MATH-SIPAG: MY VISION OF A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

Background and Rationale

Mathematics is in all fields of profession, making it impossible to go about life without mathematics. Even at the stage of employment process, businesses often assess applicants’ skill in Mathematics, English, and logic. Reasonable assessment score in such areas are perceived as indicators of competent applicants. Being proficient in Mathematics provides an applicant a better chance of getting hired. That is one reason why the education system puts emphasis on learning Mathematics—it is needed in the real word of work. Further, education in college requires good foundation of Mathematics; and a college degree provides better opportunity for employment. Even so, Mathematics is the subject most dreaded by students and where most fail.

The Department of Education (DepEd) stresses out that we need critical and urgent change to the basic education system. DepEd pointed out the low achievement scores of Filipino students in standardized examination. For S.Y. 2009-2010, the passing rate for National Achievement Test (NAT) for grade 6 was 69.21% and the NAT for high school was 46.38%. That is, out of every 10 grade 6 pupils, only 7 passed. And, of those 7 who passed, only 3 eventually pass the NAT for high school.

DepEd further states, “International tests results like 2003 TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) ranked the Philippines 34^th out of 38 countries; for grade 4, the Philippines ranked 23^rd out of 25 participating countries in both Mathematics and Science. In 2008, even with only the science high school participating in the Advanced Mathematics category, the Philippines was ranked lowest.

The education system is not producing graduates that are at least knowledgeable and skilled in Mathematics.

Competent mathematics teachers have difficulty in teaching the subject when students hate it. Mathematics is not the favorite subject of students. They prefer other subjects because they find difficulty in learning mathematics. It is a subject that they want to avoid taking and students’ grade is usually lowest in mathematics (Anotnio 2001). Sadly, there is no amount of assistance and guidance in learning mathematics that students can receive if they themselves do not have the means to appreciate or learn to love mathematics (Atienza 2003). Importance of mathematics in daily life must be made apparent to students, in the hopes that they will learn to appreciate the subject.

Most people involved with the school system agree that if a student is “forced” to attend school against his will, in any manner of speaking, that student will likely be nothing but a burden (Zafran 2010). The primary condition for a student to learn in school is that student must be “motivated to learn.”

Description of Product or Service

The Math-Sipag social enterprise has both product and service: keychains, bookmarks, peer-to-peer mathematics teaching, and desktop publishing tutoring.

Product

Commonly Used Math Terms keychains/bag tags.

Solving mathematical problems is one of the impediments of the pupils. It is not solely an issue with their difficulties in mathematics but it is a part dilemma of their difficulties in understanding mathematical problems—i.e., their reading and comprehension skills. The keychains and bookmarks list commonly used terms in mathematical problems—clue words that will help them understand the problem and point them to possible solutions. These products are handy, easy to carry, and readily available when needed. The keychains can be hooked to keys, identification cards, and bags. The bookmarks will be exquisite tag-along to their books and notebooks. Aside from commonly used terms, these products have varieties to include useful formulae and constants, and multiplication table—products that pupils can collect for their intended purpose or as fashion accessories.

Service

The keychains and bookmarks are not enough to adequately enhance pupils’ mathematical skills. It is essential that their actual skills are developed. The school teaching-learning processes may not be sufficient to enhance their skills. Peer-to-Peer mathematics teaching involves pre-trained pupils to teach other pupils. There are some instances where pupils are frightened or not at ease of learning from adult teachers. Peer-to-Peer teaching will assuage the uneasy feeling because their teacher will be their equal or friend.

The Desktop publishing tutoring is for pupils who want to learn how to make keychains and bookmarks. The pupils will be taught in how to use personal computers to layout and print the products. It will also include product preparation processes: cutting and laminating. These are additional skills that pupils can use in actual work setting.

Benefits to stakeholders

Consumers

The elementary pupils are the primary beneficiary of this social enterprise. The goal of this enterprise is to enhance the mathematical skills of pupils. Pupils that will undergo special training to become peer-to-peer teachers would have already benefited from the enhancement. There is a sense of “pay-it-forward.” Trained pupils will pay forward what they have learned to less capable pupils, and these pupils would do the same.

Community

Improving the mathematical skills of the pupils will enhance a school’s performance in standardized examination (i.e. NAT). Graduates that have better mathematical skills can be better members of the society, and they are more equipped to handle the demands of higher learning.

Producers

Trained pupils will make the keychains and bookmarks; as such, they will be given stipend. This can be extra money that they can use to spend on food and school/home necessities. Also, they can use the skills in later employment or business venture. The peer-to-peer teachers will earn from their teaching sessions. Aside from enhancing their mathematical skills, they will also have extra money to spend on their needs.

Value proposition

Pupils

Pupils will be equipped with handy information that will help them solve mathematical problems. Colorful keychains and bookmarks provide varied information on:

• Commonly used terms in mathematical problems,
• Useful formulae and constants,  and
• Multiplication table.

Philip Edward Z. Comahig
holding a trial of Commonly
Used Math Terms handout
given to him when he was in
grade 5, which he kept and
used in grade 6.  

The keychains can be hooked to identification card and bag, as educational too or fashion accessory. Pupils will do better in mathematics and look cool at the same time.

Pupils trained in using desktop publishing software will be able to make their own keychains and bookmarks, skills that pupils can use later in employment of business enterprise. They will also learn how to use printer, paper cutter, and laminating machine.

Pupils coming from less privileged part of society are often the ones that underperform in school. Their underperformance may be attributable to less study time, more work time, poor nutrition, and the family’s poor view on education. Math-Sipag social enterprise’s vision is to tackle these hindrances to pupils’ performance. Pupils that will become peer-to-peer teachers will earn money while enhancing their skills in mathematics; money that they can use for their family’s nutrition. The family will then see the importance of education in real life.

Teachers

Teachers can help their pupils to love mathematics by giving them tangible tools in learning. The keychains and bookmarks are colorful addition to their school materials. By helping pupils, teachers help themselves. As pupils improve their skills in mathematics, it makes teaching mathematics easier.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Antonio, Juanita F. Learned Helplessness as Determinant of Attitudes and Achievement Level in Mathematics. Araullo University, Cabanatuan City. April 1, 2001.

Atienza, Cristina S. Attitudes of Pupils Towards Mathematics in a Public Elementary School: An Analysis. Metro Manila College, 2003.

Zafran, Larry. America’s (Math) Education Crisis, Why We Have It and Why We Can’t Fit It. Published online by Larry Zafran, United States of America. October 2010.

This blog is a requirement of UPOU MODeL's Social Entrepreneurship course.