Posted by Harry Houghton on Wed, Apr 06, 2011 @ 01:45 PM
Here's an excerpt from an article by Lisa Ann de Garcia of Math Solutions that illustrates how to get students talking in math class. To read the full article, please follow the link at the bottom.
Due to the attention in the last few years on discourse and its importance to student learning, educators nationwide are finding that they can help children become confident problem solvers by focusing on getting them to talk and communicate in partnerships, small groups, whole groups, and in writing. In addition, English Language Learners are flourishing as they experience focused opportunities for talking and trying on new mathematical vocabulary.
So what exactly is discourse? What are the teaching practices associated with successfully establishing an environment to support it, and as a result, to improve mathematical proficiency? How does one begin to elicit meaningful talk during math lessons? As a profession, we share a vision about the role student discourse has in the development of students’ mathematical understanding, but are often slow to bring the students along. Children do not naturally engage in this level of talk.
This article addresses the above questions and concerns—and more. It opens with a look at discourse through NCTM’s definition and its involvement with the Common Core State Standards. It then focuses on literature available on discourse, specifically the book Classroom Discussions, and addresses five teaching practices focused on the how to of getting students talking about mathematics. The article concludes with journaling insights on discourse from a kindergarten and second-grade classroom. This article is by no means an exhaustive list of discourse “to dos;” hopefully it will however get us all started in thinking about and implementing best talk practices.
Read the full article to explore the 5 teaching practices to get students talking about math.
To learn more about Math Talk and find resources for implementing these practices in your classroom, visit the Math Solutions – Math Talk website.
Posted by Jennifer Chintala on Tue, Apr 05, 2011 @ 09:03 AM
Last weekend marks one of my favorite times of the year – the opening games for Major League Baseball. I always find the winter months to be a bit boring because I can’t watch my favorite team, the New York Yankees, play ball each evening. Of course, you can imagine that there’s more to the baseball season than just balls and strikes. Like so many things that I am passionate about, I always look for the math in baseball. Finding mathematical connections to students’ interests will lead to more successful lessons and more motivated students. There are so many possible math activities using baseball statistics, but it’s up to you to be sure the math involved is appropriate for each student’s ability level.
My favorite lessons dealing with baseball and mathematics are those that help students understand decimals. One of the most common uses of decimals in the “real world” is in describing baseball batting averages. We see numbers like .305 or .240, but do the majority of baseball fans know what these numbers really mean? It’s a great topic to delve into, because it will help the students better understand the game and what a batter has to do to improve his average. At the same time, it will help students understand the value of decimal numbers. While the batting average is the most familiar statistic that uses decimals, similar studies can be completed using a batter’s on-base or slugging percentage. Another great activity is to help students determine a team’s winning percentage by dividing the number of wins by total games played. It might even be fun to have a student track a player's or team's statistics for an extended period of time.
If you take one look at the Major League Baseball site, you will see a plethora of statistics that students are able to work with. And because teams play almost every night, the statistics change daily, so there’s never a shortage of math to be completed! So go ahead, take baseball from the field into the classroom. I’m sure that your students will have a ball!
Posted by Jennifer Chintala on Tue, Jan 18, 2011 @ 10:05 AM
This week, I came across an article that provides insight into some of the struggles that math teachers face. CNN's article, Subject Matters: Students Struggle with Math Fundamentals discusses some of the challenges that math teachers encounter in today's educational environment.
The author, Sally Holland, mentions three areas of struggle and offers supports through examples provided by teachers around the country:
- Students rarely have a deep understanding of the math basics that are necessary for further math study. Because students are required to learn so many topics in a given school year, they tend not to master any skills. Instead, they gain surface-level understanding that enables them to pass the test, but doesn't necessarily enable them to learn higher-level math in subsequent years.
- Teachers have to deal with a variety of student learning styles. Many teachers have developed one method of teaching that may not meet the needs of the majority of students in the class. Now, with the heightened awareness of different learning styles, teachers must be cognizant of how best to meet the needs of all learners.
- The article stresses the need for teachers to incorporate math into the real world. Unfortunately, with so much pressure to learn a great number of skills for state tests, teachers don't always have time to incorporate real-world activities until late in the school year. Even so, it is important to help students recognize how math is needed for so many activities outside the classroom.
Each of the challenges mentioned in the article is likely to arise in your school or district. The important thing for us to consider now is how to overcome these challenges.
Please share the techniques or strategies you use to overcome these challenges. How are you ensuring that your students leave school with the knowledge, skills, and disposition that they need to succeed in our mathematical world?
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