4MISCONCEPTIONS IN GEOMETRY
As theorized by Lev Vygotsky, knowledge is not transferred from person to person. The
individual does not passively receive knowledge from the environment, but is an active
participant in the construction of his/her own mathematical knowledge. The construction activity
involves the reception of new ideas and the interaction of these with the pupils‟ existing ideas.
Also, students may not be able to perceive what the teacher sees in a geometric situation if they
are at a particular level of the Van Hiele model and higher levels of understanding are required.
It is impossible for learners to bypass or skip a level from the model. These situations result in
misconceptions arising frequently. By discussion, a teacher can get pupils to explain how they
came to their answers or rules and be able to analyze faulty interaction between the pupils‟ extant
ideas and the new concept. When the teacher is able to understand the reason behind the
misconception, it is corrected by challenging or contrasting it with the faithful conception.
In geometry some common misconceptions arise: