Math teacher tries to foster creativity among students
By Wang Lihui and Wing Tan |
August 28, 2012, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SEVENTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD Wang Wenlin is relived now since his three-volume series "New Ways to Learn Maths at Elementary School" has been published.
Wang finished the series 10 years ago. During the past decade, the stubborn old man lobbied numerous publishers but all in vain.
"Most of the exercise books in the bookstores are exam oriented," Wang says. "I just want to foster the children's passion for mathematics with these creative methods."
The opening question in the first book is: "If 4+2=7, 13+5=19, 24+16=41, what does 5+3 equal to?" One can find many fun maths problems that may arouse the interest of the kids.
"The books can enlarge children's imagination, but cannot help improve their test scores. That is why the publishers refused to publish these books, for they were afraid the books would not sell well," he says.
Last year with the sponsorship from Anting Town's Chamber of Commerce, Wang's books were finally published.
Born into a poor family with five younger brothers and sisters, Wang knew the chance to learn was very precious. He was an extremely diligent student at school.
In 1956, he was enrolled into East China Normal University majoring mathematics.
After graduation, he became a teacher at Tongji University, Kongjiang High School and Anting Normal College. At the same time, he worked part time at Shanghai TV University and Shanghai Normal University.
With his rich teaching experience, Wang was invited to examine textbooks for several publishing houses.
However the boring math problems and dull tests made Wang cloying.
"These cramming methods are killing Chinese students," he says. Then he quit the work and decided to write his own book. At that time he was already 65.
"Today few math textbooks are written with honesty. Most are copied from another books," Wang says. While in his books, Wang teaches children how to play with math and how to use the computer to solve problems.
"I don't expect much from my books and I'm aware that it's hard for a single man to change the status quo, but at least as a teacher I'm doing something," adds Wang.
Wang finished the series 10 years ago. During the past decade, the stubborn old man lobbied numerous publishers but all in vain.
"Most of the exercise books in the bookstores are exam oriented," Wang says. "I just want to foster the children's passion for mathematics with these creative methods."
The opening question in the first book is: "If 4+2=7, 13+5=19, 24+16=41, what does 5+3 equal to?" One can find many fun maths problems that may arouse the interest of the kids.
"The books can enlarge children's imagination, but cannot help improve their test scores. That is why the publishers refused to publish these books, for they were afraid the books would not sell well," he says.
Last year with the sponsorship from Anting Town's Chamber of Commerce, Wang's books were finally published.
Born into a poor family with five younger brothers and sisters, Wang knew the chance to learn was very precious. He was an extremely diligent student at school.
In 1956, he was enrolled into East China Normal University majoring mathematics.
After graduation, he became a teacher at Tongji University, Kongjiang High School and Anting Normal College. At the same time, he worked part time at Shanghai TV University and Shanghai Normal University.
With his rich teaching experience, Wang was invited to examine textbooks for several publishing houses.
However the boring math problems and dull tests made Wang cloying.
"These cramming methods are killing Chinese students," he says. Then he quit the work and decided to write his own book. At that time he was already 65.
"Today few math textbooks are written with honesty. Most are copied from another books," Wang says. While in his books, Wang teaches children how to play with math and how to use the computer to solve problems.
"I don't expect much from my books and I'm aware that it's hard for a single man to change the status quo, but at least as a teacher I'm doing something," adds Wang.
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