Archive for October 2016

“Making mental connections is our most crucial learning tool, the essence of human intelligence; to forge links; to go beyond the given; to see patterns, relationships, context.”  Marilyn Ferguson Connections are an incredible tool for learning.  Once our students see the value of making connections, they are usually ready to put them to use.  They cannot wait…

“Our students live in a world where current events swirl around them unceasingly. . .When current events are included in math instruction, students become aware of the ever-present relationship of math to the world around them.”  – Laney Sammons Teaching our children to make mathematical connections to the world around them helps them to build…

Schema is all the knowledge that is filed away in your brain.  The people you have met, things you have done, books you have read, and discoveries you have made – all those experiences build schema.   In Building Mathematical Comprehension, Laney Sammons tells us that “new knowledge must be associated with and linked to the existing…

“Teaching students how to make connections as they develop an understanding of mathematics concepts or apply their mathematics knowledge to problem solving can improve their comprehension and increase their overall interest in the study of mathematics.”  – Laney Sammons Our young mathematicians walk into our classrooms with a variety of experiences and diverse backgrounds.  Some…