22/10/2020

Participation in OBMEP impacts ENEM, points out Landim.

Identifying students with a talent for mathematics, training them through academic activities, producing teaching materials and contributing to teacher training. Pillars of the Brazilian Mathematics Olympiad for Public Schools (OBMEP) were highlighted in the webinar “Mathematics Education and Public Policies” , which concluded this Wednesday (21) the series of virtual meetings “And what about mathematics?”, promoted by the Sidarta Institute . In partnership with Itaú Social and with the support of IMPA, the webinars, which have already totaled more than 24,000 views , sought to debate and provoke reflections on mathematics.

“We identified within the Olympiad that the performance of schools is closely associated with a teacher. That extremely motivated teacher, who tries to form groups where they prepare students for the Olympiad, will have an impact not only in the competition, but also in the ENEM (National High School Exam). Some schools manage to increase their average by 5 points, which is an extraordinary impact,” highlighted Claudio Landim, deputy director of IMPA and coordinator of OBMEP. “And it is necessary to understand what motivates a teacher, not only in relation to training, but also regarding the appreciation of the profession.”

In addition to Landim, Claudia Petri, regional implementation coordinator for Itaú Social, and Jorge Lira, professor at the Federal University of Ceará (UFC), discussed ongoing initiatives that are promoting advances in mathematics education. The debate was moderated by Ya Jen Chang, president of the Sidarta Institute.

“I learned to read and write and did math with the teacher filling the blackboard with calculations, and it was all about rote memorization. How can a child understand that they can better understand math? This will also involve teacher training,” Claudia emphasized. Based on personal accounts, the educator spoke about the mathematical gaps left in the training of professionals working in the early years of basic education. Going against the grain of rote memorization, Claudia reinforced that “knowledge is power.” And in this sense, it is essential to observe how mathematics is present in everyday activities to facilitate learning.

This approach is becoming increasingly valued in Ceará. The consolidation of the state as a center of excellence in mathematics began with the creation of the master's program in mathematics at UFC (Federal University of Ceará) in the 1960s, followed by the creation of the doctoral program three decades later. These programs now have international recognition. "This was also possible thanks to public policies. From the beginning of the development of postgraduate studies, there was this desire to integrate research with basic education, with something like the Junior Scientific Initiative. Ceará was also one of the states that initially embraced the Olympic culture the most," recalled Jorge.

The teacher training process is key to changing the current reality, in which two-thirds of 15-year-old Brazilians know less than the basics of mathematics, as Ya Jen emphasized. "May we be able to implement and disseminate good practices like these to bring learning to more and more students, integrating them into the context of society."

Watch the webinar “Mathematics Education and Public Policies” in its entirety!