Personal Concerns and Next Steps

Lately, I have been thinking about how I was taught mathematics throughout school and how it is different from what we are learning now. I have always known the cut and dry math-- you memorize a definition or a formula and use it without questioning "Why?" I think it will be very hard for me to change how I think about and do mathematics in order to teach it differently. I wonder if I will be able to learn math in a constructivist fashion despite the ways I have been taught. It will take a lot of work!

Also, I am very concerned about that midterm! Ouch! I had completed my study guide and studied and studied! I read the book, read the modules, read my study guide... rinsed and repeated! And still, I didn't get close to finishing. I have always been one who takes a long time on math tests, because math is not my strong subject I like to think things through very, very thoroughly. I don't even know what I could do differently next time. I studied everything as best as I could and still had trouble. Although this experience was difficult for me, it made me realize that every student, even in college, has different strengths and weaknesses. It is important to work with these students so that they don't fret and stress over something so much that it impacts their performance on any kind of assessment.

--P.S. I don't know how the time-stamp works... I know for my K-8 Sci. Methods blog, it shows up as 12 hours or something later than when I post. I don't know how to change my timezone on this thing! Sorry!

Personal Concerns and Next Steps

I am wondering how I will be able to teach mathematics to my students in a way that they will be able to understand the how and why of the problems. I am wondering this because I am not sure I know the hows and whys. I believe that I am learning more and more with this class. I have learned how to find ways to understand the standards I am going to teach. I believe that I am learning how to think through problems in a way that I can deliver my thinking to my students. But waht I am struggling with is the whole process of how can I link the mathematics I am teaching to real life... why do we need to do mathematics and what purpose does it have in real life. Maybe the answers will revela themselves when I am planning the lessons for my classes. Maybe I need to take one problem at a time and think about one thing at a time.

Personal Concerns and Next Steps

This last month of class has been fantastic. I really enjoy this class because it challenges my way of thinking in a good way. I know that most of my peers do not really like having official tests and whatnot but I thoroughly enjoyed the test that we took on Tuesday. I don't find myself being challenged to think critically often enough in my other classes so I like the constructivist structure of this class. Having to actually work through the process of creating proofs, developing formulas, etc. is great for keepin us on our toes as far as what we know but also helps us to understand what our students will be going through. On the first day of class we were told that we would most definitely be frustrated throughout the course of this class and after browsing everyone's blogs I am starting to see that coming through.

New Insights and Their Implications

Throughout this class, I have begun to understand proofs because I have to break apart a picture and find the proof for myself. In high school, everytime my teacher would say we are doing proofs, I became nervous because I did not understand how to do them; however, when I had to find a formula for a parallogram, I was more confident because I found the formula using everything I knew. Another new insight I have gained from my peers are different ways of solving mathematics. When we were given the Pick's Theorum worksheet, it was amazing to understand how many different routes people took to solve the problems. It allows me to understand that not all students in my classroom are going to learn the same way I did, and it is important to allow them to experience different routes to solving a problem. Lastly, I have learned how to make my own definitions and not rely on the definitions in the book. It is so easy to look in the book, find a definition, and write it down; however, I understand and know the definition better if I write it myself.

Personal Concerns and Next Steps

Coming into this class, I was very excited to learn how to teach math. I love math; however, now that I am further into this class, I am very concerned about teaching it to students so that they actually learn. Never have I struggled in math until this class. Having to explain myself and my thoughts with detailed information is completely different than I have done in any other math class. While completing this class, I need to keep in mind the fact that I will struggle, but struggling is what makes me learn. I need to remember to be more patient and not turn to my classmates for help right away.

Blog #2: Personal Concerns and Next Steps

This class as a whole has definitely been completely different than any other of my classes. The only concern I slightly have with this class is the midterm that we just took on Tuesday. I understand completely that with us getting behind and with Dr. Reins having to miss this week of class that no matter when we chose to do our midterm it was going to be slightly unorganized. Going into the test, I wasnt nervous at all however, when I sat down and received the test and it was 10 pages long and I only had a hour and fifteen minutes to complete it, I definitely went into panic mode. It was also hard because this was the first test we have taken in this class so as students we didnt know what to expect from Dr. Reins and once we did get the test we couldnt ask any questions. I just felt kind of helpless in a small way. It also was slightly frustrating that only ONE person actually completed the test before time was officially up. Perhaps we can discuss the test more fully once Dr. Reins gets back and maybe get a chance to make some corrections for bonus points? Either way, this is definitely a learning experience for me personally.

Personal Concerns and Next Steps

I have never experienced math in the way that this class requires. In the past, teachers just gave us the formulas and we memorized them. Knowing why to use the formula seemed irrelevant, as teachers didn't encourage this inquiry and we were given the formula, anyway. I've never had to struggle quite as much in any other class as I have in this one. When I don't understand information or can't find solutions, I tend to get frustrated, sometimes to the point that I just want to give up. What I need to remember is that by struggling, I am finding the solution for myself, thus learning in a more valuable way. Also, I need to have more patience during this process. These are some things that I need to keep in mind in regards to this class.

Personal Concerns and Next Steps

I have always been pretty good in math. I have never struggled with any concepts about math, that is until know. I have been pretty frustrated in this class. It has been may years since I have been in math class, and I have only been taught formulas. I was never taught to use different ways to approach a problem. Nor was I ever taught to question a formula. I do understand how this type of thinking may help other students, who do not get the formulas, or why that formula works, to solve problems. I have children that are in 3rd, 5th, and 7th grade, and they are changing to this type of teaching for math. This class has helped me to explain somethings to my kids. This has helped me understand somethings, by explaining it to them. However, I do feel left in the dark on some items. I am hopeful that one day it will just click, and everything will be put in place. Until that happens I will continue to struggle to understand these concepts.