MATH RELAY 2022 - RAJAGIRI PUBLIC SCHOOL, DOHA

 

Math Relay 2022.  A conscious effort by the Mathematics Department of the school to arouse interest in the subject combined with the effort to link learning in combination with other disciplines – So here was a relay race of 8 teams selected from 30 odd teams from the prelims.  Each team with 3 relay math runners – one each from grades I, II and III. 4 teams each would line up for the quarter final, which has a set of 3 questions.  The first runner runs up on the whistle, reaches the Math Desk, gets the questions and solves it, and returns to the team, and instead of passing the baton, a ‘five’ is to be given to the next runner, who repeats the same. The teams are all named after the Greek numbers from Alpha to Infinity.  Some teams have guys and girls, some are exclusively of boys and some of girls – which happens in the process of selection from the different grades.  Interestingly in the final round, there are two teams – Gama and Sigma, the former solely of boys, and the latter, solely of girls. The sigma team wins with a thumping margin – 50 against 25.  But apparently, all are happy and enthused.  In between, the audience is given a chance to attempt the questions, while the grade sheets are being assessed by the panel.  There are any number of volunteers, but not many spark of mathematics wizardry as such.  But the effort is laudable – it is collaborative (with Mathematics Department directly involved, and Physical Education supporting, there is great enthusiasm in the teachers which is contagious), involving (almost all children get a chance at the initial levels) and it adds play to learning.  There is weightage for the time taken to complete the relay – an avenue to enhance sensory motor coordination involved.  

"Math is not a spectator sport, It's not a body of knowledge, It's not symbols on a page, It's something you play with, something you do." Concludes a beaming Mr Sachin Seth, HoD of Maths. I regret when it comes to state syllabus hardly any such effort is made (to my limited knowledge) and when we take the higher education scenario, hardly anything beyond Maths, with apparently no effort to link it to other disciplines or life.

The enthusiastic learning atmosphere of (CBSE) school, now no longer left to the individual initiative (yes, it can be enhanced by individual or institutional initiative), but made part of the system, is altogether lost when it comes to higher and/or professional educational scenario. I hope a change in the approach takes place and drastic reorientation at the teacher initiation is brought about at that level.