Embedded Files
Throughout my years as a student, I have always been a student who struggled with math and had extreme math anxiety. Math was the subject that I dreaded and never thought I was capable of doing well because I could not memorize the standard algorithms like the rest of the students. My younger self is a constant motivation for me to provide the most interactive math instruction for my students.
John Dewey and Me
The theorist John Dewey encapsulates everything I want do and bring to my math instruction for my students. His theory includes the importance of the hands on experience for learning known as experiential learning. This type of learning then becomes an interaction between the learner and the object of knowledge. In addition to the hands on approach to learning that he stands by, he also emphasizes the importance of connections to the real world and having that time for exploration. He believes that with this type of learning, teachers are able to shape a well-rounded student who can think critically and take these skills to use in the future in their experiences. Ultimately, my goal as a math instructor is to bring in the theories of John Dewey to my lesson plans and classroom.
How do you ensure students prevent/diminish an aversion to math?
Math anxiety is a real thing and I can say that have it. Math is something that never came easy to me and I have never seen myself as a math person. However, this is something I do not want my students to experience because with this anxiety I noticed a lack of confidence in myself as a student overall. As a teacher I am going to diminish an aversion to math by trying to make math fun and less all about getting the correct answer and rather more the process. I feel like ELA and social studies can seem more approachable for students since there can be multiple answers whereas math can be scary because most of the time there is one correct answer. Finally, in additon to making math more fun and focused more on the process rather than the answer, I would remind my students that everyone is capable of doing math. There is no such thing a math person or certain people born with the skills to do math. This will help them start to see themselves as mathematicians and that they too are capable of math.
What are your beliefs about math engagement?
I believe math engagement is possible when you as a teacher make math fun with hands on learning and real life application. Students enjoy learning when they get to work with materials hands on to understand new ideas and concepts. Math is often times overlooked as a subject that can be hands on. However there are many possible ways to make it fun and hands on especially through real world application. For example, students could learn more about fractions by experiences using measuring cups during baking and cooking. In addition to see different fractions of a size, it will allow them to see how they would use this math concept in the real world after the unit.
I understand that as a teacher having this elaborate of a hands on activity is not always going to be possible with each concept and class. I believe hands on could be as simple of allowing my students to use math manipulatives as tools to complete their strategy for a problem. With the manipulatives students will be able to move them around and feel them in their hands to help make the connection a more concrete and understandable idea for them. With this, I would also want to include student choice in manipulative because I understand that not every student thinks the same and may need/want another tool to complete their strategy.
I believe having hands on activities, real world connections, and student choice will open the door to more engagement to math for my students!
What makes me an unique math teacher?
I am an unique math teacher because of my understanding of the frustation that comes with math at such a young age that caused math anxiety for me which will allow me to be able to relate and connect to my students who feel the same way. In addition, my desire and drive to create a safe and fun experiential math environment for my students with hands on experiences and real world connections that will all last a lifetime and leave my students with a new outlook on math as a subject.
Math Instructional Methods
Gradual Release
Gradual Release
This is an instructional method that teachers can use to move student towards independence. It starts with focused instruction where the teacher models the skill. Then it will be guided instruction, known as "we do," followed by collaborative learning which students complete the work in groups or pairings, also known as "you do it together". Finally, the last step where the students complete the work independently is also known as "you do it alone".
Benefits:
It allows the students to have clear expectations and a model to follow.
It will help balance the teacher talk vs. the student talk.
It will provide supports to students with scaffolding support.
Challenges:
It does not teach perseverance when problem-solving to the students since the students will follow the procedure the teacher taught.
There is no opportunity for student choice.
Students do not need to much thinking with this due to the fact the procedure is being model and they just have to copy the modeling.
Centers
Centers
This is an instructional method that teachers can use to provide students with their own responsibility of learning. Centers provide the hands on experience and social aspect to learning for students. With this, students rotate in a group to the different centers set up around the room. The centers are made up of different activities for the students to explore and interact with that relate to the concept being taught.
Benefits:
It allows for differentiated instruction that may be needed for some students.
Students will be more in engaged working with the content with this hands on exploration approach.
The teacher can have the opportunity to work explicitly with students who may need additional instruction and supports with content.
Challenges:
Students may get off task and not complete the work needed to be completed at each center.
The teacher does not get to observe the students and work at the other stations if working at one specific station with explicit instruction.
Students may struggle and rather than getting teacher help they choose to copy other students work at that center.
Algorithmic Problem-Solving Methodology
Algorithmic problem solving does not work for every student. Following an algorithmic way of solving a problem can take away student's creativity and choice in solving a problem in a way that makes sense to them. Learning is much more than getting an answer, rather it is steps and process to get to the answer. It is important as a teacher to open the opportunity for students to learn about the "why" for learning about a concept, including why it matters and why they are learning it. Some ways that students can gain the "why" out of a concept, also known as conceptual understanding, is through hands on experiences like manipulatives and real world application. It is important for students to understand the how and why for a concept because of the cumulative nature of learning math. This means that once students learn a concept they are done with that concept, rather the concepts continue to be built off of each other.
Accommodations vs. Modifications
Accommodations
Accommodations
These usually change the environment or the way things are done.
Some include providing extra time, providing extra assistance, and/or breaking down the problems into smaller steps.
MOdifications
MOdifications
These involve altering the content that is being taught.
Some include changing the math problems, providing alternative assignments, and/or a different grading system.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
This is known as "a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn." (cast.org)
It provides all students with an equal opportunity to learn.
This allows for flexibility in the ways students can access material and show what they know.
There are examples of UDL in everyday life. For example, automatic doors provide support for people with disabilities but other people may want to use them as well.
UDL helps students who learn and think differently by making general education more accessible, content adapted to the specific learner, and provides more than one way to interact with material.
The three main principles of UDL are engagement, representation, and action and expression.
Engagement
Engagement
This looks for ways to motivate learners and maintain their interest.
Some examples include allowing students to make choices, giving assignments that students feel are relevant to their lives, and create lessons where students can get up and move around.
Representation
Representation
This focuses on offering information in more than one way.
For example if a teacher was to give a worksheet with the following options of audio to hear the directions, video to see how to solve the problem, and/or hands on learning to see the problem being done out.
Action and Expression
Action and Expression
Allows learners more than one way to interact with material and display their knowledge.
Some examples includes taking an assessment a different way including a pencil-and-paper test, giving a presentation, making a video, and/or completing a group project.
Math with English Lanuage Learners
Math is a very universal subject in the world meaning many students, no matter their backgrounds can and will have exposure to math. Math can also be a bridge of learning for ELs who have moved to U.S. It is important to keep in mind while teaching, especially math, how ELs can use their background knowledge to help them understand the concepts being taught.
There are some steps i plan to take as a teacher to better assist ELs with learning especially in math. First step is to see where the EL currently is with the content being taught. With this information I can figure out if I will need to provide more supports for instruction on this concept or if the EL is ready to move on. The next step is to incorporate language into my lesson plans. For math, this would be including the math vocabulary in instruction. Teaching the vocabulary benefits all the students in the class and allows for each student to understand math. For support for the ELs with the vocabulary, I would provide simple definitions with vocabulary words they know and depending on the word needed incorporating their home language when possible. Another step I would also take would to be increase visuals and hands on learning so the ELs are able to follow along without having to solely gain information auditorial but rather visual as well. Ultimately, my goal for my entire class is create an environment were all students feel equally welcomed and heard. With ELs specifically, I hope to incorporate pieces of their home language and culture so they feel comfortable and safe to do their best learning.
About universal design for learning. CAST. (2022, February 8). https://www.cast.org/impact/universal-design-for-learning-udl
What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?. Understood. (n.d.). https://www.understood.org/en/articles/universal-design-for-learning-what-it-is-and-how-it-works
Page updated
Report abuse