Conclusion using PETALS

Developing the Whole Child

The PETALS Framework is the engine that drives all the initiatives to ensure that education of the child is holistic.

During the course of synthesising our electronic package, we found that all the initiatives fall nicely into the PETALS framework. There is a high co-relation between the Mathematics curriculum and the domain of learning content in the PETALS framework.

Implications for Mathematics Teaching in Schools

1. Develop students' thinking skills and encourage curiosity and critical thinking so that students ask more searching questions.

2. Develop students' learning skills by focusing more on process of learning, to build confidcence and capacity in our students and less on the product ( e.g., self-reflection skills, self-regulated learning ).

3. Help students to learn effectively and efficiently by providing effective opportunities for students to be engaged in doing project work and other meaningful tasks that can help students to develop these skills.

4. Developing students' spirit of pursuing knowledge / truth and lifelong learning.

5. Ensure that all students participate in and contribute to the teaching and learning process ( cooperative learning strategies, in-class activity / discussion etc )

6. Foster a spirit of innovation and enterprise ( dare to try, dare to fail and dare to be different ).

7. Foster students' passion for improvement by nurturing positive dispositions among students towards mathematics.

8. Help students to achieve understanding of essential concepts and ideas, and not only to dispense information.