My Project---Learning mathematics through fun mathematics games

Well. In this last reflection, I will tell you a little bit about my Project “Learning mathematics through fun mathematics games” that recently I just did with my group. From the title, I guess you have been familiar with it, right? Yes, my project is about integrating fun mathematics games in the learning process. The goal is to motivate those 4^th grade students who have negative perception and bad attitude toward mathematics to change their perception and attitude toward mathematics itself so that they can go along with mathematics.

Again, mathematics became a concern for me and my group in conducting this project. As we already know that mathematics is still considered by most students whether it is in elementary school, junior high school or in senior high school as a subject matter that is abstract and difficult to be understood. Often because of the reasons many of those choose to ignore the explanation of their mathematics teachers in the classroom because they think this subject matter is very boring and nothing else that can be done when studying mathematics in addition to noting the formulas in which according to them, those are not important to be known. So in here as to help them changing their perception and attitude toward mathematics in addition to helping increase their motivation to learn mathematics more and more, we decided to design this project. 

This is the very first time for me doing this kind of project with 4^th grade students. To be honest, before doing this project I had no idea of anything like what games can be integrated in the learning process so that the goals of the project that my group and I have determined can be achieved. Fortunately, there is one member in my group that has a lot experiences teaching elementary school students so at that time there were not too many difficulties that we faced in designing fun mathematics games for project implementation. 

However teaching elementary school students about mathematics is more difficult than teaching junior high school students or senior high school students. What I have learned during implementing this project is they (4^th grade students) cannot be pushed to learn mathematics in the traditional classroom since they are all same in one way: they love playing games. The use of game that may be according to several teachers only make students feel addicted to and make them being lazy in learning, in fact, it does not occur in my project. In contrast, integrating fun mathematics games in the learning process can lead to rich results. Based on our finding, playing mathematics games is an effective and engaging one to help those students to achieve and feel good in mathematics in addition to help them understand the mathematics concept easily. 

Those 4^th grade students really need practical arithmetic experiences that are fun. The use of fun mathematics games in the learning process, I think it is good for students since it can encourage them to learn without even realizing they are learning. I wonder if all of mathematics teachers can also do what we were trying to do. Playing games is really important to a child. It is not a distraction. It is a part of their life. 

So, don’t afraid to use game while you were teaching elementary school students. Begin to “play” with your students. Mathematics games are a fantastic way to learn as you play. :)

Himmatul 'Aliyah

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