This week, I wrote my forum posts about Math in Life. I looked at Fibonacci's sequence of numbers and explored the way patterns can influence math. I really liked looking at the practice way patterns in math can help students learn.
Patterns in math make it more relatable. Math is not about basic rules, and more so about patterns. As an educator, I like the idea of thinking less about math rules and more about math patterns. By seeing math patterns in everyday life, students will be encouraged to learn and understand math in a real-life sense.
However, through discussion with my peers, I became interested in the math in technology videos. I decided to watch them again, and really investigate the way technology can influence math. Throughout our education, the importance of using apps in class is one of the most influential extra support to our students and their learning.
One of the things I noticed from the video is the use of outdated apps or websites that do not seem very appealing. I would prefer to introduce my students to more up-to-date apps because I think they will like them much better. Websites such as Google Play or the iTunes store have a variety of fun math applications that parents can download for students. This way, students are getting more reinforcement from home if they need it. A little extra practice may be necessary for some students to excel at math, and using technology based math apps will make kids think they are still having fun while they are learning. Check out this article on the popular education website Edutopia, which wrote an article about math technology that can be used to increase student understanding at home.
We also did a lot of unit planning. I have really enjoyed planning a unit on measurement. It has been very informative and I feel like I have learned a lot from it. We did grade 5 measurement and focused on the estimation expectations. These expectations are interesting for students because sometimes they do struggle with estimating a realistic number. Through our lessons, we tried to use a variety of means to teach students how to accurately estimate. I would love to implement this unit plan in a classroom as I feel it is a very strong unit. In the action portion of my individual lesson plan, I have students doing Minute to Win It Games and trying to estimate how long it will take them to complete the tasks. I think this is a fun way to reinforce realistic estimations to students, especially when dealing with time to the nearest second.
Overall, I feel that I have come a long way this year in math. I am happy that I have learned so many new and exciting things. I cannot wait to put them into practice in my upcoming teaching block!
Saturday 21 October 2017
Sunday 15 October 2017
Math Magical!
This week, I went to a Professional Development workshop on Math-magical ideas. The professor was so informative and really helpful. It was an awesome experience to be able to learn from her.
One of the things she did that really opened up my mind was start her introduction by explaining that she was not what people often call a "mathematician". She loved teaching literature. Her first love was books and stories. From this, she developed a way to teach math using stories and emphasized the correlation between math and literature.
As an English major in my Undergrad, I loved this! I was so excited about the book list she gave and all the ideas she inspired in me.
One of the books the professor was introduced called "Ten Times Better" (pictured above). Books like these use numbers inside of the story. Using this with any level can really help students have relational understanding. It can also be modified or edited to fit in every grade level. Perhaps before reading the below section, students could estimate how many teeth the dragon-animal has, and then what is ten times better than this? The cool thing is it is easily accessible for students, because most students enjoy being read to. Having a picture book allows for students to have a visual representation of the math problem that is fun and interesting, even older students will buy into this, because they will feel it is fun to be read to. Using literature to tell math-based stories is an easily modifiable task that can be rich and fulfill many expectations in one lesson.
Further, this week I was reading about demonstrating understanding through drawing in math. If students can draw out a problem and how they understand it, they are more likely to be able to get to the answer in an efficient and understanding way for them personally. I love the idea of using drawing in math to show interpretation and thought processes. It is an easy way to differentiate for students.
Drawing out math problems such as fractions allows students to have a real life example as well, because they can relate to it. Oftentimes, teachers use food examples when it comes to fractions because it is super interesting, gets students engaged and excited, and is an accurate representation of a fraction.
Using websites such as Math Playground to get students into math is also a good idea. Fun websites that are interactive and use play-based activities get students excited about learning. Sometimes they do not even realize that they are actually learning math when they are playing the games.
Another website we explored was https://nrich.maths.org which was a really good website for resources for all ages. I am loving compiling multiple resources an adding them to my library for reference later on. I really think they will be super helpful when in placement in a few weeks.
This week, I feel confident I have furthered my math knowledge and I am interested and excited to keep learning more!
One of the things she did that really opened up my mind was start her introduction by explaining that she was not what people often call a "mathematician". She loved teaching literature. Her first love was books and stories. From this, she developed a way to teach math using stories and emphasized the correlation between math and literature.
As an English major in my Undergrad, I loved this! I was so excited about the book list she gave and all the ideas she inspired in me.
 |
| Retrieved From Google. (October 2017). |
 |
| Retrieved From Google. (October 2017). |
Further, this week I was reading about demonstrating understanding through drawing in math. If students can draw out a problem and how they understand it, they are more likely to be able to get to the answer in an efficient and understanding way for them personally. I love the idea of using drawing in math to show interpretation and thought processes. It is an easy way to differentiate for students.
Drawing out math problems such as fractions allows students to have a real life example as well, because they can relate to it. Oftentimes, teachers use food examples when it comes to fractions because it is super interesting, gets students engaged and excited, and is an accurate representation of a fraction.
Using websites such as Math Playground to get students into math is also a good idea. Fun websites that are interactive and use play-based activities get students excited about learning. Sometimes they do not even realize that they are actually learning math when they are playing the games.
Another website we explored was https://nrich.maths.org which was a really good website for resources for all ages. I am loving compiling multiple resources an adding them to my library for reference later on. I really think they will be super helpful when in placement in a few weeks.
This week, I feel confident I have furthered my math knowledge and I am interested and excited to keep learning more!
Monday 2 October 2017
Connections...
This week in mathematics we learned about making connections! I love using the strategy of making connections in language, so I was particularly excited about this video. I also watched TWO webinars on Differentiated Learning.
First, I watched Bernadette and James present on strategies and techniques for learning with differentiation. They provided awesome resources and I really learned a lot. Bernadette and James did a little trick on us and asked us a really complicated question that they would not repeat the instructions. It was so hard to try and answer this really long and complicated question when it was just asked out loud to us. I was so shocked and confused! But, Bernadette and James were just tricking us a little bit, because they really just wanted us to learn from that. They wanted us to think about the ways we could have changed the question in order to make it more accessible. They went through the three ways to alter a question: process, content, and product. How could the wording make the question easier to understand? How could it be presented in a different way? How could answering it be made easier? These questions got us all thinking. It was awesome to see all the suggestions we all had, because they would have really worked to make it easier for us to answer! In turn, that means it would make it more accessible for students to answer!
Secondly, I watched Kursten and Brittany. They talked a lot about ways to make an environment filled with differentiation. They gave a lot of practical examples and real life experiences. I loved watching their webinar. They talked us through different practical strategies that implement differentiation. My favourite was the Cube that they showed us, pictured below
These cubes all for CHOICE and flexible learning groups. I really think they are an excellent idea for math differentiation.
From these two videos the key thing I took away was the expectations of differentiation which means are:
Key Features of Differentiation:
1) flexible learning groups
2) choice
3) respectful tasks
4) shared responsibility
This link takes readers to a Prezi I made last year on Differentiation. From this presentation, and now these webinars, I learned a lot about what differentiation means in a math classroom. In a math classroom, there are certain expectations that must be met. However, having clear ideas on differentiation make that a bit easier. When differentiating, its important to remember that Universal Design for Learning is better for everyone. It makes learning easier for all students!
First, I watched Bernadette and James present on strategies and techniques for learning with differentiation. They provided awesome resources and I really learned a lot. Bernadette and James did a little trick on us and asked us a really complicated question that they would not repeat the instructions. It was so hard to try and answer this really long and complicated question when it was just asked out loud to us. I was so shocked and confused! But, Bernadette and James were just tricking us a little bit, because they really just wanted us to learn from that. They wanted us to think about the ways we could have changed the question in order to make it more accessible. They went through the three ways to alter a question: process, content, and product. How could the wording make the question easier to understand? How could it be presented in a different way? How could answering it be made easier? These questions got us all thinking. It was awesome to see all the suggestions we all had, because they would have really worked to make it easier for us to answer! In turn, that means it would make it more accessible for students to answer!
Secondly, I watched Kursten and Brittany. They talked a lot about ways to make an environment filled with differentiation. They gave a lot of practical examples and real life experiences. I loved watching their webinar. They talked us through different practical strategies that implement differentiation. My favourite was the Cube that they showed us, pictured below
 |
| (Accessed through:http://www.guided-math-adventures.com/wp-content/uploads/Paper-Fraction-Cubes.jpg) |
From these two videos the key thing I took away was the expectations of differentiation which means are:
Key Features of Differentiation:
1) flexible learning groups
2) choice
3) respectful tasks
4) shared responsibility
This link takes readers to a Prezi I made last year on Differentiation. From this presentation, and now these webinars, I learned a lot about what differentiation means in a math classroom. In a math classroom, there are certain expectations that must be met. However, having clear ideas on differentiation make that a bit easier. When differentiating, its important to remember that Universal Design for Learning is better for everyone. It makes learning easier for all students!
Also this week, I posted in the 18X5 forum, because not many of my classmates chose to participate in the same forum as me. The 18X5 forum was about different ways to solve math problems. It reminded me of the thinking that happens when performing a math string. I loved reading this forum because it reminded me that sharing thought processes can really improve mathematical skills.
We also have an extra math seminar this week! It is a PD day where we learn about Mathe-magical ideas! I can't wait to learn more!
Saturday 23 September 2017
Math / Mistakes &Success
This week, we looked at making mistakes in math! Mathematics is one of the subjects that people often find it very difficult to allow for freedom in. Everyone believes that math has one right answer- and that is not necessarily true. Math work has multiple ways people can express the same numbers in different sequences or formats, and oftentimes the answer can be found in a variety of ways. It is important to recognize that creativity is available in math work, and if honed in on, can encourage students to make mistakes and thrive in an environment of imperfection.
I also took the time to read the Math and Speed Forum because I feel like this is something I personally struggle with in math and was reminded of this week. During class, we did a Minds On activity that had us doing very quick math work on the fly, without calculators! This was something I had not done in a very long time. I was shocked at how long it was taking me to do more simple math without a calculator.
Upon reading Charlene's post on the Forums on the Math and Speed section, I was enlightened by what she was saying. She stated, "speed does not equal intelligence" (Charlene Day). This is a super important thing to teach students when learning fundamental math skills. When teaching younger grades basic math such as multiplication and division, its important to repetitively practice at the students own pace to ensure that they have the skills before pushing them to do it faster.
This week was also the first week of Webinars! This took up a lot of my math-brain this week, because Charlene and I had to prepare our 30 minute interactive lesson. We had quite a challenge on our hands, but we pushed through and managed to come up with a Webinar based on creating a safe environment for math inquiry.
This is a topic I am pretty passionate about as a future educator, because I feel allowing for inquiry is super important. Inquiry allows students to freely explore what they find the most interesting in a subject. For mathematics, allowing for this to happen in an emotionally safe environment is extremely essential. Math somehow, and for some reason, often brings out the sensitive side in people, maybe because there is that fear of judgment in relation to a persons intelligence. This means that creating a positive learning environment for students is absolutely necessary to encourage a safe learning environment that allows for students to make mistakes! Charlene and I detailed a variety of ways to allow for safe exploration of inquiry. I am very proud of the work we did, and loved using the tools Charlene had explored during her first teaching block. I really learned a lot from the Webinar process, and loved facilitating it!
I also had the task of watching Ally and Nicole's webinar, focused on problem solving. I super enjoyed the way they played out their webinar! I loved learning about problem solving in a very realistic way. I really feel like I learned a lot of new math strategies this week.
I also took the time to read the Math and Speed Forum because I feel like this is something I personally struggle with in math and was reminded of this week. During class, we did a Minds On activity that had us doing very quick math work on the fly, without calculators! This was something I had not done in a very long time. I was shocked at how long it was taking me to do more simple math without a calculator.
Upon reading Charlene's post on the Forums on the Math and Speed section, I was enlightened by what she was saying. She stated, "speed does not equal intelligence" (Charlene Day). This is a super important thing to teach students when learning fundamental math skills. When teaching younger grades basic math such as multiplication and division, its important to repetitively practice at the students own pace to ensure that they have the skills before pushing them to do it faster.
This week was also the first week of Webinars! This took up a lot of my math-brain this week, because Charlene and I had to prepare our 30 minute interactive lesson. We had quite a challenge on our hands, but we pushed through and managed to come up with a Webinar based on creating a safe environment for math inquiry.
This is a topic I am pretty passionate about as a future educator, because I feel allowing for inquiry is super important. Inquiry allows students to freely explore what they find the most interesting in a subject. For mathematics, allowing for this to happen in an emotionally safe environment is extremely essential. Math somehow, and for some reason, often brings out the sensitive side in people, maybe because there is that fear of judgment in relation to a persons intelligence. This means that creating a positive learning environment for students is absolutely necessary to encourage a safe learning environment that allows for students to make mistakes! Charlene and I detailed a variety of ways to allow for safe exploration of inquiry. I am very proud of the work we did, and loved using the tools Charlene had explored during her first teaching block. I really learned a lot from the Webinar process, and loved facilitating it!
I also had the task of watching Ally and Nicole's webinar, focused on problem solving. I super enjoyed the way they played out their webinar! I loved learning about problem solving in a very realistic way. I really feel like I learned a lot of new math strategies this week.
Monday 18 September 2017
Math-ittudes
This week was another challenging one in the world of math! During our online tutorial, I watched a really inspiring video about math mindsets and maintaining a positive attitude. This is something that I think is super important as a future educator. I want to be the kind of teacher that encourages that little voice in my students head that says, "I can do it if I work hard!" I want my students to maintain that growth mindset, and feel like they can take on the challenging work of mathematics.
I also read an article about spatial reasoning. I chose this article because I do not have a lot of information on the topic, and wanted to learn more. The document states, "Spatial thinking, or reasoning, involves the location and movement of objects and ourselves, either mentally or physically, in space. It is not a single ability or process but actually refers to a considerable number of concepts, tools and processes" (3). The benefits of studying spatial reasoning are clear in all aspects of mathematics, as the concepts often intertwine with one another and all of them work together. As stated in the article, "By exploring the spatial aspects of mathematics, we make it more accessible, more engaging and more relevant" (4). Below is a picture I took from the article that I found very helpful.
Further, I found that this week, I am really starting to notice the way that math works together to assist students everyday life. Creating connections to real life allows students to find meaning in mathematics in an easier way. Also, using creative ways to present information will allow students to subconsciously learn math, like through the card games we have been doing as a Minds On portion of our classes. Metacognitive thinking allowed me to acknowledge the way I am learning in math lecture, and apply it to how I want to teach in the future. I plan on being the kind of teacher that uses positive words, that acknowledges the negative but tries their hardest to make it into a positive.
I also read an article about spatial reasoning. I chose this article because I do not have a lot of information on the topic, and wanted to learn more. The document states, "Spatial thinking, or reasoning, involves the location and movement of objects and ourselves, either mentally or physically, in space. It is not a single ability or process but actually refers to a considerable number of concepts, tools and processes" (3). The benefits of studying spatial reasoning are clear in all aspects of mathematics, as the concepts often intertwine with one another and all of them work together. As stated in the article, "By exploring the spatial aspects of mathematics, we make it more accessible, more engaging and more relevant" (4). Below is a picture I took from the article that I found very helpful.
 |
|
Support Document for Paying Attention to Mathematics Education (4).
|
Monday 11 September 2017
Back @ it !
Almost a year later, and here we are again, bloggin', teachin' and doing some learnin'.
In class this week, we really discussed dispelling myths about math. I loved having an in-depth conversation with my fellow teacher candidates about why a large majority of us feel uncomfortable with the idea of teaching math, especially to higher grades! Really getting into why we still hold onto these math myths that we have been taught at a young age was enlightening.
As we move into the semester full force, and I prepare to teach math in my second teaching block, I am really hoping to remember not to fall into these math stereotypes. There is no such thing as a "math person". And one of the biggest things I learned this week was that there is still a very deep need to dispel gender stereotypes in math. The fact that students as young as grade 2 are identifying and associating "boy" names with math, and "girl" names with reading is astonishing. As a teacher and a feminist, that is something I would really want to work to break down. I would never want one of my students thinking, " I cannot do this because of my gender". I really look forward to the day when I can make lessons that work towards creating students with a positive math mindset.
I am excited at the opportunity to really work on my blog this year and make it look pretty, as well as flush out some math content on it! I am hoping to employ Charlene to help me! (Fingers crossed!)
This week , we began our math class again, and I'm not going to lie, the first class was a little stressful! We had a lot of stuff to organize, groups to get together, and math to learn. I am once again scared at the thought of being in a math class again, but excited and feel more prepared this time around.
At the start of the week, we were assigned an online module in place of our Monday class. This is excellent for me, as a commuter and person who loves online learning! We got to watch a variety of math videos, all of which I loved and each which had its own excellent and thought-provoking message. My personal favourite is this one:
I personally like this one because while I was watching it, I was thinking of all the ways students eyes could be opened up to the way they see math, and why they see it that way. I was also thinking of the cross curricular intersections I could do with math and language based on a video like this! How awesome would it be to be able to write about math perceptions from a social media/ TV and movie perspective. I think the students would have some very interesting opinions on a video like this. |
| Attitudes Towards Math. 2017. Retrieved from Pinterest. |
As we move into the semester full force, and I prepare to teach math in my second teaching block, I am really hoping to remember not to fall into these math stereotypes. There is no such thing as a "math person". And one of the biggest things I learned this week was that there is still a very deep need to dispel gender stereotypes in math. The fact that students as young as grade 2 are identifying and associating "boy" names with math, and "girl" names with reading is astonishing. As a teacher and a feminist, that is something I would really want to work to break down. I would never want one of my students thinking, " I cannot do this because of my gender". I really look forward to the day when I can make lessons that work towards creating students with a positive math mindset.
Sunday 4 December 2016
reflecting
Course Wrap Up! For Mathematics
This course was a very beneficial experience. I have enjoyed learning how to teach mathematics. I came into the course very afraid of what would be expected, because it had been so long since I did math. I have found a lot of very beneficial games and activities from this course.
I also found the textbook to be incredibly useful. The textbook often detailed misconceptions, activities, and very useful observations that previous educators had witnessed. I loved the textbook because it covered all the bases. It was also extremely useful in showing us how to teach mathematics.
My views on mathematics have changed so drastically. I am still very afraid to teach, but now I feel more prepared. I did not have the skills or knowledge I did before taking this course, and am very happy to have had this experience.
This week in class we played a very fun math game that can be applied to any kind of holiday or special event. We really loved it as a class and I cannot wait to try it out. The game was a strange version of Battleship. The class was supposed to place the little boxes of options onto a grid and then as the grid squares were called out, the students X out the boxes and either gain points or rewards or lose the numbers they have gathered. I thought this was super fun and hope to get a chance to use this in my placement.
This week in placement I got to see another open question where students tried to answer questions about how two cylinders have the same surface area and different dimensions. From this question, I noticed a lot of students struggling to understand the difference between 2D shapes and 3D shapes. The students were attempting to calculate the 3D shape of the cylinder without realizing the surface area meant it wrapped all the way around. They tried to calculate it as two circles and one rectangle. The teacher eventually brought out a soup can to demonstrate. It was awesome to see some students had already created their own manipulative using paper. This helped them a lot.
I am really looking forward to exploring math more and am thankful for the knowledge this course has taught me. I know that I have much more learning to do, but now I am excited instead of scared.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)