What was my greatest learning this
semester with regard to teaching children mathematics? If I had to choose just
one thing, I would say allowing students to figure out for themselves if they
have the "right" answer; if there is a "right" answer at
all. Too often students rely on teachers for the right answer; it's time to let
students think for themselves. There needs to be more authentic teaching that encourages
higher-order thinking and connecting the real world to classroom
activities.
Through this course, my thinking about
teaching mathematics has shifted quite a lot. I always knew that teachers
should make math more fun, as it really does make the whole learning process
easier. However, due to my own schooling, I thought it was required to complete
worksheets and tests, but I now know (while both are still fine) you cannot
rely simply on those methods. Schmidt (2007) says, "“Suppose
I offer to teach you to ride a bicycle. I talk and wave my arms and pummel you
with suggestions. Three months later, you’re bruised, bandaged, and scared - a
loser against the forces of gravity. You take the bus or walk everywhere. So I
ask, Did I teach you to ride a bike?” If our students are not learning,
are we really teaching? There are many
different learning styles in classrooms today and as teachers, it is our duty
to ensure that all students are learning the material in a way that they can
understand.
Math has been a struggle for many students
as it has been simply about rote memorization and standardized tests.
Personally, I absolutely love math and I didn't let that kind of teaching deter
me when I was younger. In fact I would play many different types of math games
at home (i was/am kind of a nerd) and that allowed me to see that math is more
than simply memorization and can be fun! It's like disguising the
vegetables in the pasta sauce; children love it without realizing they're
eating vegetables! Students need to have fun while learning, if they're
having fun they don't realize they are learning. I think by incorporating
activities such as those in the SNAP math fair, we can revolutionize the
teaching of math. I played several of the games at the math fair (including my
own) and I have to say, I learned a lot. There were so many activities that I
would implement in my own classroom.
I also really enjoyed the class where this
question was asked: "If the answer is five, what is the question?". I
enjoyed it so much because students have to dig a little deeper to come up with
questions. Some people said "3+2" and "4+1", while
others said "10 divided by 2", "2² +
1", and "the number of people in my family". This is an example
of an activity where there is no one "right" answer, I feel like it
is a great activity to use in a classroom as it truly demonstrates this concept
and allows students to be creative with their answers.
After completing this blog, I have changed my
answer to what my greatest learning experience was this semester with regard to
teaching children mathematics. My greatest learning experience this semester is
that it is okay to make mistakes, it is okay to be nervous about something;
it's human nature.
Mary, thank you for a wonderful semester and good
luck with all that the future brings :)
Source:
Schmidt, L., (2007). Social Studies
That Sticks. Portsmouth: Heinemann.
