5th and 8th grade pupils’ and teachers’ perceptions of the relationships between teaching methods, classroom ethos, and positive affective attitudes towards learning mathematics in Japan

6.1.1

-ðtɪr-

ɪ am setting up ensuring that my pupils enjoy learning as one of the most
important aims in my mathematics classes. It is well known that many
pupils dislike mathematics, even though they can do well, ɪ think it is
possible to put on the brake against such pupils’ disaffection towards
mathematics learning if we find a way, for pupils to enjoy learning
mathematics._________________________________________________________

6.1.2

^5^^

Pupils’ motivation seems to be promoted when they think learning
mathematics is enjoyable. On the other hand, if the lesson is boring and
pupils feel bored, how can they be motivated to learn mathematics? I want
my pupils to feel that learning mathematics is enjoyable. This is the starting
point of promoting their motivation to study._________________________________

6.1.3

8^th

I think ensuring that my pupils enjoy learning mathematics is very important.
If they feel bored when learning mathematics, they may lose their motivatior
to learn mathematics. I am working at a girls’ junior high school. If they
know learning mathematics is enjoyable, as I wish, many girls may be
motivated to continue studying mathematics in higher education. Therefore,
it is important how far they can experience enjoyment in mathematics
learning during the days when they learn mathematics as compulsory.
Teachers have responsibility in this sense.__________________________________

6.1.4

rʒtɪr-

I think it is only until around 3^rd grade that we can focus on the promotion of
pupils’ enjoyment in mathematics classes. We can ensure that younger
children become fond of learning mathematics through enjoyable lessons.
If they are fond of learning mathematics, they will be motivated to learn it.
So, enjoyment in classes is important for them. But, I think pupils already
have stable feelings favouring mathematics or not, by 5^th grade. It seems
too late to make them enjoy learning mathematics and make them come to
favour it. Therefore, it is much more important to encourage pupils to have
confidence, although I do not mean that enjoyment in learning mathematics
is useless. I would rather like to them to have a belief that everyone can
master the content as well as other classmates if they try hard.____________

6.1.5

~^5^t,r~

I think that children keep what they have learned in long-term memory
when they learn something through inspiration rather than memorisation.
Therefore, it is desirable for the children to master the curriculum through
enjoyable activities. But, in reality, I have to complete the curriculum
content in a limited number of classes. Covering all the content written in
the textbook is quite tough, actually.________________________________________

6.1.6

~5^ffr~

It would be nice to make pupils enjoy learning mathematics and improve
their mathematics attainments, at the same time. Parents are greatly
concerned about their children’s attainments. I have a lot of opportunities to
listen to parents. Although parents worry about children’s adaptation at
school, for instance, peer relationships, their greatest concern is about
children’s attainment, especially in literature and mathematics. Parents
believe that improvement of children’s mathematics attainments at
elementary school is very important as the foundation for children’s
academic career in the future. Because of this, I need to put priority on
improvement of pupils’ mathematical attainment.__________________________