Can Learning Be Fun?

Can learning be fun?

[This post is targeted at maths students up to A-level, but contains information relevant to all students.]

Have you ever sat in class, losing focus as your teacher drones on about an algebra problem? Ever sat in class wishing the class book was more interesting? Ever sat in a science class wondering why you weren’t running a practical, cool experiment? Me too.

Engagement in learning can be difficult. Schools use a one-size-fits-all approach to learning, which fails to engage students who learn in different ways.– few would call textbooks, homework and tests fun!

Below, I list some options at your disposal (both as a student and as a parent) to make learning more fun. I focus on maths as my area of knowledge - but similar resources and approaches can be used to introduce engaging learning in other subjects. Think creatively!

Online puzzles and games

For students who enjoy observing or interacting with learning, websites like the below offer free maths games and puzzles to sharpen your brain.

• NRICH is targeted at students aged 3-18 linked to the national curriculum, and is hosted by the University of Cambridge. It covers syllabus topics for Early Learners, Primary, Secondary and Post-16 level. NRICH offers interesting puzzles that test your maths skills in different ways to improve your maths and puzzle-solving skills. Puzzles include useful prompts and student solutions to help you work through the more challenging puzzles available.
• UKMT is a national charity that offers challenging but interesting maths competitions, targeted at students in Years 7/8 (Junior Competitions), Years 9/10/11 (Intermediate Competitions) and Sixth Form (Senior Competitions). Their website contains an archive of questions from previous years to chew on. These problems are tough but often interesting and rewarding!
• UKMT also hosted team-based maths competitions for students in Year 8/9 (Team Maths Challenge). These team-based challenges test your teamwork and maths skills. Students – challenge your parent to complete a crossnumber with you and see if their maths skills stand the test!

Podcasts

If you learn better through listening, consider one of these maths-based podcasts. Abakcus provides a list of 16 free maths podcasts that offer a range of topics, mostly targeted at students in Sixth Form These include:

• Breaking Math links maths to topics such as AI and Biology.
• The Numberphile Podcast hosts a series of interviews with mathsy people.
• Mathematical Objects use everyday events and items to discuss important maths topics.

Books

For those who enjoy reading, there are a range of maths books to spark your imagination with engaging narratives and stunning pictures. Abakcus presents a list of books that use reading to drive maths imagination . These include:

• Counting Creatures by Julia Donaldson is a charming picture book for young learners to bring the wonders of nature to help teach counting. (£10 on Amazon)
• Numbers in Motion is a picture-book story written by Laurie Wallmark aimed for Primary School students – it tells the inspirational story of Sophie Kowalevski, who overcame gender barriers to triumph as a female mathematician in a male-dominated field. (£15 on Amazon)
• Triangle by Mac Barnett is one part of a trilogy that combines humour, illustrations and story to engage imagination and geometric concepts to those aged 2-5. (£7.50 on Amazon)