco 4 11.0 347
25 Tunisia 4 10.4 339
Source: 2003 TIMSS Report
Grade 8/Second Year(TIMSS 2003)
Countries Years of Average age Average scale score
schooling
1 Singapore 8 14.3 605
2 Korea 8 14.6 589
3 Hong Kong SAR 8 14.6 586
4 Chinese Taipe 8 14.2 585
5 Japan 8 14.4 570
10 Malaysia 8 14.3 508
15 United States 8 14.2 504
International Average. 8 14.5 467
34 Indonesia 8 14.5 411
40 Moroco 8 15.2 387
41 Philippines 8 14.8 378
42 Botswana 8 15.1 366
43 Saudi Arabia 8 15.5 332
44 Ghana 8 Source: 2003
15.1TIMSS Report
276
Compares Math Skills
Proficiency of Students
(8th Graders)

National Assessment of
Educational Progress
(NAEP), 2007
TIMSS Advanced 2008
Local studies similarly reflect such
performance - by students and teachers alike.

Dep Ed in 20004, launched a bridge program to address

basic deficiencies in elementary math, among others
(less than 10% of elementary graduates scored 75%).

MTAP tested pre-service teachers in arithmetic,

algebra, and geometry,
overall mean for high school teachers was 16 out of 50
(questions),
elementary school counterpart was only 10.

Bienvenido F. Nebres, S. J. & Queena N. Lee-Chua,

Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines
International studies reflect such
performance too
The Filipino students ranked 41st out of 46
participating nations at grade 8(2nd year in
the Philippines) and 21st in grade 4 out of
25 participating nations in the 2003 TIMSS.

Scores for the Philippines are the lowest

of all Asian countries who participated in
the 1995, 1999 and 2003 TIMSS.
CONCERN 1

Filipino students have consistently obtain

scores below the international average in
mathematics (e.g., TIMSS 2003 and TIMSS
Math Adv 2008).

They have also performed poorly in national

achievement tests (e.g., NAT).
CONCERN 2

Filipino students have low level

mathematics literacy.
A large percentage cannot apply
concepts to real life.
(UP NISMED Scientific, Technological, and
Environmental Literacy Study, 2005).
 CONCERN 3

TIMSS and NAT results show that if the trend in

mathematics performance continues, perhaps more
students would not make it to college level
mathematics.
Why do many Filipino students
perform poorly in Mathematics ?
 Much studies has been conducted concerning
factors behind poor performance in
mathematics

Teacher Education (Ibe, 1995),

Learning Styles (Arellano, 1997),
Curriculum and ways of Remediation(Ulep,
2000)
Society (Abasolo-Ababa, 2002),
Teacher Repertoire and Study Skills(Laguerta
and Elicay, 2010)
Can we possibly say that
Singaporean and other Asian students have
mathematical abilities inherently superior to
those of Filipino students ?

the system and practices to teach Mathematics

in Singapore and other high performing Asian
countries is different if not better than the
system and practice used in the Philippines?
The Big Question !
What is their

?
 Overview
Present:
critical variables
identified in cross-cultural
studies that developed and
achieved optimal learning
in Mathematics by high
performing countries.
Reflect on:
key to Mathematics
Success
our own system and
classroom practices as a
mathematics teacher
what we can do to
make our students
become successful
mathematics learners
Top 5 performing countries in
Mathematics
(TIMSS 1995 1999,2003 and 2007)

1995 1999 2003 2007

Singapore Singapore Singapore Hongkong
Korea Korea Korea Singapore
Hongkong Hongkong Hongkong Chinese Taipei
Chinese Taipei Chinese Taipei Chinese Taipei Japan
Japan Japan Japan
Possible contributing factors
Source: Ministry of Education of
Singapore
 Possible contributing factors
Source: Ministry of Education of Singapore

75% of students who 1. High students

took part in the TIMSS
study enjoyed learning
educational
Mathematics aspirations and
The most popular attitude towards
educational aspiration Mathematics
cited by students in the
study was to finish
university
Possible contributing factors
Source: Ministry of Education of Singapore

Singapore has the highest 2. the educational

Index of Availability of resources
School Resources(88%
available in
and 86%, international
standard is 26% and 33%) school and at
home
Possible contributing factors
Source: Ministry of Education of Singapore

Singapore schools with a

high TPSS the highest 3. the school
percentage among all climate and
countries(88% and 91%, safety
International standard is
70%).
 Singapore Strengths
American Institutes for Research, 2005 What the United
States Can Learn From Singapores World-Class
Mathematics System
 Singapore Strengths
centralized / focused
framework
1. Framework
alternative mathematics
framework for lower-
performing students
covers all the mathematics
topics in the regular framework,
but at a slower pace and with
greater repetition
with support from expert
teachers.
 Singapore Mathematics Framework:
Pentagon Model
Appreciation
Interest Monitoring
Confidence ones own thinking
Perseverance

Estimation,
Approximation Mathematical
Mental calculation Problem
Communication Solving Thinking skills
Use of tools Heuristics
Arithmetic manipulation
Algebraic manipulation
Concepts
Handling data
Numerical, Geometric,
Algebraic, Statistical

Singapores curriculum framework has problem solving at its heart

(Singapore Ministry of Education, 2001)
Singapore Strengths
Singapores textbooks
build deep understanding 2. Textbooks
of mathematical concepts. and other
89% of Primary 4 students
surveyed and 94% of
resources
Secondary 2 students
surveyed have a computer
at home, compared to the
international averages of
65% and 60% respectively.
 Singapore Strengths
Singaporean elementary
school teachers are required
3. Teaching
to demonstrate mathematics /Instruction
skills before they begin paid
training to become a teacher.
They receive a high level of
professional development
training (100 hours) each
year.
Bruners 3-Stage Learning Theory
1. enactive pupils builds on
knowledge by using
materials that can be
manipulated
2. iconic use of diagrams or
internal pictures(mental
objects) or a sense of pattern
by means of which one can
see relationships
3. symbolic generalization
are achieved through the use
of symbols
Singapore Strengths

Singapore uses more 4. Assessment

challenging tests and
utilizes a value-added
approach that rewards
schools for individual
student progress over
time.
picture of what happens in
mathematics classrooms
James W. Stigler and James Hiebert
TIMSS video studies:

Lack of a Shared Language to

Describe Teaching

The word "problem" clearly means different

things to different people.
Other words and phrases, such as "develop
concepts" or "teach for understanding," pose
similar challenges.
TIMSS video studies

Slippage Between Policy and

Classroom Practice
In part because we lack a shared language, attempts by
policymakers to change what happens in classrooms often achieve
either no results or unintended results as reform efforts get filtered
through the weak communication channels we rely on to
disseminate policy (Elmore, 2000).
TIMSS video studies:

The Cultural Nature of Teaching

teaching is a cultural activity: learned implicitly, hard to
see from within the culture, and hard to change.
TIMSS video studies:

Effective Teaching Takes Many Forms

using procedures problems or making
connections problems ?
TIMSS video studies:

Implementation Is Important
Problem solving success
does not lie in the organization of classrooms, the kinds
of technologies used, or even the types of problems
presented to students,
but in the way in which teachers and students work on
problems as the lesson unfolds.
A teacher could implement a
making connections problem
as a making connections problem,

transform the making connection

problem into a using procedures
problem.
Teachers here actually
implementing the
making connections
problems in the
classroom:

Note: the teacher

shifted from from
making connections to
using procedures
THE MATHEMATICS
CURRICULUM
Comparison of the Content of the Primary
and Secondary School Mathematics
Curricula of the Philippines and Singapore
Joel Reyes Noche, February 24, 2009,

Differentiated curriculum
Some topics introduced earlier
Some topics are not part of the curriculum
The Philippine Math Curriculum

Overloaded content; focus on breadth rather than

depth; 10-year basic education
Discipline-based; minimal integration of
concepts across science and math areas and
across subject areas.
Encourages teacher-centered instruction
Assessment is predominantly on rote learning;
Despite the many refinements/changes in he
curriculum, the philosophy behind the change is
not clear to stakeholders

Ogena and Tan (2006) BESRA Report, KRT 3

MATHEMATICS CLASSROOM
AND INSTRUCTION
Large Classes
High performing schools have enrolment below
1,000, except for Singapore and Hong Kong (TIMSS,
2003).

Average teacher-student ratios are below the

international average of 1:16; except for Singapore,
Hong Kong and Canada but do not go beyond 1:25
(TIMSS, 2003).

Many schools in the Philippines have 55 to 60

students per class; others have 80 or even more.
Class Size for Mathematics
Instruction
Countries Overall class size
International ave. 30
Philippines 54
Singapore 38
Japan 35
Chinese Taipei 37
Hongkong 39
US 24
Indonesia 40
School Resources
Top performing countries in TIMSS have
books at 1:1 ratio.

Computer to student ratio is also at 1:1

(TIMSS, 2003).

Students have other opportunities for learning.

Most schools in the Philippines dont even

have computers and no computer laboratory
.
The Medium of Instruction
Math are taught in English even in early grades.
Research shows that children learn faster when
taught in a language/dialect they are familiar with
(Otero, 2008).

Students have limited vocabulary in English,

Difficulty in understanding a concept is due to

difficulty in understanding the English language

(UP NISMED 2008, Report on Teachers Beliefs)

Mathematics Instructional Time
Countries Students average Math Instruction time
yearly math instruction as % of total
time in hours instruction time
International Ave. 123 12
1 Philippines 193 17
2 Indonesia 169 13
4 Honkong 145 15
7 Chinese 141 13
10 US 135 13
20 Malaysia 120 12
23 Singapore 114 14
28 Korea 109 9
30 Japan 107 10
Percentage of Time in Math Class Devoted to
TIMSS Content Areas During the School Year
countries number algebra measurement geometry data others
International 21 27 10 26 10 6
Ave.
Philippines 21 42 12 12 10 3
Singapore 13 34 13 21 11 8
Indonesia 19 23 13 24 15 6
Japan 17 31 4 34 12 2
Malaysia 24 22 14 20 14 6
Hongkong 16 32 12 28 10 2
Korea 18 27 12 26 15 2
US 22 41 10 15 12 2
National Curriculum policies on
computer use in mathematics class
Countries Policies /statement on Computers are
use of computers NOT available

International Ave. 68
Philippines x 90
Singapore / 33
Indonesia x 89
Japan / 14
Malaysia x 95
Hongkong / 61
Korea / 27
US x 54
Index of Teachers Emphasis on
Mathematics Homework (EMH)
Countries % of students Ave. Achievement

International Ave. 30 473

Philippines 26 358
Singapore 59 620
Indonesia 45 421
Japan 7 583
Malaysia 60 508
Hongkong 26 598
Korea 9 582
US 27 531
 Frequency of Mathematics Tests
% of students whose teacher gives
Countries every 2 weeks once a month a few times a yr

International Ave. 47 40 13
Philippines 93 5 2
Singapore 31 57 11
Indonesia 45 47 8
Japan 17 38 45
Malaysia 5 48 47
Hongkong 43 39 19
Korea 63 33 4
US 73 24 3
 Item Formats Used by Teachers in
Mathematics Tests or Examinations
Countries Constructed Constructed response Multiple choice
response and multiple choice
% of achieve % of achieveme % of achieve
students ment students nt students ement
International Ave. 56 472 32 463 12 464

Philippines 37 374 62 381 1 -

Singapore 85 607 4 577 11 603

Indonesia 52 402 40 421 8 432
Japan 89 571 10 561 1 -
Malaysia 9 499 88 510 3 495
Hongkong 72 576 27 611 1 -
Korea 28 595 34 587 38 588
US 55 516 31 487 14 521
THE MATHEMATICS TEACHER
Current Requirements for Being a
Mathematics Teacher
Countries practicum Passing in University Probationary Induction
an Exam Degree teaching program
Philippines / / / x x

Singapore / / x / x
Indonesia / / / x x
Japan / / / / /
Malaysia / / x / /
Hongkong x x x x x
Korea / / / x x
US / x / / x
Chinese Taipe / x / / x
Highest Educational Level of Mathematics
Teachers(UNESCO standard classification)
Countries Beyond Universit Post Finished Not
University y degree Secondary upper finished
degree but not secondary secondary
university
degree
International Ave. 17 59 20 4 0
Philippines 8 92 0 0 0
Singapore 5 80 10 4 0
Indonesia 0 54 43 3 0
Japan 5 95 1 0 0
Malaysia 0 53 18 28 0
Hongkong 17 16 28 0 0
Korea 25 75 0 0 0
US 61 39 0 0 0
Chinese Taipei 18 81 1 0 0
Preparation to Teach Mathematics (High School)

Countries Prep. How to teach math Major area of study Gen. ed.
curr In their post secondary
Pre-service In-service Math educ Mathematics (% stud.)
(% stud.) (% stud.) (% stud.) (% stud.)
International 54 70 27
Philippines x / 54 62 11
Singapore / / 57 86 38
Indonesia / / 80 59 27
Japan / / 58 81 33
Malaysia / / 48 46 13
Hongkong / / 57 63 53
Korea x x 66 37 7
US / x 55 48 -
Chinese Taipei / / 63 80 58
Preparation to Teach Mathematics(Elementary)
Countries Prep. How to teach math With Math Without
curriculum specialization specialization
Pre-service In-service (% stud.) Mathematics
(% stud.) (% stud.) (% stud.)
International Ave. 26 7
Philippines / / 24 4
Singapore / / 48 8
Japan / / 15 1
Hongkong / / 37 11
US / x 8 3
Chinese Taipe / / 29 11
SUPPORT SYSTEM
Principal/Administrator Support (Hours Spent on
Instructional and Leadership Activities-TIMSS, 1999)

Initiating Curriculum Revision 7.3

and/or Planning 6.2

Discussing Educational 10.3

Objectives With Teachers 7.3

5.8
Training of Teachers
8.3

Professional Development 9.8

Activities 9.1

Philippines International
Formula for success: A dynamic and innovative leadership of the school
principal (DOST-SEI Benchmarking Study).
CRITICAL VARIABLES
Mathematics Curriculum
Classroom and Instruction
The Mathematics Teacher
School and Home Resources
Support system
 KEY TO MATH SUCCESS
centralized and focused framework
instruction/teaching
textbook and educational resources
high students aspiration and attitude
assessment
Our system and practices ?

Big classes!
Limited educational resources!
Lacks preparation to teach mathematics!
Teaching /Instruction?
Assessment procedures?
Mathematics framework?
Students aspiration and attitude?
These are not core problems.

Focusing on them is a waste of time

and resources that could be better
spent elsewhere.

Carpio-Bernido, M. V., Bernido, C. C. (2011) CVIF Dynamic Learning

Program: A Systems Approach to Process-Induced Learning. In Proc. of the
epiSTEME 4 (Mumbai:HBCSE).
 CHALLENGE !

What can we do to make our

students become
 Singapore Mathematics Framework:
Pentagon Model
Appreciation
Interest Monitoring
Confidence ones own thinking
Perseverance

Estimation,
Approximation Mathematical
Mental calculation Problem
Communication Solving Thinking skills
Use of tools Heuristics
Arithmetic manipulation
Algebraic manipulation
Concepts
Handling data
Numerical, Geometric,
Algebraic, Statistical

Singapores curriculum framework has problem solving at its heart

(Singapore Ministry of Education, 2001)
 CHALLENGE!

Can we help move students

from
I KNOW
HOW TO
KNOW ?

I KNOW
 EXTRA CHALLENGE !

Let us help move students

(and other teachers)

Towards Away from

classrooms as group of individuals under
mathematical learning the control of an adult(the
communities teacher)
 Towards Away from
mathematical tasks repetitive drill and
that engage students practice without
interests and intellect understanding
 Towards Away from
logical and the teacher as the sole
mathematical evidence/s authority for right
as verification answers
 Towards Away from
mathematical reasoning merely memorizing
procedures
 Towards Away from
providing opportunities trying to cover too
for students to deepen many topics in too little
their understanding of time at a superficial
the mathematics being level
studied and its
applications
 Towards Away from
promoting the passive absorption of
investigation and growth information by students
of mathematical ideas as the teacher lectures
through classroom
discourse
 Towards Away from
conjecturing, inventing, stressing procedural
and problem solving answer-finding
 Towards Away from
using technology and using only paper-and-
other tools to pursue pencil to do
mathematical mathematics
investigations
 Towards Away from
students working students working
individually, in small individually at desks
groups, and as a whole lined up in neat rows
class
 Towards Away from
connecting mathematics, presenting mathematics
its ideas, and its as a body of isolated
applications and helping concepts and
students seek connections procedures
to previous, related and
developing knowledge
THANK YOU !
References:
CHED Statistics, AY 2006-2010
DEPED Factsheet, November 16, 2011
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2007
American Institutes for Research, 2005 What the United States Can Learn From
Singapores World-Class Mathematics System
2003 and 2007 TIMMS Report
TIMSS Advanced 2008 Report
UP NISMED Scientific, Technological, and Environmental Literacy Study, 2005).
Bienvenido F. Nebres, S. J. & Queena N. Lee-Chua, Ateneo de Manila University,
Philippines
Johannessen, Larry. (May, 2004). Helping struggling students achieve success.
Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 47(8), p. 638-647.
Marzano, Robert, Pickering, D., Pollock Jane. (2001). Classroom
Instruction That Works. Virginia: McRel.
Ormrod, Jeanne. (2006). Educational Psychology Developing Learners. New
Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.