Abstract

Theresia Bonifasi Mkenda*, Wilhelm Kauki, Idd Ramadhan, Yotham Gwanika and Leonard Jacob

Despite several measures that have been employed by different stakeholders to improve the teaching and learning of mathematics subject in Tanzania, the student’s pass rate in form four national examinations has been less than 25% for more than ten (10) consecutive years now. This persistent massive failure in mathematics can be highly associated with teaching strategies that are used by teachers when delivering their lessons, student’s attitudes toward the subject and the general school/learning environments that surround the students. This paper analyses the effective strategies that can be employed by teachers and other stakeholders to make mathematics lessons more meaningful and help students develop strong positive attitudes toward the subject, hence unlocking their potential in mathematics. These strategies were first compiled from a scoping review of previous scholarly works and then shared with mathematics teachers and students in selected secondary schools in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania to assess the practicability and relevance of the proposed strategies in daily teaching and learning processes. Data from Teachers were collected through online survey and for students we used focus group discussions and questionnaires. The suggested strategies were applied by Mwenge Catholic University students who participated in the volunteering programme of teaching mathematics subject in the selected schools during the Teaching Support Programme. Generally teacher’s and student’s feedback and the lessons learned from the Teaching Support Programme confirm the effectiveness of the proposed strategies. So if they are properly used, can help to unlock the students’ potentials in mathematics and improve their performance.