Teaching and learning difficulties in Mathematics in the eighth year of Elementary Education

Abstract

This research has the general objective of understanding the possible difficulties of teaching and learning Mathematics in groups of 8th grade of Elementary School, identifying the reasons that lead the students to the disinterest and the difficulty in this curricular component. It is a research of explanatory nature, with procedures of qualitative-quantitative field research. We conducted questionnaires with teachers and students to understand how the teaching and learning process occurs. As one of the pertinent results we analyzed that the students of the research are between 12 and 17 years old, perceiving a distortion age-series, since 22.9% already failed in Mathematics for several reasons, being, as the main reason cited, the fact that they do not like discipline. In the question about the mathematics they study at school, more than half of the students answered that it is part of their daily life and 7% say they do not present any difficulties, but this percentage is too low to be considered satisfactory. In the question that the students were asked if their parents encourage them and follow their school life, the great majority answered that yes, this support really exists. Therefore, this research shows us that the participation of the family in the education process, together with the school, is extremely important. In this way, the teacher can look for teaching methods and learning assessment tools in which students can overcome difficulties, start from everyday problems, understand the “error” as a learning potential, encouraging them to study and enjoy the...