Constructivist Approach in Mathematics Sawinder Arora G.N. College of Education, Kapurthala Yogesh Sharma Ramearhia College of Education, Phagwara In reality, no one can teach mathematics. Effective teachers are those who can stimulate students to learn mathematics. Educational research offers compelling evidence that students lear yathematics well only when they construct their own mathematical understanding (MSEB and National Research Council 1989, 58). According to Henson (1996) constructivism is a theory of how learning occurs Anita woolfolk stated that constructivism is a view that emphasizes the active role of the learner in building understanding and making sense of information. ‘Slavin (2006) stated that constructivism is a view of cognitive development that emphasizes the active role of learners in building their own understanding of reality, A view of learning that says learners use t ir experiences to actively construct understanding that makes sense to them, rather than have understanding delivered to them in already organized form Eggan and Kauchak (1997), An approach to learning in which learners are provided the opportunity to construct their own. sense of what is being learned by building internal connection or relationship among the ideas and facts being taught Borich and Tombari (1997). ‘Thus, constructivism points out that learners must individually discover and transform ‘complex information, checking new information against old rules and revising rules when ‘they no longer work. The constructivism emerged from the works of Jean Piaget, Jerome Bruner, Lev Vygotsky ‘and Albert Bandura, Most traditional mathematics instruction and curricula are based on the transmission, or absorption, view of teaching and learning. In this view, students passively “absorb” mathematical structur ented by others and recorded in texts or known by authoritative adults. Teaching consists of transmitting sets of established facts, skills, and concepts to students, OF Constructivist teachers... 1, Encourage and accept student autonomy and initiative ce >. Use raw data and primary sources, along with manipulative, interactive, and physical materials. 3, Use cognitive terminology such “classify,” “analyze,” “predict” and “create” when framing tasks. 4, Allow student responses to drive lessons shift instructional strategies, and alter content, 5, Inquire about students’ understandings of concepts before sharing their own understanding of those concepts. 6. Encourage students to engage in dialogue, both withthe teacher and with one another, 7. Encourage student inquiry by asking thoughtful, open-ended questions and encouraging students to ask questions of each other. £8, Seek elaboration of students' initial responses. 9, Engage students in experiences that might engender contradictions 10 their inital hypotheses and then encourage discussion.10. Allow significant wait time after posing questions. 11. Provide time for students to construct relationships and create metaphors, 12, Nurture students’ natural curiosity through frequent use of the learning cycle model. Moreover in a constructivist approach, Teachers should: 1m tell the leamers why they are learning; t= provide opportunities to make the learner feel in control; provide opportunities for active engagement (cognitive, kinaesthetic and social), tm plan to use the learners” previous experiences; ‘= plan to structure the learning experience based upon understanding of the curr tm engage with the learners through dialogue and questioning; 1x be sensitive to the emotional aspects of learning experiences; m contextualise the activities with real-life examples, vulum; Ina so-called “constructivist” classroom, (Based on Brookes and Brookes, 1993) some or all of the following approaches to encouraging learning will be evident: The teacher will encourage learner autonomy and initiative. tn The teacher will make use of primary sources and physical materials. tu The teacher will take into account the responses of the learners and make use of them to move leaming on. fe The teacher will find out about learners’ understanding of new ideas in advance of teaching about them. ‘a The teacher will encourage learners to engage in dialogue with both the teacher and each other. ts The teachers will encourage learners to think and enquire by asking thoughtful, open ‘ended questions and encouraging them to ask questions of each other. x The teacher will seek elaboration of learners’ responses. tx The teacher will engage learners in experiences that might bring about contradictions andThe diversity of activity 3 = Teachers who embrace the consructvist view oflaring ae encourged to compare tit lasoom practices with those listed above, fr they are the indicators that practice aches