New Insights and Their Implications/Personal Concerns

Like it was stated in the beginning of class, this class has become frustrating. Both good and bad. Good because I believe you must struggle with a concept in order to make the connection to the learning that is taking place. I also think that it is important for us as teachers to understand the "why" behind math, if we don't understand how can we teach our students? However there have been some bad frustrations. I am never exactly sure what is going on in class, what topic we are specifically covering, or even what homework is being assigned, and even when homework is assigned I am never sure what exactly is being expected of me. I also never know if what I did for my homework or answers that I have given in class are correct or on the right path. I think that sometimes some feedback is good. I know there are multiple ways to get to the answer of a problem but I would like it if maybe you would show us some of your methods, or how you came to an answer...or if we are going in the right direction.

On the other hand I have learned some useful information. I have learned the importance of being able to show "why". I think as children it is not an obvious question, usually younger children will accept that you do things just because that's how you do it, especially if they aren't taught why. In my job I teach adults who are trying to get their GED or just improve their skills. I have realized that these older students really want to know why we do the things we do in math, and from this class I have gone out of my way to help them see "why" we do what we do in math. I think that it really helps them grasp the concept. I have actually used the fraction bars that we made in class with one of my students to explain equivalent fractions, and it worked pretty well.