Blog 3

I'm really glad that we're moving to talking about diverse learners, because like what was mentioned in class, our lesson plans have had "phony" modifications. We simply just make them up, and don't even know for sure whether it would actually work for a student in this situation. Even if we did find a modification for a child with a specific learning disability, it doesn't necessarily work for another child who might have the exact same disability. I'm really glad that between these two math classes we don't have to write a lot of lessons, we just develop a deeper understanding about how to do so. I really think that it is important to develop this way of thinking, because then we automatically start to think about these concepts on a deeper level.
I also think it's important to realize how we learn, visually, with manipulative, or whatever it may be, and also acknowledge all the other learning styles as well. This way, when we are formulating the concepts into lesson, and thinking about how we are teaching, we look at how everyone learns in the classroom, and not just a specific group.
When I reflect on this class, I realize how my thinking about mathematical concepts has changed, and I wonder why I never thought this way before. Why didn't my elementary teachers teach me this way? It makes more sense, and there is better understanding when kids learn this way. I really have a positive outlook on math, and if I were offered a job teaching math, I honestly would not hesitate to take it.