"What COVID-19 has highlighted for us is that relationship with students is key."
—Dr. Lara Ragpot, Director, MA Educational Studies – Special Education (MAES-SPED)
As the global community commemorates the UN International Day of Education, Trinity Western University’s Dr. Lara Ragpot, shares highlights from her research in South Africa among early learners of math, and applies the best educational practices to the current context of teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Lara Ragpot is Associate Professor in the School of Education and Director of the Master of Arts in Educational Studies – Special Education (MAES-SPED). She is also a Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, and one of the main investigators who launched the UJ Centre for Education Practice Research Cognition Lab, which focuses on the research of young children’s conceptual development, with the aim to inform education in South Africa.
“What COVID-19 has highlighted for us is that relationship with students is key," Dr. Ragpot said as she reflected on the impact of the current global health crisis on education.
She observed that classroom adaptations and accommodations, even in the age of COVID-19, are most effective when there is a foundation of relationship. “You can do a lot of academic support, but without trying to understand the student – how the little body and soul is trying to make sense of the world, and really seeing (the student) as a person who is fearfully and wonderfully created by God – accommodations are secondary.”
“At TWU, the relationship building is so important," she said, affirming the value of relational learning at TWU. Not that academics are secondary, she emphasised, but learning in relationship is the key to a transformative education.
Learning at home: using manipulatives in our everyday environment
Dr. Ragpot conducted research in South Africa on what makes some children learn math easier and why, for others, it is more difficult. Although there are many reasons for the differences, she notes that a lot is related to how much time parents spend in interaction with their children. Particularly for learners of a young age, from birth to three to four years old, she encourages learning math through interactions with tangible, physical objects.
“Physical objects or manipulatives are much more enriching for the mind at that age,” says Dr. Ragpot. Tangible objects bring real life relevance to skills such as counting. “We often have children recite numbers one to ten, but without context, they may have no clue what that means.” Even a simple activity like grocery shopping, for example, can be an ideal opportunity for teaching how to count.
Often parents invest in apps to help children learn math easier, but Dr. Ragpot suggests letting children hold onto objects and “working with concrete things like stones, or even baking (together)…measuring one or two cups of flour or counting out tomatoes” as a more effective learning approach, one that successfully connects theoretical concepts to real-life context.
Tackling emotional issues surrounding math
Dr. Ragpot is also interested in how teachers engage with students around math. She observes that even though math is not considered an emotional subject, math has emotional associations for many students. She explains that “People feel either very competent or very incompetent.”
Even among university-aged adults, for example, Dr. Ragpot recognizes a resistance towards math. “When you ask students in university, ‘Who of you is good at math?’ you would immediately see them closing up,” she says, pointing out the emotional baggage around math.
The solution lies in teachers being positive in their engagements with students around math, to help learners overcome feelings of incompetence.
Listen to Dr. Lara Ragpot interview's on The Inspired Educator Podcast as she speaks on math education for early learners: The Inspired Educator Podcast
Teaching during COVID-19
At TWU, Dr. Ragpot instructs teachers who are pursuing their master’s degree in special education. Her students have shared with her their experiences with switching to online teaching. It was commonly observed that children missed their interaction with friends, and, whereas the reopening of schools has helped with increasing social interaction, there have been the new and added challenges of physical distancing and wearing of masks. Kids could not play with their friends in the same ways as before, which has created strain for learners and teachers alike. Furthermore, although the children “got used to it,” Dr. Ragpot’s graduate students did express that they were exhausted. “It was taking so much more out of them emotionally,” she notes. “It’s already tough to see to all the needs of all your students, but (the task) was heightened with COVID-19.”
Today, many educators around the world who are rising to the challenges of teaching in this new global context. We appreciate educators around the world for their tireless devotion and continued excellence in nurturing the hearts and minds of the next generation.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier Christian liberal arts university dedicated to equipping students to establish meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. It is a fully accredited research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has five campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, Ottawa, and Bellingham, WA. TWU emphasizes academic excellence, research, and student engagement in a vital faith community committed to forming leaders to have a transformational impact on culture. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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