Hello All,
I just started my
second year at Teachers College which means that I am returning to this Math
blog and adding new resources! This week we watched a video called "Ever
Wonder What They'd Notice" (shown below) which was centred on allowing
students to find answers for themselves rather than being given the answers.
This particular video really struck me because throughout my Mathematical career
I have never really been given the opportunity to reflect and understand a Math
problem or concept because I have always been provided with a particular route
to follow.
This way of thinking
really made me dislike Math because it made me believe that in Math there was
no room for individual thought or creativity. The scaffolding technique that
this video suggests is very important to create a classroom environment that
fosters growth and understanding. That is, the speaker suggested that before
providing the students with the answer, a teacher should ask "What do you
think it is?" or "What do you notice and wonder about the
question?" I think that these are questions that will truly help students
to acquire a meaningful understanding of Math. This week we also got an
opportunity to participate in an online module which focused on myths and
stereotypes that motivate an individual's negative attitude towards Math. This
was really meaningful to me because I was able to recall many of these
stereotypes from my days of learning Math. In fact, often times it was these
myths that got in the way of my learning and understanding.
As such, I
think it is imperative that in a Math classroom these myths be addressed and
squashed. Even though this module was very important in terms of drawing my
attention to these myths and stereotypes; I found myself questioning what
teaching techniques or strategies I can use to squash these myths. One strategy
that I have been thinking about is introducing female mathematicians from
different backgrounds— so that students are aware that women are just as much
part of the mathematical community. Another way, I believe a teacher can squash
these myths is through the use of literacy, more specifically picture books.
Picture books are effective for students because it can provide real-life
contexts for Math and also can serve as a great low-stress introduction to a
unit. A picture book I recently picked up at the library for my nephew is
called "How Big is it?: A Big Book All about Bigness" by Ben Hillman
(picture below). This is such an effective book for squashing stereotypes
because it allows everyone the same entry point into Math, it also provides a
more real life context for Math problem. This book can also be a source of inspiration
for a teacher as they can create their own "How Big is it?" book by
going around the school or neighbourhood and taking pictures of different
buildings and objects—objective being for students to find out the height or
size.
This week has
already been such an eye opener for me in terms of being a Math educator
because it has allowed me to acknowledge the reason behind my own personal
attitudes towards Math, but as well societies negative attitude. I think that
recognizing and discovering these myths is essential for an educator to move
forward and create a more meaningful learning experience for students.
Fetter, A. (Performer). (2015,
June 8). Ever Wonder What They'd Notice. The Math Forum at NCTM,
Indianapolis, IN, US.
Hillman, B. (2007, October 3). How Big Is It? A Big
Book All About Brigness. (Scholastic Reference, Producer) Retrieved from
Book Wizard: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/how-big-it#cart/cleanup
