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Part 3 of Our Story
Part 3 of Our Story
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Part 3.mp4We Have Discovered That Math Is Emotional
Recently, our students have taken us down a new path with our learning in numeracy. We are finding it really interesting, so we wanted to share it with you.
We have been thinking a lot about our students' social emotional needs, and have begun to work together as learning communities to build our ideas around the statement: Math is emotional.
We are intrigued by the relationship that exists between emotions and mathematical learning. Susan Mackay spoke to us when she said, “Learning is a creative, collaborative, and social endeavor, simultaneously emotional and cognitive. There is no difference, no separation, between what happens in our mind and in our body. Ever.”
This has recently become more evident with our learners during math inquiry.
It was in our documentation and by listening to and observing our learners while in collaboration that we realized we had missed something.
We noticed our students were very interested in and open about how they were all feeling while learning in Math.
They were thinking and talking about how they were connecting with each other and how they were overcoming their struggles and frustrations.
Here are some of the conversations that I was hearing:
Dec. 8 - Math Council
Breiana: “Where did you struggle the most with this problem?”
Lux: “We had trouble getting started. We weren’t sure what to do. We were confused and frustrated.”
Brooklyn: “How did you and your partner support each other as you worked through it?”
Brooklynn: “We talked about our ideas, then tried a few different ways. As soon as we started doing that we felt calmer and could think better. We tried to encourage each other.”
Jan. 14 - Collaboration
Jake: “I think we’re getting close to understanding this one.”
Hope: “I know! I almost get that strategy. Next time will be good. I’m actually excited to try it again.”
Feb. 22 - Reflecting after Math Council
Marlee: “I like sharing my thinking. I feel really good when I feel I am helping others learn.”
Feb. 26 - Math Council
Marlee: “I noticed how you both think differently. How do you collaborate when you think so differently?”
Aiden: “At first we were a bit frustrated with each other but then we squished our ideas together and we understood each other. We put our thinking into noticing what worked. There was a lot to notice and it energized us!”
Jake: “After your ups and downs your strategies were really clear to understand. I can see your story.”
Christine and I had the following conversation with Marnie while reflecting on what seemed to be bubbling up for our students.
Jenn: “I’m connecting materials and artist statements with helping our students think more about their thinking in math too. I want them to be able to articulate what they are thinking and feeling, not just what they are doing.
Christine: “And how often do adults ask students what they are thinking? That’s interesting that you’re saying that Jenn, because that’s such a big part of culture. How often do we pause and ask what they are thinking, and not in a punitive way.”
Jenn: “They have maybe been asked, “tell me what you did”. But not, why? What were you thinking? I’ve noticed how the kids ask this all the time in Math Council.”
Christine:“And I feel like the next step is to give more attention to the question, “What are you feeling?” I care how they feel in numeracy. It’s ok to be frustrated, and now how do you feel after. It seems so natural - you ask how they are thinking AND feeling. It goes hand in hand.”
Jenn: “Yes, and that could lead to writing ‘numeracy artist statements using materials’ - How are you thinking and feeling throughout the process?”
Marnie: “I agree. I think we need to start asking deeper questions about how Social Emotional Learning can be holistically integrated with learning all day every day. It’s not a separate thing we teach. Learning is emotional and our feelings are integral to our ability to learn.”
Jenn: “It’s about really valuing their voice and the emotions they are feeling. I like Christine that you brought up the importance of SEL in numeracy and in all parts of our day. I would like to have more conversations about that.”
And so, we felt like we needed to add emotions to the list. We already knew that math is visual, mistakes are powerful, depth is more important than speed, math requires experimentation, collaboration deepens our understanding, and we need feedback for learning. But now we recognize that math is also emotional.
Guiding Principles in Math Visual v2.pdfWithin our umbrella inquiry question of “How does better understanding others help us to better understand ourselves?, we now wonder:
What does it mean to understand each other as mathematicians?
How do our stories in Math connect us?
We have allowed these questions to steer our focus recently on how Mathematicians experience feelings and how Math is emotional.
Recently, I asked my students, “How were you feeling while working collaboratively to solve the problem today?”
Aiden: “I was feeling frustrated. I couldn’t just jump to the answer like usual! It was really hard.”
Marlee: “I was feeling confused. We thought we could figure it out one way but then we realized it couldn’t work. We got confused.”
Brooklyn: “I mostly felt anger! I was getting mad because it was difficult. We paused and decided we would CMT it and move on. We started to re-think.”
Marlee: “I’m thinking more about how I was feeling. I was also happy. I like Math! I like being challenged. It reminds me that I’m alive! I have a brain!”
Keenan: “At first I wondered how it was possible. Then I remembered something my dad would always do and it helped me solve the problem! I connected it to real life. It made me feel calmer.”
Neelyn: “I felt happy and frustrated at the same time. At first, I wasn’t sure if my partners and I would get along. We don’t talk much. Then I got an idea and I started sharing out loud. Then London started sharing as well! We all felt more comfortable and were able to try many ideas together.”
Jake: “Twice, my group was adding the numbers and I thought...this is it! But no…it was emotional Mrs. Davis!”
Breiana: “My feelings were like Jake’s, it was like a roller coaster! Just when you think it’s over it whips you up and down again!”
Rheya: “I was getting tired of writing all the answers and getting so close but not getting it! We’re still working. We haven’t given up! I’m actually excited about trying again tomorrow which is weird because I never thought Math made me feel excited!”
From the beginning of our journey into Math inquiry until now, it has been really interesting to experience the shift in language and the way our learners think about themselves as mathematicians.
Even though they’re still using some hard language and experiencing big emotions in math, they are able to recognize their emotions and still know that with each other, there is another path and they can find their way forward.
Before we began using inquiry in Math, my students constantly had their hands up, and I often heard, “this is too hard, I suck at math. What’s the right answer?”
Now, my students are supporting each other, and I am hearing things like...
”I like being challenged. It makes me feel like I’m alive."
"We started to rethink."
"I connected it to real life and it made me feel calmer."
"We haven’t given up! I’m actually excited about trying again.”
So now, Christine and I want to learn more about how we, as mathematicians, can honour each other's feelings and emotions.
What do we do when our emotions whip us up and down like a roller coaster?
How might these emotions affect our ability to thrive as mathematicians?
As our story goes on, we will continue to explore how we find strengths in our emotions, how we are connected through our emotions, how we might use materials as languages that our students can use to think through their emotions in math, and how thinking makes us feel and feeling makes us think.
At the end of the day, we want all our students to feel the way Ziah did when she ran up to me to exclaim:
Image taken with students in 2019-2020
Slide Deck
Slide Deck
Look here if you are interested in looking at more of the visuals on the slide deck that we used to tell our story.
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