KHEL KHEL MEIN GANIT

Mathematics learning among students has long been a concern. Many students begin to fear mathematics early on, and failing to grasp foundational concepts, they avoid the subject altogether, often ending up disliking it. Fear of mathematics prevents them from engaging with it meaningfully, leading them to rely on memorizing shortcuts and formulas to arrive at answers without truly understanding the material. The way mathematics is typically taught—often abstract and disconnected from children’s experiences—contributes to this issue. Although curricular and policy documents like the NCF 2005, NCF SE 2023, and various State government curriculum frameworks, along with some textbooks, encourage bringing students’ contexts into the classroom and engaging them in activities and problem-solving, teachers often struggle to implement these approaches. They feel pressured to rush through the textbook to ‘finish’ the prescribed topics, which leaves them worried about the time available to teach concepts thoroughly. Teachers often lack both the time and strategies to address the diverse learning needs in their classrooms, particularly in mathematics, and they rarely find ways to connect school mathematics with the mathematics students encounter in their homes and daily lives.