Deep Learning vs Rote Learning

My Name’s Adrian and I’m a Qualified and Experienced Mathematics Teacher. I sat my own HSC in 1988 undertaking the Extension 2 Math Course, we called it 4 Unit Mathematics in those days. I worked for many years in the Information Technology Sector before deciding to make a mid-life transition to teaching. I was 36 when I decided to go back to Uni and start a degree in Mathematics. I had not used any Calculus, Trigonometry or other High School Math in over 18 years. When I started revising my Math before starting University, I found that I was able to recreate almost all of it on a blank piece of paper, purely from the deeper level understanding I had always sought. This marked the beginning of my understanding and appreciation for Deep Learning vs Rote Learning in Mathematics.

As I completed my degree and then moved into Teaching in High Schools, I was amazed at just how prevalent Rote focused instruction was, both in the classroom and with out of class Tutoring. Many Teachers wanting instant in class success, resort to hacks and tricks, and many students just want the trick as they lack understanding and confidence in Mathematics. Most Tutors are just doing an hour of Math with the Student without any real focus on ascertaining their current level of understanding and building new understanding. Anytime I see people looking for a Tutor on Community Social Pages, a bunch of Uni Students will pop up throwing their ATAR’s up in their response - there is a vast difference between being able to DO math and being able to TEACH math.

Mathematics has today, for many, become a mysterious dark art requiring students to retain hundreds to thousands of tricks void of any real understanding, in their long-term memory. It really does not work. As a Teacher, I was constantly seeing the very buggy results of faulty recall of rote learnt tricks. Even worse, students faulty recall often hinders new learning as the correct concepts being presented do not align with the faulty past learning being remembered.

My Instruction in Mathematics has always taken a Deep Learning ‘Teaching for Understanding’ approach. Long term memory encoding is always greater when one is making meaningful connections with facts and past learning. Mathematics is a Science not a Dark Art and was never meant to be so difficult - Math makes perfect sense when the learner is building their knowledge base with logic and reason.

Whatever your Math Tuition needs are, from remedial numeracy to accelerated learning, Go Deep Not Rote! Don’t invest in time spent with a Tutor, Invest in Learning and Confidence outcomes for your Child.

Adrian Buttery
Bachelor of Science (Mathematics), Bachelor of Education, University of NSW 2010.