How has this course changed or not changed your perceptions of teaching math?

This course has changed my perceptions of math greatly. Before I took this course I really hated math. It was not a subject I enjoyed and I would never take math classes unless I had to. I now understand that the reason I hated math is because I was being taught the wrong way. Math is actually quite easy when it is broken down. The different methods that we were taught in this course have greatly helped me at math and has made me a better math teacher. I know can say that I enjoy some math. I am not as scared to teach math and I feel more confident to explain math concepts to my future students.

What knowledge have you gained about how children learn mathematics from this course?

I have gained a lot of valuable knowledge about how children learn mathematics through this course. Before this class, I knew that how I learned math growing up was not how we were supposed to teach it now. I now know some great ways to teach math and I have learned in what ways children learn math best. I have learned that children do not learn best through rote memorization. We should not teach formulas and other mathematic problems to just memorize but we should teach the reason to why they use those formulas, etc. Children learn best through the use of manipulatives with concrete examples and then move into semi-concrete examples and finally symbolic examples. We should not use worksheets and lecture, but we should use hands-on and interactive activities. The children should feel comfortable in taking risks while learning and sharing their answers. This class has taught me some valuable lessons and techniques to use that will help students become successful learners in math.

How has this course changed or not changed your perceptions of teaching math?

This course has changed my perceptions of math instruction. Before this course, I had never thought about the purpose behind solving a problem or any key math concepts. I simply plugged numbers into an equation until I found the correct answer. Teachers did not let us or tell us of multiple routes to solving one problem. My teachers would explain on strategy and ask us to follow the strategy when working on our homework. Additionally, manipulatives were hardly ever introduced in my elementary math classes. My hope is that I can help strengthen the math skills of my future students by introducing the use of manipulatives to better support their learning. It is important that we allow students time to think through a set of problems or mathematical questions before we give them the answer. In other words, we should guide students through the mathematical thinking process without giving away the answers. Lastly, students should be placed into groups where they are asked to discuss their individual ideas and solving strategies with their peers. All students come to the classroom with different levels of knowledge which they should share with others. Students should not be afraid to make mistakes or ask for help.

Changed Perceptions of Teaching Math

How has this course changed or not changed your perceptions of teaching math?
This class made me realize ways students learn mathematics the best way. Before this class I did not know that manipulatives were the best way to teach students how to do many math concepts. Working with concrete models help students understand the basic process of a concept and then moving to semi-concrete helps the students see the whole procedure. Students should have the opportunity to discover math concepts on their own and work with each other to explain concepts. It is important to have students explain and know why they are doing every process. Not all students come in with the same knowledge and students start a concept at all levels. If students are given the opportunity to explore the concept, they can enter the problem at different levels and can discover different ways to solve the problem.

How has this course changed or not changed your perceptions of teaching math?

This class has changed my perceptions of teaching math. Up until this class I never really second guessed what and how I was taught growing up in school. I always liked math, it seemed to come easier for me than some of my other classes. I guess that might be why I never gave it a second thought. I have seen that there are new and different ways to teach math to students. I agree now that there should be a progression on how to get to the main goal. The only concern of mine is becoming comfortable enough with it to effectively teach this way in a classroom. Hopefully this will just come with practice and time.

March Blog-Personal Concerns

Math is a confusing topic for me and my biggest concern is that I will not be able to teach it effectively to my students. Through this class I have learned more about how to teach math but only to a certain extent. I obviously will not learn how to teach every math topic through this class but that is definitely a concern for me. I feel more comfortable with teaching the topics we have touched on in class, but I'm still concerned with how I will teach the rest of the topics in math. I am also concerned about how to use the games and activities we have done in class in my future classroom. What if the school does not agree with the way I would like to teach math? It concerns me that I will have the correct tools to use from this class but how will I go about using these tools in a school that may not agree with them?

How Children Learn Mathematics

Through this course I have learned many new strategies to use when teaching math, and information about how children learn math best. I have learned that math learning takes place when a child is as early as 6 months old and it is best to start teaching math through basic strategies as soon as possible. Math may be confusing to many students and it is a teachers duty to teach math through the best approaches. I believe I have learned a variety of approaches that will help my as a future teacher. I know there are certain steps to teaching every math topic and it is best to start out with learning what the students already know about the content and build from there. I also know that it is best for a teacher to start out with a hands-on activity that does not deal with symbols or vocabulary words. This way students can develop their own understanding about the content and the teacher can build their knowledge based on the strategies the students are using. I have also learned from this class that it is vital to ask the students questions about their learning process so the teacher can have a full understanding of what the student knows and what may need more focus. Overall, this call has taught me a variety of games, tools and strategies to use in my future classroom.

What knowledge have you gained about how children learn mathematics from this course

This course has better helped me understand the level of student thinking when it comes to mathmatical concepts. Math can be a very confusing subject for many differnt students. Be able to understand how students think, apply, and comprehend material, will better help me to present new material. Math can be taught at an very early age. It is important to help children learn basic counting skills in order to build upon in later years. Children have greater critical thinking ablitities than sometimes credited. Its important to allow students to make mistakes and help them learn from the mistakes. As a teacher its important to ask questions like, "how did you solve this, why did you do this this way?" Asking questions helps us, as teachers, understand why a child solved or applied a concept. This class has provided many new ideas and games to present to all levels of students. I have learned alot from the LPU's and plan on applying them in the future in my classroom.