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14/07/2015

AMESA conference 29 June - 3 July 2015

 

The Association for Mathematics Education of South Africa (AMESA) is the professional association of mathematics educators in South Africa. AMESA is the voice of Mathematics Education in South Africa, representing the interests of the discipline and its members at provincial and national level.

Unlike many other education conferences, AMESA’s conference is strongly centered on teachers. An estimated 70% of participants are practicing teachers and about one third of presentations are done by teachers.  The conference has dedicated presentation slots for “How I Teach” presentations, which are very well attended. It’s easy to deride the strong corporate presence at the conference.  However, participants understandably appreciate the free gadgets and scientific calculators, as well as the presentations on how to use the devices. One of our partners, SACE also had a stand with various information including information about the CPTD system and how teachers could get registered.

For VVOB, sponsoring 37 teachers and subject advisors of Free State to participate at the conference, constitutes a considerable expense, mainly because of accommodation as the conference fee was very reasonable and transport costs were covered by our partner.  We think that this expense is justified because of three major reasons.

Firstly, six teachers presented four “How I Teach” presentations (2 duo presentations).  For five of them, it was their first presentation at a major conference.  Presenting at a conference was a major achievement and hugely motivational. The presentations from the Free State were well attended and the content appreciated by the audience. You will find the papers of the Free State presenters, as taken from the AMESA 2015 conference book, attached below.

It was my first time presenting at such a conference. It was overwhelming but a great experience altogether”, said Thandeka Mahlangu (teacher).

Secondly, for most teachers and subject advisors, it was their first participation at an AMESA conference.  Together with the conference, they received a one-year membership of AMESA. This entitles them to a quarterly maths education journal and the invitation to participate at a regional conference.  Many recognized the value of the conference and indicated they would participate again in the future. “It was such an informative week. I learnt a lot! I hope to have the same opportunity again next time” said Paul Julius (teacher).

Thirdly, the conference is geared towards teachers, including many hands-on sessions.  The academic sessions are presented with teachers in mind.  As such, the conference exposes teachers to good practices from teachers and to current maths educational research in South Africa.

I have been teaching numbers and operations. During the conference, I learnt different strategies of teaching subtraction and additions which included introducing the concept by telling learners a story. I also learnt that learners should also be given an opportunity to work independently” (Maggy Ndaba, subject advisor).

“My mathematics lessons are now going to be fun because they will be playing and learning at the same time. They will be engaged in maths learning for themselves” (Paul Julius, teacher).

“I learnt the importance of teaching the correct mathematical terminology to learners and ensure that the fundamental knowledge different 3D-shapes is taught”, said Henda Smith (teacher).

Ivy November and Matsheliso Mokotjo (teachers) said that during the presentation on time they learnt how manipulatives, such as string and paper plates, could be used to enhance the teaching of the concept of time.

Kamohelo Ratsiu (teacher) added: “The presentations addressed the importance of taking different learning styles into account when different mathematical concepts are introduced to learners.”

 

Looking at next year, VVOB and FS DOE intend to encourage more teachers and subject advisors to submit papers.