DEVELOPMENT OF LOGICAL THINKING IN LESSONS

AND DURING AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

(Report theses)

By ONA JABLONSKIENĖ, a mathematics teacher at Žirmūnai High School in Vilnius

The following objectives are the most important in the lessons and after-school activities in order to develop the logical thinking of pupils:

• Learning to read and analyse a mathematical text,
• Formulate and verify hypotheses,
• Analyse the logical substantiation of a proposition and evaluate the quality of arguments,
• Express precisely mathematical ideas in written and oral form,
• Formulate independently proofs of mathematical propositions,
• Integrate knowledge in various subjects into the whole and employ such knowledge in both standard and non-standard situations.

Every pupil who strives for a good mathematical education should remember the following verses by G. Strazdas:

“Never give up

because of failing to solve a problem,

probably, you’ve gone astray or hit against a bulking obstacle.

After obtaining more knowledge, try again,

If still not successful, resort to a friend.

Keep being persistent,

Infected by the “bacillus of inquiring”,

You’ll never know in advance

What summits you may conquer…”

Every teacher should know that this technique should prove successful on condition of forming every group of pupils of similar level of knowledge in mathematics.