Maths Combat Training is Transforming Young Boys in Old Ife Road Community, Ibadan.
Summary
About the school and Community:
Bishop Phillips Academy Junior Secondary School is located in Ibadan, Oyo State, within a community where many students face educational challenges due to limited access to modern learning tools and resources. The school serves children from low-income backgrounds, many of whom struggle with foundational math skills. Despite these challenges, students at Bishop Phillips Academy are eager to learn, well-disciplined, and show great enthusiasm for education. However, overcrowded classrooms and a lack of personalized teaching approaches make it difficult for many to grasp complex subjects like mathematics.To address this, the Math Combat Abacus Training Program was introduced to help students develop arithmetic skills, boost concentration, and build confidence in problem-solving.
Program Overview:
- Location: Bishop Phillips Academy, Ibadan, Oyo State.
- Community Type: Community Type: Underserved urban area with limited educational resources.
- Duration: 2 Months (45 minutes per week)
- Participants: 50 students.
- Objective: Teach students counting, addition, and subtraction using the abacus to improve mental math and logical thinking
Training Methodology
The training followed a structured and interactive model to keep students engaged.
- Live Demonstrations: Instructors showed real-time abacus calculations to reinforce learning.
- Pair and Group Work: Students collaborated to solve problems and reinforce understanding.
- Step-by-Step Skill Building: Simple concepts were introduced before advancing to complex arithmetic.
- Speed and Accuracy Drills: Timed exercises helped students improve their calculation speed.
- Math Team Competitions: Friendly challenges motivated students to apply their skills in an exciting way.
The methodology emphasized interactive practice, team-based learning, real-time demonstrations, and gradual complexity progression.
Challenges and Solutions
- Limited Attention Span: Many students struggled with focus due to overcrowded classrooms and external distractions.
- Solution: Engaging activities and math games helped maintain interest.
- Diverse Skill Levels: Some students grasp concepts faster than others.
- Solution: Students were grouped by ability for personalized learning.
- Dropouts & Absenteeism: Some students left the program due to external pressures or family responsibilities.
- Solution: They were replaced with willing participants to keep the momentum going.
Impact & Results
- 85% of students successfully completed the training, demonstrating improved calculation speed and problem-solving abilities.
- 79% reported enhanced concentration, memory, and confidence in math.
- Teachers observed increased enthusiasm for mathematics in the classroom.
By the end of the program, students showed remarkable progress in solving arithmetic problems mentally, with some completing calculations in seconds without external aids. Teachers also reported increased participation and enthusiasm for mathematics in regular classes, suggesting a lasting impact on students' academic growth.
Conclusion & Recommendations:
The program was highly successful, proving that interactive, gamified learning can significantly enhance students' mathematical abilities and confidence, even in underprivileged communities.
For future programs, recommendations include:
- Introduce multiplication, division, and advanced mental math.
- Increase training frequency for better retention.
- Integrate digital tools for hybrid learning.