Beyond The Blackboard: The Transformative Role of Honours Mathematics

Why is math so important?

Despite the advancement of technology and the ability to do sums on our phones, math is still crucial to our everyday lives. We simply can’t go a day without doing some basic math at some point.

For example, you need to understand math and measurements to cook and when buying groceries to ensure you don’t go over budget.

In addition to needing math in our daily lives, it also improves our memory, helps us solve problems, and enhances our emotional health.

Here are some of the main benefits of maths:

• Promotes brain health
• Allows us to identify and solve problems quicker
• Supports analytical thinking and logical reasoning
• Gives us the ability to recognise patterns
• Enhances our creativity and flexible thinking
• Improves our financial skills and literacy
• Teaches us perseverance

Essential math skills taught in the classroom

A BEd Honours Mathematics will allow you to teach these skills to students.

1. Shifting from memorisation to understanding

Maths provides formulas, methods, acronyms, and steps students can follow to complete certain equations. Memorising these formulas will eventually lead to understanding. This develops children’s ability to memorise and understand other things besides math.

2. Inductive reasoning

Inductive reasoning is a type of reasoning that involves using specific evidence or observations to make predictions. It heavily relies on data, observation, and experimentation to identify patterns and trends in a data set.

3. Critical thinking and advanced problem solving

Since math knowledge and the ability to solve complicated numerical problems require students to use their critical thinking skills, it also enables them to think logically and make better decisions in other areas of their lives.

4. Enhanced creativity and innovation

Complicated math problems often encourage students to think, explore, and discover creative problem-solving strategies, which is why specialised training, like the Honours Mathematics programme, is so beneficial for aspiring teachers and educators. Having a good understanding of math trains the mind to think differently by:

• Analysing issues from a different perspective
• Looking at patterns
• Generating multiple ideas to identify the proper method
• Identifying differences and similarities

5. Estimation

Maths enables students to make good guesses about the amount or size of something. This plays a vital role in our careers since we often use estimation to create accurate project estimates, making it possible for us to:

• Identify costs
• Schedule requirements
• Estimate required resources
• Finish projects on time

Good reasons to become a math teacher in South Africa

Choosing a career path that aligns with your passion and skills is challenging. If you have a passion for Mathematics and a desire to positively impact the generations to come, perhaps pursuing Honours in Mathematics Education at Mancosa is the choice for you. This highly specialised programme will equip you with in-depth knowledge and skills to advance Mathematics Education. Some of the main reasons that people are choosing to study towards Honours Mathematics include fulfilling the demand for qualified Mathematics teachers

Much like the need for educational managers continues to grow, the need for qualified math teachers in South Africa is also alarmingly high. At Mancosa, we realise that Mathematics plays a crucial role in today’s world, and there’s a growing demand for qualified Math teachers who can inspire and guide learners to develop strong mathematical skills.

By pursuing an Honours in Mathematics Education, you can contribute to filling the gap in qualified Mathematics teachers.

This degree programme will equip you with the necessary pedagogical skills and knowledge to effectively teach and communicate complex Mathematical concepts by interrogating theories.

Bridge the achievement gap in Mathematics

Mathematics has been a subject where many learners struggle. As a Mathematics teacher, you have the opportunity to bridge the achievement gap and help learners overcome their difficulties. Through specialised coursework and research experiences offered in a BEd Honours in Mathematics Education, you’ll learn strategies to address different learning styles, adapt teaching methods and provide individualised support to learners who face challenges in understanding math concepts.

Diverse career opportunities

Obtaining an Honours in Mathematics Education opens doors to diverse career opportunities.

While the primary pathway is becoming a Math teacher at the secondary level, you can also explore roles in educational administration, curriculum development, educational consulting, tutoring, or even pursuing advanced degrees in Mathematics or education.

This degree equips you with transferable skills such as communication, organisation, critical thinking, and leadership, valued in various professional fields. Graduates of this programme can articulate into a Master of Education programme.

Register for the BEd Honours Mathematics Education

If you have an undergraduate teaching degree and want to take your mathematics teaching skills to the next level, consider the Honours Mathematics postgraduate programme. Head to the course page to learn more about the programme and what’s included. You can even register your interest online.