Summary and Synthesis

Sitting in the first day of K-8 Math Methods, I felt somewhat apprehensive. Math makes me nervous. I have never felt confident in math. When we received our first math assignment, I was nothing but nervous. To be honest, I was not accustomed to this type of problem solving. I was expecting the formula and process method of learning. However, I soon began to open up to this new form of mathematical teaching. The experience of different activities within our class periods have helped me to gain an understanding for the hands on approach to solving mathematics we have been learning about. One specific learning activity that has stood out in my mind deals with finding the areas of a polygon. Experimenting with different methods of finding an area of a polygon helped to open my mind to a more constructivist approach to learning mathematics. I realized the importance of exploration in mathematics, and the impact is has on students learning. Another learning experience that has impacted my understanding for exploration in mathematics would be the combing of formulas to find the areas of a trapezoid or a parallelogram. These experiences have also helped me to understand the concepts behind the processes of mathematical inquiry. My understanding for these mathematical problems stand out for one reason, because I now understand the relational concept behind the process. Overall, I have realized the importance behind helping to students to develop conceptual understanding in regards to problem solving. Many of the discussions that have taken place within our class periods have helped me to become more confident in providing a more hands on learning experience for my future students.