My greatest learning...

My greatest “learning” this semester has to be the realization that making mathematics fun, and engaging doesn’t have to be a complex and time consuming task. Some of the activities we completed throughout the year, including the “math fair” along with the peer teaching assignment, provided excellent opportunities to make math fun, rather than boring and monotonous. I’ll definitely be utilizing the math fair idea in my own classroom one day due to its engaging nature and accessibility. Even some of the day-to-day activities we completed in class (if 5 is the answer, what are the solutions?) made me rethink my mindset regarding mathematics and how important creativity really is, rather than rote memorization. When we first started this class I was under the impression we’d be learning how to teach math the way I was taught math – pencil and paper tests, pop quizzes, times tables, and all that good stuff. When I think about it now, I’m still not 100% confident in my ability to teach fractions or long division, however, I am confident in my ability to keep students engaged and interested in mathematics. The fact that we didn’t focus on teaching those skills had me a bit puzzled at first, but taking what I learned in this course and combining it with what I’ll learn on my internship should prepare me for any challenges I’ll face (in mathematics, at least). All in all, I had a great time in the course; it provided a refreshing change of pace from the normal lecture style of other profs, and that I’m thankful for. Having a teacher who can acknowledge the fact that certain times of the semester are hectic for students was also a great help. Because of this course, I now have at least a little faith in future of mathematics, and I’m excited to be a part of it.

YouCubed Review

YouCubed has the potential to be a great resource in the classroom due to the wide array of activities and resources which it provides. It also presents some great points in the article "Unlocking Children's Math Potential" which I think are very relevant in today's classroom. One specific point that really stood out to me was the fact that students' ideas about their math ability determine their learning pathways and math achievement. The article outlines two specific mindsets when it comes to mathematics - fixed mindsets, and growth mindsets. I completely agree with this concept, as I personally fell in to the fixed mindset during most of my K-12 schooling. I was well in to my university career when I realized that I could do well in mathematics as long as I kept up on my assignments and put in some good old-fashioned hard work. One point I disagree with however, pertains to the idea that every student can achieve at the highest levels in math. Achieving at the highest levels of mathematics requires the student to not only have the intellectual ability (which I believe all students have), but also the drive, motivation, and work ethic to do so. A classroom will have students from every background under the sun - some students will be used to working towards a goal, some will not have had the time to develop these skills, and sometimes never will. The idea that every child has the ability to succeed isn't incorrect, it's a combination of intelligence and a persons characteristics which will contribute to math achievement. Another positive point pertains to the Parents Make Math Fun Link; although these twelve steps initially seem like a lot to digest, the author provides some great points which any parent could benefit from. I'll end off with one last point which is still bothering me after watching the video twenty minutes ago. The "Window in to the Classroom" video paints this spectacular picture regarding math in the primary/elementary classroom. Although it's nice to see students enjoying math, the video focuses on a class of SEVEN students who clearly love mathematics and also appear to be from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. I realize the video is made to demonstrate how fun and engaging mathematics can be, I would just like to see some real footage from a classroom rather than a group of hand-picked (and politically correct) students who seem to excel in mathematics already. As pre-service teachers we need to learn how to help the student who's still struggling to learn basic addition/subtraction. In saying this, I don't mean that the needs of more "gifted" students go by the wayside, simply that through my own observations the student struggling on a daily basis gets far less attention than they really need. 

 

What is mathematics?

I've always viewed math (at least in my k-12 schooling) as a necessary evil - something you simply needed to do in order to advance academically and succeed in the "real world." Nobody is going to make the argument that you don't need math in the real world, however, I personally can't recall the last time I needed to whip out my TI-83 and graph a parabola (feel free to leave a comment if you have).

Now-a-days I realize that mathematics is more than addition and subtraction, real and whole numbers, and of course, fractions. Personally, I believe that problem solving is the most important aspect of math and should be heavily emphasized in the school system. In saying this, I don't necessarily mean there needs to be more problem solving in the classroom, simply that educators need to acknowledge the fact there may be more than one right answer to a specific problem. Who are we, as educators, to say that a student is wrong when solving a critical thinking problem? As they say, there's a million ways to skin a cat.

So, "What is mathematics?" Ultimately there's no correct answer to this question - it's a multitude of things: the bane of every fourth graders existence, a means of advancing technology, and the subject I'm most concerned about teaching, among other things. With all the uncertainties, one thing I'm sure of is that mathematics is far more than numbers, and we, as future educators are responsible for instilling that mentality in our students.

Do Schools Kill Creativity?

I was first introduced to the Ken Robinson video on creativity during the gifted education course last winter with Mary Kelsey, and I can honestly say that the message is still as profound as it was then. Robinson makes a great point when he states that everyone is born an artist, and that the education system is responsible for changing that. As a society, we've grown accustomed to placing emphasis on the maths and sciences - where there is little room for creative thought and interpretation. This stems from the need to measure via standardized testing and slapping a number on someone to mark their intelligence level. Although this mindset is not likely to change over the course of our careers, it is up to us, as future educators to re-energize mathematics and inspire students to think critically rather than through rote memorization.

 The second point I would like to highlight is the idea that young children aren't afraid of being wrong or making mistakes. After hearing Robinson tell the Nativity story I could immediately recall an example as recently as this semester where a question was posed to the class and I didn't answer in fear of being wrong - in fear of being laughed at or mocked by other students. I'm not a self-conscious person, and I'm definitely not afraid of making the odd mistake or going against the grain - however, somewhere along the line I must have been embarrassed in front of my classmates or mocked by one of my peers. This is where the teacher must take the initiative and provide a healthy classroom atmosphere where students aren't afraid to be themselves and make mistakes. 

Math Autobiography

• What did mathematics in your classroom look like (kindergarten-grade 6)? Be descriptive. 
• Thinking back on my elementary school days, I really can't recall many experiences (good or bad) involving mathematics. I can recall times tables being posted on the walls and baskets of counting blocks being placed throughout the classroom, but other than that I'm drawing a blank. I'm not sure why I can't recall many specific examples, however, if I was to fathom a guess I would say it may be because I wasn't fond or mathematics in elementary school, or that I was not privy to a positive mathematical environment. 

• What is your best and (or) worst memory surrounding mathematics in your primary and elementary years? How might this have affected your views about mathematics now as an adult?
• As I've previously mentioned, my memory regarding mathematics is hazy at best; however, I do remember assembling the individual counting blocks into block-gun's with my friends (this spanned all grade levels, sadly). This provides me with an unbiased point of view on mathematics, and one which has been shaped through my latter school years, more specifically during the time I've spent at Memorial.

• Were you "good" or "not good" at math? How did you know this? 
• I wouldn't consider myself good, or bad at mathematics; It's sad to say, but until university (some time in to university I should add) I had absolutely no interest in mathematics. I always did well enough in math in elementary school and I never came across any issues until junior high. I would rarely study math in junior high and high school which led me to believe that I was inherently bad at math and I just accepted that; It wasn't until university that I realized how engaging math could actually be. 

•  What was the role of the teacher in your math classes? How do you think they felt about mathematics? 
• I feel as though the role of the teacher was to simply be a facilitator of knowledge. I can't recall any specific example of my math teacher going above and beyond to help a student, or trying to interject fun activities in to the curriculum. In light of this, I can only assume that my teachers had a very negative idea of mathematics and viewed it as a burden more than anything. 

• What did assessment look like? 
• My only memory of math assessment involve pencil and paper testing which always resulted in bringing your test home and getting it signed by your parents; which never led to anything good. 

• Tell briefly about math in high school.
• I treated high school math the same way as junior high math, just something I needed to do. I've come to realize since high school that I was in a type of catch-22 situation, whereby I knew just enough to not have to study much, but because I didn't study I never enjoyed math like I did in university. In my final year of high school I was maintaining a mid-80 average when our teacher (who we all loved) left for another job at CONA. His replacement was very boring and painful to listen to; as a result, my marks dropped and my interest in math dwindled on non-existence. 

•  What math courses did you take in university?
• My first math course in the fall of 2007 - it was math 1090, which I failed miserably. I wasn't ready for the responsibility of learning course material yourself and the lack of one-on-one time with the teacher. Since then I've completed math 1050, and 1051, which I enjoyed tremendously. I completed these courses in 2011/2012 and it was through these courses that I discovered that actually studying and asking questions can enhance your understanding tenfold.

• Did you take any math electives?
•  I have not taken any math electives; I looked in to taking some math courses following math 1051 but none worked well with my education courses. 

• Do/did you engage with mathematics in your life in major ways?
• I do use mathematics on a daily basis; whether it's in a monetary sense, or calculating how many bottles of oil a car requires (working in a garage). I don't consider math to be a major part of my life, as I don't walk around envisioning numbers and equations everywhere. However, I do realize that it is an essential part of my day-to-day life. 

•  How do you feel about mathematics now?
• I can honestly say that I now enjoy mathematics. I like solving problems (math or not) and I love the rhythm you can get in to when solving an equation. I'm not at the point where I would like to pick up calculus in my spare time.... but maybe some day. 

Welcome!!!!

Thank you for visiting Crystal-Math; this blog will be an informal platform to discuss your opinions and experiences regarding the world of mathematics.