Objectives
of Teaching Basic Mathematics
The main objectives of teaching Basic
Mathematics in Tanzania secondary schools are:
- To promote the development and application of
Mathematical skills in intepreting the world and solving practical problems in
daily life.
- To provide pupils with mathematical tools and logical
thinking which they can apply in understanding better other subjects;
- To develop a foundation of mathematical knowledge, techniques and skills for
studying mathematics and related subjects at higher levels of education.
Content
Selection and Organization
The
mathematics content included in the syllabus is a continuation of that covered
at primary school level. The topic, sub-topics objectives, teaching/learning
activities and teaching aids have been carefully selected and organized so as to
promote the achievement of the objectives of education and those of mathematics.
The arrangement of content is spiral to meet the level of understanding of the
pupils.
Choice
and Use of Instructional and Study Materials
The
teacher should do the selection of mathematics instructional and study materials
by applying his/her academic and professional knowledge and skills to judge the
suitability of the books. The teacher will be expected to guide and advise
students on how best to use textbooks and other textual materials available at
school or in libraries.
For
successful teaching and learning of mathematics, the teacher and pupils will
need teaching aids. The teacher should ensure that relevant teaching aids are
available and are used effectively. Together with the pupils, he/she should
improvise and make possible teaching aids by using locally available resource
materials The aids sh6uld be kept in a specific place or room for easy location
and sustainable use. It is important that every pupil should posses a set of
geometrical instruments to make the learning of geometry-oriented topics easy.
Methods of Teaching and Learning Mathematics
The teacher is advised to use various methods
of teaching according to the nature of the topic with the aim of achieving the
laid down
Objectives. The methods chosen should be geared to student centredness, enquiry
and
discovery.
The teaching and learning activities contained in the syllabus serve as a guide
and are not
binding. Students should be encouraged to participate actively in discussions,
questioning and
answering questions, making case studies and visiting areas relevant to
mathematics topics. The
students can also achieve more from lessons which allow them to make
observations and to make analysis of mathematically oriented problems.
Assessment
of Student Progress and Performance
It
is expected that every mathematics teacher will periodically assess his or her 'students
performance in order to identify their strengths and weakness. In this way it
will be possible to help the weak and encourage the strong students. Such
assignments should be marked regularly and feedback given back to students.
The
students should be given homework and tests regularly. These assignments help to
indicate and check attainment levels of the students. Also the students exercise
books should always be marked and necessary corrections made before the teacher
and students can proceed to other topics or subtopics. At the end of Form IV,
the students will be expected to do the national examination in mathematics.
The continuous assessment, class tests as well as final terminal examinations
will help to determine the effectiveness of content, materials, teacher's
methods of teaching as well as the extent to which the objectives of teaching
mathematics have been achieved.
Instructional
time
The
number of periods enough for teaching this syllabus per week is as specified by
the Ministry of Education and Culture. The teacher is advised to make maximum
use of the allocated time. Lost instructional time should always be compensated
without fail.
FORM THREE OBJECTIVES
After
completing Form three, the pupils should be able to:
1.
Draw graphs of relations and functions and identify their properties.
2.
Represent data statistically and draw conclusions from numerical
statistical information (mean, mode, median).
3.
Use the Knowledge on rates and variations in solving real life problems.
4.
Relate mathematical ideas and concepts to physical problems in kinematics.
5.
Perform computations on sequences and series to discover mathematical
patterns, solve problems and apply them in compound interest;
6.
Apply theorems of circles and angles in calculations;
7.
Calculate distances on the earth’s surface along meridians and parallel
of latitudes.
TOPICS
1.RELATIONS
1.1.
Relations
1.2.
Graph of a relation
1.3.
Domain and Range of a Relation
1.4.
Inverse of a relation
2.
FUNCTIONS
2.1.
Representation of functions
2.2.
Domain and Range
2.3.
Graphing functions
2.4.
Inverse of a function
3.
RATE AND VARIATION
3.1.
Rate
3.2.
Variations
4.STATISTICS
4.1.
Mean
4.2.
Median
4.4.
Mode
5.
KINEMATICS
5.1.
Time, distance, velocity and acceleration
5.2.
Distance time, velocity time and acceleration time graphs
6.
SEQUENCE AND SERIES
6.1.
Sequences
6.2.
Series
6.3.
Arithmetic Progression
6.4.
Geometric Progression
6.5.
Arithmetic Mean and Geometric Mean
6.6.
Compound interest
7.
CIRCLES
7.1.
The length of an arc and
central angle
7.2.
Angle Properties
7.3.
Chord Properties of a circle
7.4.
Tangent Properties
8.
THE EARTH AS A SPHERE
8.1.
Location of places
8.2.
Distances along great circles
8.3.
Distances along small circles
