Weekly Reflection 2

This week we looked at the ways in which math is actually taught in today’s classroom. This was helpful as we were able to hear from our peers about past experiences they had and advice and input towards certain situations. Educator and researcher, Dan Meyer discusses ideas where educators can greatly impact and improve a student’s success in math. He suggests to:

• Use multimedia
• Encourage student intuition
• Ask the shortest questions you can
• Let students build the problem
• Be less helpful

Here is the video if you want to check it out:

I think sometimes as the educator it’s hard for us to step back and let the students do our job – it’s so much easier telling the students a formula or answer, but in the end, it is not beneficial for their learning. So many times, I would have to pause and ensure that I was guiding and probing my students to come to the conclusion themselves, rather than influencing their ideas. However, this can be challenging because our students won’t all reach this self-discovery at the same time, and some may not get there at all. So how do we know the appropriate time to allow our students for this self-discovery component of math? What happens when one student understands the mathematical relationship within 15 minutes, and another takes a 100-minute block and still hasn’t gotten there. As we have many curriculum expectations to cover, how can we ensure that we are allocating the proper amount of time to each student when this can look so different depending on our learner?

Knowing vs. Understanding

This is an important concept for teachers to understand when teaching math – there is so much power in understanding, rather than just knowing. If we simply give our students the formula or answers that they need, without allowing them time to figure out why this formula works or is applicable, then they do not gain anything. However, if they actually are able to conceptualize why the formula works and how it works, they are able to make connections across a variety of contexts. Therefore, they can explain and justify their answers!

How Old Is the Shepherd?

            This video highlighted the importance of teaching students to understand mathematics and how specific concepts work. In this video, a group of Grade 8 students were asked to solve a nonsensical math question. Many students (almost 75%) just put down the numbers on the page and tried to plug them into a formula; however, they couldn’t explain why it worked or how they knew this logically. Only 7 students could defend and justify why they didn’t have the right information to answer this question! Reflecting on this, and relating it to the experiences I’ve had in my own math classes; many students will just make guesses as to how to solve a question. However, if we can teach our students to actually understand what the question is asking (especially in word problems) then they can justify their reasoning.

Both knowing and understanding are critical in order for students to advance in math. These two concepts work together. Students need to know how:

• To explain in their own words and why they think particular relationships are true generally (not only specific cases); and
• To base their expectations in other mathematical principles or relationships that have previously been justified

Math Daily 3

• Math by myself
• Math with someone
• Math writing

The Math Daily 3 can help us achieve this. Structuring lessons with time for individual times (where content is discovered or delivered and practiced individually), followed by working and collaborating with a partner or group (in this stage, they may share ideas and learn new ideas from their peers). Finally, math in writing – students who are able to explain their thinking and justify their answers through communication (whether that be writing, typed, oral) have then solidified their own interpretation of the given concept.

These were my ideas and reflections from Week 2 – keep following along for my new ideas next week!

Signing off