Correlation Between Mathematics And Process

You may be wondering what this title is all about. The one and only one correlation some of you could probably imagine is the similarity between a Mathematics teacher and a process specialist- both come with a stick in their hand to get things done :-)

 As a parent I have been struggling to teach Mathematics to my son, a high school student. His relatively low scores in Mathematics always questioned my ability to teach, one skill which was considered as my strength in my previous organization. My mother even thought about changing his Maths Tutor not just because of the average results but because of the “Mahabharata Battle” between him and his Mathematics teacher (me) during the heated Maths coaching sessions. I also felt that it would be better to send him to someone else because children, especially teens don’t take it seriously when taught by parents and probably I know to train only adults and not children.

But I did not want to give up and wanted to analyse what was going wrong. He was clear about the concepts. But he comes back home with not so good scores which according to him are due to some “minor accidents ( silly mistakes)” , one thing over which we used to have “battles” at home.  While I am at home to monitor and warn him of those silly mistakes, there is none in the examination hall to point it out to him, causing a major impact on the scores. His mistakes were of the kind which I never made at school or could even imagine and so was not able to understand why he makes such mistakes again and again. Though he knows that they are mistakes, according to him they happen accidentally and he calls them “minor accidents”.

1. A list of do’s and don’ts

I came up with a list of don’t s including the  common mistakes he makes –mistakes in algebra, polynomials, decimals etc. and also clarified why they are mistakes.

For example,  √( x2 + y2)      ≠   x + y   ( Read it as x square )

Wrong      -   √ (32 + 42)   =   3    +    4   =  7 

 Right         -   √ (32 + 42) =   √ (9+ 16) = √ 25 = 5   

As he makes the same mistakes again and again due to the so called “carelessness”, the only way out was to remind him repeatedly of those don’ts by consolidating them in a list.

2. A structured approach or disciplined approach

Some of us think that Mathematical skills are only for those blessed with it. If a child is good in all other subjects except Mathematics, it is worthwhile to find out the root cause for it.  It may probably be due to lack of a proper approach to solve the problem and it is true for all those "impatient' students.

Any Math word problem of high school grade needs a bit of concentration and it is necessary to approach the problem in a structured way by thoroughly reading the problem, visualizing through drawing figures and understanding what is given and what needs to be found out.  

This means that a student needs to design his approach by understanding the requirements before jumping into solution.

My son  is always interested in the final “value” only and according to him the steps are meant for “bookworms”. But in that process of bypassing the steps to deliver the final value faster, he either delivers a wrong “value” or takes a long route to solve the problem.

The reality is that once the approach is clear, 90% of the problem is solved.  The remaining 10% is about applying the approach and getting the final "value".

This is what I tell him often- “At least you should know the destination and the route clearly before setting off on your journey”

Following the right approach helps you deliver faster and better.

3. Assess the Maturity Levels

Some children do well in Mathematics in lower classes, but as they go to higher classes, their scores start falling. The reason could be that there could be an understanding problem in some of the concepts which probably did not do much harm in lower grades but impacts a lot in higher grades.

 It is same as what happens in our organizations. You may somehow manage to deliver small projects even if there are some process flaws, but when it comes to big projects, lack of proper process or failure to follow them, can result in chaos. 

Mathematics is a subject which needs cumulative learning. If a student does not attain the desired maturity level in the concepts taught in lower classes, he/she would find it difficult to cope up with “Maths” in higher grades and slowly starts developing hatred towards the subject.

So, it is necessary to assess the student with respect to his understanding of the Mathematical concepts even though those topics are from lower grades , identify the gaps , if any and improve upon them before introducing the high level concepts.

Same applies in organizations too. In our hurry to attain high maturity level, we tend to neglect those gaps in lower levels, which very often lead to issues later

4. Classification of Problems - Continuous Improvement

Today, the volume of each subject is so huge that the child has to spend a lot of time to achieve really good scores. One method I tried to achieve the same output in less time was to classify the problems. There are many word problems which can be classified or grouped. Once the student is able to understand how to tackle a problem in a particular category, he/she can attempt any tricky problem in that category. But this needs a bit of effort to understand the pattern and group them. This would ensure that the information reaches the student in a faster and much better way.

5. Practice makes one perfect

Practice, practice, practice – there is no substitute for this.  With practice, one can deliver a perfect solution faster. In the International Congress of Mathematicians 2010, Hyderabad, Vishwanathan Anand played against 40 chess wizards simultaneously and beat 39 of them. One 14 year old boy managed a draw against him. Anand being the world chess champion is not the only reason behind this victory. The very fact that 99% of the moves made by other players were already known to Anand helped him defeat them easily. Practice definitely makes one perfect.

Same applies to process too. It is not possible to achieve consistent results in an organization without making it a way of life.

6. Design a proper teaching framework and improve upon it continuously

My experiences as a Mathematics teacher for my son led me to experiment and try to arrive at an appropriate framework for teaching him. It is very much required that we develop proper teaching frameworks and methods at school based on the interactions with children and also their performances. A teacher has ample opportunities to learn from the mistakes of the children and design an appropriate framework for teaching, just like an organization needs a proper process framework for running its business smoothly.

7. Teaching quality is the key and not the quantity of time spent

Interestingly , Japan, a country from which we have borrowed most of our quality processes and methodologies, is a leader in Mathematics as well.  Their students spend less time in learning compared to other countries but still excel in Mathematics.

"Since 2000 the OECD club of developed nations has been tracking and testing 15-year-olds in dozens of countries in math, reading and science every three years in what are known as the PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) tests. Japan has never dropped out of the top 10 in math. In the last round of tests, administered in 2012, Japan was placed second in Mathematics performance and first in both reading and science amongst the OECD countries."

( http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2014/11/23/issues/teaching-quality-lesson-quantity-may-key-japans-top-math-marks/#.VmablLh97IU)

So, we should not only borrow Japan's processes but their education framework too. 

Mathematics and process are necessary in all walks of life. One cannot do away with it.  What we need is innovation to make them interesting  and easier so that they are no longer "burden" to us and we actually benefit from them.

I am passionate about children’s education and wish for an India where quality education is accessible and available to all children.

Your views and inputs are most welcome.

THE ART OF COACHING

Some of us coach others as part of our work. Almost all of us have been coachees (one who receives training) at some point or other- be it at work or outside it. A coach is successful if he or she is able to help the coachee to achieve the set goal. But how many such coaches do we come across in our lives when coaching style is almost forgotten by most leaders!

I am sure that all of you remember the coaches who made great impact on your lives and so do I.

I am not going to talk about any business leader here but a level-headed driving instructor who helped me to achieve auto- mobility, essential for a working woman.

If you don’t mind reading a story, continue reading :-)

It took three years and two repeat courses for me to get a valid license five years ago!

The first time I joined a driving school was in 2006 with absolutely no clue on this art. But I was clear that I wanted to drive manual transmission cars.

The instructor introduced me to the foot pedals - Accelerator, Brake and Clutch and told me that the right foot should be used for pressing the accelerator and the brake. Of course, this arrangement guarantees that the accelerator is released as the driver brakes. But as a learner, I was worried about the reverse scenario – pressing accelerator by mistake instead of brake and the potential threat it can cause for others and me . I successfully mitigated this risk by removing my footwear so that I could feel accelerator and brake properly. I made the first day of my driving class highly memorable for my instructor and me when I broke the indicator rod after my first attempt to turn the indicator on. To my surprise, the instructor did not shout at me. I justified myself, “I thought that turning on indicator also needed same force as changing gears”. Though he told me that I would have to pay for my mistake, his smile indicated that I did not have to . The very first day itself he understood clearly that as a coach , he had challenging days ahead !

His patient coaching and appreciations from time to time increased my level of confidence so much so that I thought of driving my friend’s car when he visited my home. After starting the car I realized that we should plant more trees on the roads as they also have a function of stopping the vehicles and thus preventing damage to the compound walls of the houses. Needless to say, my confidence level had a steep fall, almost similar to the biggest ever crash in the stock market. Adding to my woes, my instructor changed. The new guy was not good at his behavior due to which I decided to put an end to my driving classes. Though the school offered me to send the previous instructor, I somehow lost the drive to drive and discontinued the classes.

A year later, I had to relocate to my home town. I decided to pursue my driving classes once again as I wanted to be have better “personal mobility”.

My colleague introduced me to a driving school where they had structured curriculum – theory, simulator classes, followed by on road practice sessions. They were truly professional! That of course impressed me being a quality professional.

Theory classes were very good. My practical sessions started. First day was peaceful. Second day, the engine of my vehicle stalled suddenly at a busy signal and all my attempts to start the car failed. The vehicles behind started honking. The drivers of the vehicles behind mine managed to somehow cross the signal, but they did perform the typical Bharatanatyam (A classical dance form in India) steps with their hands to convey their irritation to me. But I did not pay much attention to it as I was busy with my moon walk step using my left and right foot to somehow start the vehicle. The lady instructor, who appeared to be friendly till that moment, suddenly started yelling at me. The more she yelled, the more the engine refused to start.

At that moment, I understood why my son felt bad whenever I tried to teach him and his words echoed in my ears, “Why are you shouting at me when I make simple mistakes? “

The driving school maintains a progress card which details the modules to be covered each day and the rating of the learner against each. The “1/5” for “starting the vehicle” giggled at me.

After two days, my instructor changed. Topic was to “drive on uphill”. Objective was to start the car on an uphill road without causing it to roll down. He gave me two options - one using hand brake and other by managing clutch and accelerator. I looked at him to know which one would best suit me- an under performer. But his merciless face indicated that I should not waste time applying Pugh Matrix (a structured approach which is used to select the best option) to select the best option. I chose option 1 and 2 one after the other and failed miserably. By the time, the allotted one hour was over. On the way back to the school, the guy took the driver’s seat only to demonstrate his driving skills which irritated me even more. The 1’s and 2’s in my progress card suggested me not to appear for the driving test.

I felt that driving was the most complex job in the world which needs utmost concentration and co-ordination of all vehicle controls. I started admiring all drivers. I never complained when the auto rickshaw (three-wheeler) drivers asked me for more fare. After all, driving is a complex job.

A year later, I had to shift my residence and commuting to office became more and more difficult. I decided to join the same driving school again. This time determined to somehow get a license. Three classes were over without much problem. Fourth day my instructor changed. I drove the vehicle for 5 minutes and reached a small lane. The instructor asked me to stop the vehicle. I looked at him with a question mark on my face.

He smiled and told me, “Ma'am, this steering needs only a gentle touch and does not need any muscle power. So, relax all your muscles and start the vehicle with a smile”.

I burst into laughter. As usual, my vehicle stalled in the middle of the road and the bus behind started honking. He was cool and told me not to worry.

He told “It happens to all learners. Don’t worry about honking. Take your time and start the car”.

I was not under pressure this time. After two attempts, I successfully started the car. At last, I was lucky to have the right coach ! I requested the driving school to have him as my instructor. I had to go through complex modules - U-turn, driving uphill, parallel parking. But he handled all those with his humor and wit and did not create any tension for me. I gradually overcame the fear of driving. We shared the same objective – make me a confident driver.

I was not bothered about my grades this time as I was sure that one day I would anyway learn this art- art of driving.

On the final day of the classes he asked me, “Did you buy a pair of sun glasses?”

I did not understand. He said, “Ma'am, you are going to get your license soon. Keep your sun glasses ready and drive in style”.

I have been driving for the past five years and of course, many thanks to my wonderful instructor.

Coaching is an art. While structured design, assessments and constant feedback are must have for coaching; a coach plays a significant role for coaching to be effective. A real coach is one who is knowledgeable, calm, instills confidence in coachee, gives constructive feedback and sincerely wishes for the success of the coachee. At the same time, coachees also need to develop the perseverance and determination to accomplish the set goal, no matter the kind of challenges they need to face. Effective coaching turns around under performers to better performers. Needless to say, it benefits all –be it people, organizations or society.