After preparing, creating, and presenting my LPU lesson, I have discovered that teaching using the new reform based mathematics is VERY difficult. It is really hard to pose questions for students, without helping them along the way. It is in my nature to want to guide the students as they create their own understanding, instead of letting them struggle and find their own answers. During the preparation of the the LPU, it seemed really easy to teach in the new way, but when it came to actually teaching it to the class, it was very difficult.
My LPU was about introducing the concept of fractions. It is hard to introduce a concept to students who have no previous background, and get them to form their own connections, and create their own understanding. It was definitely a challenge, to say the least. However, all students have a background about fractions, they just don't know it, until it is presented in a way in which they can form their own connections. All students understanding the concept of a whole, and that there are parts to each whole. They just may not understand that a part of a whole is called a fraction.
If I were to redo the lesson plan, there are a few things that I would change in the presentation aspect of it. I still believe that my prep-work is sufficient, it was just a lot harder to present it than I had original thought. Reform based mathematics is still a new concept to me, but at least now I can say that I've done it and could do it again.
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I agree with what Becca said about this method of teaching being very difficult to conduct. We encountered the same struggles while preparing for our LPU on addition and subtraction of fractions. It is hard to change from using previous methods that have been taught to us our whole life. We had to come up with a way that would allow us to present the material in a meaningful way, but also in a way that would allow students to make their own connections and develop their own approaches when problem solving. We found it to be very difficult to teach this way, especially when we are in the process of learning it ourselves.
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