New Insights and Their Implications

I think the best thing that I learned from this class is how to teach differently.  We learned from a study called TIMSS, which showed the United States that we are behind in our way of teaching that we need to do something different.  From this study we found that we need to teach like some of the other countries are teaching which is in a constructivist manner.  We also talked about why constructivism is important in the classroom.  We learned that students and everyone comes to know, with their knowledge.  Everyone needs to build off of there existing knowledge that we have processed.  If I can learn to teach in a constructivist manner then I will be helping future students. 

Personal Concerns and Next Steps

Some personal concerns for me is being able to teach math this way and do a good job at it. I do not always understand what we are talking about or how we figured out to do the problem. I think that this is because I never had to think outside the box when doing math and math has always been hard for me. I will continue to try and understand math, keep up with the readings and work through the problems and hopefully by the end of the class I will have a better grasp of things. I think that this is the best way at teaching math and hope that I will be able to successfully teach my students this way.

Summary and Synthesis

So far, this math class has taught me that teaching mathematics to students is no longer about memorization and following the steps exactly as outlined in the book. Because of studies done between countries, primarily focusing on Asian cultures and the U.S., math curriculums are being evaluated and revamped. Students are now learning in a more constructivist manner, including more hands on assignments and class discussions about problems. The math textbooks have changed in order to facilitate and encourage student learning. Unfortunately, I remember having textbooks with paragraphs of explanations about the problems which would show up later in the chapter; however, once I got to the problems, the time I spent reading was a waste because I could not figure out how to apply the book knowledge to the problems.

I have learned that much of what students gain from their school experience does not stick with them; students may also have their own preconceived notions which interfere with the correct information. This is why teaching math properly at a young age, and continuing with it all throughout their school years, is incredibly important.

Summary and Synthesis

All of the work and exploration we did with geometry and the area of shapes was really interesting. The way the learning was left to us was a good experience to have. We talk about constructivsm and student-centered classrooms in so many classes, but I have never been in one until this class. When studying for the midterm test, it was not like other classes where you go to the class notes and find definitions typed out. This class requires exploration which is honestly a new experience for me. It is a great experience though. As a teacher, I want to run my classroom similar to this because student retain information better when they have to work to find the answer and it's not just simply given to them. One more thing I want to sum up is that the midterm test was rewarding. I was expecting it to be difficult and to much, but because I studied and had learned in the class, I felt great after taking it. I hope my students can have a feeling like that. By working hard and really understanding a concept, assessments are intrinsically motivating.

Summary and Synthesis

I have learned interesting ideas from this math methods class. The most important part for me, is learning about the United States educational system. In class we have learned that the US is behind in mathematics when compared to other countries; yet, the US spends more money than these countries. I found it fascinating to learn why the US trails so many countries. Countries that are ahead of the US have a smaller focus (meaning they have fewer topics to cover) but the ideas they do teach have a higher degree of coherence (meaning the topics are linked together). The US tries to cover everything and the ideas have little coherence. Since the last blog, I have learned more ways to teach in a constructivism manner. I learned more about constructivism; it is a way that students construct their own knowledge about something. It is an inquiry and discovery manner of teaching and math learning. It was nice to have constructivism modeled for us in class. I liked the lessons and how they gave me examples of how to teach using problem solving. I have never been exposed to this much hands on math learning and I believe that this method of teaching is a ton better than the old method of teaching. I believe that if teachers adopt this method in the US, we will see improvement in our country's ranking in math comprehension. Since the last blog, I have become more of a believer in this new method math learning.

Summary and Synthesis

My perspective of this class has changed a lot over the semester. At the beginning I was really worried it was going to be extremely difficult, but now since I am somewhat comfortable with your method of teaching my perspective has become a lot more positive. I still do not know if I completely understand the philosophy of the teacher, but over the year I am coming to understand it more and more. After having the first test done makes me a lot more comfortable as well because I always stress out about the first test the most with a new teacher because I do not know what to expect.

Summary and Synthesis

Overall, I feel completely different about this class now than I felt after the first week of class. After the first week of class I felt as though this class was going to be extremely challenging and overwhelming. I no longer feel that way, however there are times where I struggle to complete assignments fully. I think that is the point...that is the best way to learn. At the beginning of the year I also felt as though the class website was too cluttered with information to provide much help to students, however I have adjusted to that as well and it proves to be an excellent resource.

Summary and Synthesis

My experiences with class so far this semester, have been meaningful but at times frustrating. I feel the material we cover is somewhat difficult, but the way we participate and investigate various activities helps me understand the content. To find what is expected of me for this class, I realize looking at the session notes is the most beneficial. Taking the test on Tuesday also helped me understand that the session notes are the only way of obtaining what is expected of me to know and retain. I now know how and what to do before each class period to be fully prepared each day for discussion.

Summary and Synthesis

My experiences with the class have been all right. I find that the worksheets and the hand outs really do help me study and understand the content better. I have conquered my fear of the chop strategy, and I have found that scale factor is a weakness. Some of the experiences have been frustrating, because some of the topics covered are still difficult to handle. The directions are sometimes hard to follow, but a question is never turned down in class. I feel as thought the questions asked and answered really have helped in my understanding at times. The most important thing for me to remember is that thinking outside the box is OK, and to take risks is important when teaching and learning math.