From Fear to Fascination: Raipur Teachers Explore a New Way of Teaching Mathematics

Principal Secretary, Science & Technology Department, Sonmoni Borah. A two-day interactive programme on ‘The Art of Teaching Mathematics: From Fear to Fascination’ was organised at the Chhattisgarh Regional Science Centre in Raipur under the guidance of Deputy Chief Minister and Science & Technology Minister Vijay Sharma and the leadership of Borah and CCOST Director General Prashant Kavishwar. Photo: Courtesy/ Social Media

Activity-based training at Chhattisgarh Regional Science Centre focuses on taking mathematics beyond formulas and textbooks by connecting it with everyday life

Key Highlights

• Special two-day interactive programme ‘The Art of Teaching Mathematics: From Fear to Fascination’ held in Raipur on September 22–23.
• Around 120 science and mathematics teachers from Raipur’s four development blocks participated offline on the first day.
• Sessions were also streamed online for teachers elsewhere in Raipur district.
• The programme was organised under the guidance of Deputy Chief Minister and Science & Technology Minister Vijay Sharma and the leadership of Principal Secretary Sonmoni Borah and CCOST Director General Prashant Kavishwar.
• Engineer and mathematics coach B. N. Rao demonstrated activity-based and innovative teaching methods.
• The approach emphasised experiments, activities, questions and everyday experiences rather than relying only on formulas and calculations.
• The second day extended the initiative to B.Ed. students, strengthening the focus on future teachers.

Raipur: For generations of schoolchildren, mathematics has often arrived in the classroom as a collection of formulas, calculations and problems to be solved. A two-day initiative in Raipur is attempting to change that relationship — turning mathematics from a subject some students fear into one they can explore, understand and enjoy.

The Chhattisgarh Regional Science Centre organised an interactive programme titled ‘The Art of Teaching Mathematics: From Fear to Fascination’ on September 22 and 23, introducing teachers and future educators to activity-based and creative approaches to mathematics teaching.

The programme was conducted under the guidance of Deputy Chief Minister and Science & Technology Minister Vijay Sharma and under the leadership of Principal Secretary, Science & Technology, Sonmoni Borah, and Chhattisgarh Council of Science and Technology and Regional Science Centre Director General Prashant Kavishwar.

Taking Mathematics Beyond the Textbook

The central idea was straightforward: mathematics need not remain confined to textbooks, formulas and calculations.

Teachers were introduced to ways of connecting mathematical concepts with activities, experiments, everyday experiences and creativity. The approach is intended to encourage students to participate rather than simply memorise procedures and to develop curiosity and logical thinking through practical engagement.

Engineer B. N. Rao, Director of the All India Ramanujan Society and maths coach associated with the Ramanujan Talent Search Foundation, Bengaluru, conducted practical training in innovative and activity-based teaching techniques.

Small experiments, question-and-answer exercises and creative activities formed part of the training, demonstrating how classroom participation can be used to make mathematical concepts easier to understand.

The first day brought around 120 science and mathematics teachers from Raipur’s four development blocks to the Science Centre for offline participation, while the programme was streamed online for teachers elsewhere in the district.

The initiative continued on September 23 with B.Ed. students, taking the same approach to those preparing to enter the teaching profession.

The programme carries a wider message for education: overcoming a child’s fear of mathematics may depend not only on what is taught, but also on how it is taught.

By allowing students to discover mathematics through observation, experimentation and familiar situations, a difficult-looking equation can become something understandable — and perhaps even enjoyable.