Summary and Synthesis

Throughout this course, I have altered my thinking about what constitutes best practice for teaching mathematics. Like many of my classmates, I have been challenged by this course to think in new ways and make sense of ideas without taking shortcuts. Each concept we have experienced in this course has been linked and built upon other concepts, which are all part of a "bigger picture." Teaching math is not about drilling isolated concepts and formulas to students, which are impossible to remember or understand, but is about allowing students to construct their own ideas and create a conceptual understanding about why they are carrying out procedures. Like Bridgette mentioned, I also learned the benefits of cooperative learning. In the past, working with others has usually been considered a form of cheating. From this class, I have been able to see how everyone benefits from sharing their thinking and justifying their own ideas, which strengthens each student's individually constructed understanding.