Math

Finish a full 3 credit class in 4 days? Yes, please! I was a little apprehensive about doing math all day everyday for the whole week. But it was actually really good. Our instructor, Helen Walters, was a hoot. She had so many great math center and game ideas that will be helpful in my classroom. We talked about math centers rather than whole class instruction. I'd never really thought about that before, but I love it. We talked a lot about the development of children's mathematical thinking and the different framework stages that they go through. By understanding which stage of mathematical thinking and understanding your kids are in, you can better plan and direct your lesson plans. You know what is too hard and too easy for your kids, this will help you to fill in any "holes" they may have in their math comprehension. We also spent the week doing fun activities that we're supposed to do once we're in the schools in our practicum. They are great engaging activities that can easily be incorporated into other lessons and other curriculum subjects.

I hate math. When I think back to elementary, I think I was taught to dislike math in about 4th grade. Yes, you can teach your students to hate any school subject. My 4th grade teacher never bothered to explain math problems to me. If I couldn't do a problem she would give me the answer without really explaining how to get it. I was taught the many math algorithms, but I was never taught the concepts behind them. I was simply memorizing steps to get the right answer without really understanding what I was doing. Teachers can't do this with their students, it leaves gaps and holes in their learning. For example, we watched a few clips of students at different math levels solving math problems they were given. There was one little boy who was doing a subtraction problem (41 minus 17). He crossed out the 1 and made it an 11 and then made the 4 a 3. When asked to explain why he did this, he couldn't; all he could say was that was what you are supposed to do. He didn't understand that he was "trading" one ten for ten ones. It was very interesting. We talked about the importance of letting kids try out their own solutions to problems before teaching them the algorithms.

Going back to hating math. Even though I don't like the subject as a whole, there are some parts of math that I do like. The important thing is to find those parts of math that I do like and work off of that. If my heart isn't in the subject and the lesson, my students will be able to see that and may learn to feel the same way. And if you really can't find anything about that subject that you hate, fake it til you make it, kid. If you have a kid who isn't that good at math, don't tell them (I was amazed at how many of the girls said their teacher told them that)! Be patient with them and keep encourang them; let them know that you have confidence in them. If a student isn't understanding the concepts, you really think it's their fault. No. It's the teacher's fault. Find a new way, a new approach til you see that little lightbulb go, "Bing!"
The tapa cloth designs we made in class and our "body" garden

Emily, me, Nicole, and Neeley
We got to dress Nicole up in newspaper!