AEIS, Maths

Date: 170408

Day: Friday

Students present: Michael, Henry, William, Susan, Noe Noe

Students absent: Nil

Teacher (main and assistants): James

Subject: Maths

Topic: Factors and Multiples

Teaching process

Concepts taught:

1) Method to make a given number a perfect square from its index notation.

Main takeaway statement: "The powers of the prime factors must be even"

This is concept is especially important in questions that ask for the value of a variable that when multiplied to a given number, makes it a perfect square. Students are thought step by step how to solve this kind of questions. Starting with expressing the given number in an index notation before looking at the powers of the prime factors and making them even. Through this, students also learnt about basic indices concepts such as how to increase a power of a factor.

2) Composite Numbers

3) Using words to complement mathematical expressions

In certain questions that can be solved logically, it makes it hard to express all arguments in mathematical expressions or equations. Students were shown certain basic ways to express arguments in both words and mathematical expressions pertaining to Qn 11(a)

Example questions gone through:Nil

Practice questions given: Tutorial 1 Qn 10 - 14 (Qn 11-14 are word problems)

Post-teaching

General comments of students:

Students are familiar with the methods for finding HCF and LCM. However, there is a need to reinforce the fundamental concepts of factors and multiples for them to be able to fully understand and utilize the concepts and methods flexibly. As such, it makes it harder for them to understand and solve word problems that focus more on applications of concepts. I will probably use the Maths lessons the coming week to focus on the understanding of the word problems and application of concepts.

One observation is that students have difficulty concentrating for the whole length of maths lesson from 130 to 6, making it harder for them to grasp concepts taught. I am suggesting readjusting the tuition format for the AEIS students so that the length of time between 130 to 6 can be split between Maths and English tuition.

Improvement points of students:

William has shown a marked improvement from the previous lesson by showing a greater degree of concentration in solving his Maths problems. However, he is weaker and slightly slower in his understanding of his concepts.

Henry is fast at grasping concepts and applying it. He shows interest in learning new concepts. However, he is slightly complacent in this work and has a tendency not to admit his own mistakes when it comes to concepts that he believe he has grasp well enough.

Susan showed an effort to improve on her neatness and quality of her work. She made a greater amount of effort to check through her work as of the previous lesson.

Michael and Noe Noe have maintained a positive attitude towards learning. However, they should be able to produce work of much higher quality if they cut down on their carelessness.

Homework given (including due date): NA