WISS students live out Mathematics learning

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By WISS Admin | June 2, 2009

Children’s Day Supplement, Shanghai Daily, June 1, 2009

By Renee Peitsch, G2 teacher

Shoppers at Carrefour Xu Jing were in for a surprise recently when groups of Grade 2 students from Western International School of Shanghai (WISS) were spotted exploring the isles with calculators and notebooks in hand. In a flutter of excitement and a flurry of conversation these 7 and 8 year olds were on the hunt for the best food deals in town.

Following on from their learning of mathematical concepts including, money, place value, and operations with number, students were guided in applying these concepts independently to plan and budget for a hypothetical party. The students’ enthusiasm from this challenge flourished, and together with teachers, they negotiated the possibility of planning and budgeting for a collaborative Grade 2 party. After consultation with teachers and school leaders, it was agreed that WISS would fund the student initiated project which provided a party for the community based volunteer program, celebrating 6 months of fruitful operation. The program has seen enthusiastic student, teacher, administrator and parent volunteers come together to offer structured English language classes to local children and adults from the Xu Jing community.

So with budgets in hand, Grade 2 students researched product prices and considered guest numbers in planning for their shopping expedition. Small groups of 6 students per teacher were guided through the Carrefour shops as they applied their mathematical knowledge to estimate and calculate total prices for their groups. A buzz of excitement amongst students followed them through to the fruit and vegetable section where students applied knowledge of weight and mass to calculate totals for oranges and bananas.

“To see the excitement on students faces as they showed ownership over their learning was inspiring,” Said Grade 2 teacher Ms Renee Peitsch. “As an International Baccalaureate (IB) PYP candidate school, we encourage students to take action in their learning. In this instance we have found students have gained a deeper understanding of the concepts covered in class and are able to transfer their understandings in a variety of contexts.” Parents were also impressed with the program and supported their students’ learning by attending the Grade 2 party “.I simply love this math approach. We realize how good our daughter has become at estimating time frames, numbers and measurements” said WISS G2 parent Ulrike Welschof. “My daughter is extremely exited about this project. We were worried how to introduce her to money. In Germany her friends get their weekly pocket money. They start spending it at kiosks on their way to school. So they start to experience saving and spending. This is so much more difficult in Shanghai