Making Math Meaningful
From the desk of Cindy…
Anyone remember having to learn the rules for integers? Remember how confusing that was? This is what it sounded like to me…
When the signs are the same you keep the sign and add the two numbers but if the signs are different you subtract the numbers and keep the sign of the larger number but don’t get that confused with the multiplication and division rules which are if you have the same sign you do the math and your answer is positive but if the signs are different you do the math and your answer is negative.
Now reread that at 100 miles per hour and that is what the teacher sounded like. Charlie Brown’s teacher, “wah wah wah wah wah” right? No wonder our students do not understand what the math really means! They are just trying to memorize some rules (that of course sound ridiculously similar) and regurgitate it back to get a “score.”
How do we change the math instruction for our students so that it means something then? Teachers need to deliver math instruction differently. This is not so easy. I know because I have been teaching math for 15 years and perfected the art of teaching tips and tricks to remember the rules. I felt successful because the result was that students aced the standardized tests. However, I am not sure my students would be able to say that they understood what it all meant in the real world. That is NOT why I became a teacher – to perform on state tests. I became a teacher to inspire students to become lifelong learners and to prepare them for their futures in this world. Have I done them a disservice?
In the last few years I have been introduced to new ways of teaching math. I am so thankful because I believe that students will now understand concepts in a deeper way and will become true problem solvers. What is different? The students “figure it out” (instead of being spoon-fed) and the teacher allows the students time and freedom to do so. Believe it or not students are naturals at this. When the teacher becomes the facilitator and not the “giver of knowledge” the students learn to step up to the plate and build their own learning. It is an amazing sight to see.
I will never forget a lesson that I did on the Stock Market. Finding simple interest was a small SCOS item in our curriculum but I was trying to generate some real world knowledge in an area where interest rates are used. I put together a virtual stock market game from a free site online similar to smartstocks.com. The students loved using this format of buying and selling stocks based on the real market in real time. They built their own knowledge based on the experience of this game as opposed to memorizing the process out of context. The best part – I got to watch the learning unfold through conversation and experience. This was some of the best “teaching” I have ever been a part of – and the students drove the discovery!
There are some key systems that have to be put into place for this to run smoothly. Having great tasks, using multiple strategies for discussion, classroom environment, etc. all need to be thoughtfully considered so that students are set up for success. When it is all in place, the learning that occurs is fascinating and awe inspiring.