prkuehn

I have just started teaching Fundamental and Supplemental Maths to Mathayom 1 and 2 students. On my first day of class I took a survey of how many students liked and disliked math. The good news is that more than half of the kids said they liked and enjoyed math. The bad news is that a lot of kids disliked math because they said it was too hard and boring. The kids have asked about playing math games, and I can see the value in that to make the class more interesting and entertaining to the students. When I was a kid back in the States in the 50's and early 60's, the teachers never had math games for us to play. I remember having a lot of in-class exercises and homework every night. Times have really changed!! I have searched on the internet for math games and activities and just started to realize that learning through activities and games is just as important and popular in the States as it is in Thailand. Being an old-timer, I can only draw on my personal learning experiences for teaching these kids. But, I know that won't do because times are different and ways of learning are different. Another challenge is that these are the first maths courses I have ever taught. Does anyone have any suggestions for games and activities which would be great to use for my students? I only know of one numbers game, "fizz buzz", and I learned that when I was an undergraduate. My classmates and I used to play it in the pubs off campus. We would count around the table and when we got to "5"'s or mutiple of "5"s a person would say "fizz" and the direction the counting was going would reverse. When we got to "7" or multiples of "7" you would have to say "buzz" and the direction the counting was going would also reverse. At a number which had a multiple of both "5" and "7" like "35", you would have to say "fizz-buzz" and the direction would double reverse. The penalty for saying the wrong number or not saying "fizz" or "buzz" or reversing in the right direction was having to chug a beer. I won't be having my students chug beers, but I think it would be a good game to play with them. I really would like to know if anyone can think of any other games for my students. Thanks.