Insights and Implications

Insights and Implications- Learning math in school has always been receiving the formula and finding the correct answer. I never really knew why we learned formulas or how math was used in the real world. This course has shown me that students need to understand the "how" and "why" of math. Students need to be allowed to get into groups and find different ways of getting answers. I have also learned that students can not be scared to give wrong answers because they can lead students in a different direction towards a solution. As a teacher I need to teach deeper into the concept instead of teaching a lot of concepts. I am finding out that math is about finding ways to solve problems and understanding how math concepts are used in the real world.

While learning about area, we got the opportunity to use cut-out shapes, find the areas of polygons on a geo-board, and use string to have a deeper understanding of the concept. I want my students to learn math by finding the answers through exploration. Students can use past experiences, peers, and models to explore different roads towards solutions of problems. Being able to find solutions on their own, students will have an increased motivation and positive attitude towards math.