Week 4: Math Connections

Is there more than one way to solve a math problem?

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We often think of math as being straightforward, black and white, with one correct answer and one way to get there. This week I have really explored the multitude of methods for solving math problems, and how so many people use a variety of techniques. In class, we practiced reading through some word problems and figuring out our own ways to solve them. Aside from seeing the benefits of being able to solve them in our own way, I was surprised to see the importance of sharing our methods with others. Since we all process things differently in our minds, we also think about solving problems differently. What struck me the most was that I would find a way to work through the questions in ways that seemed quick and simple, but after hearing others share their techniques, I discovered other ways that would have been much easier for me. This really taught me to value the act of collaborating with my peers! Not only did I gain insight about other perspectives in relation to math, but I'm now able to see how useful it is to share ideas and talk things out.

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Collaboration
Another reason collaboration and groupwork can be useful is that it helps us learn better... even if we've made mistakes. The act of explaining our "reasoning" to others reinforces what we know and clarifies errors. Think of it as a form of proofreading out loud with peers. It's a great way to share suggestions with each other and unfold deeper mathematical understanding. Our online module taught us that students who work in study groups achieve significantly higher grades than those who work individually. Even students who generally do poorly in math can make extreme improvements by simply working in groups or studying with classmates. 

To me, this is a huge point to keep in mind. I have always done my studying by myself because I feared the distractions that could arise from study groups. It seemed likely that I would be more accomplished and that it would be more time efficient if I worked on my own. Of course there can be distractions when students are put together in groups, but if you can get them to focus, there are far more advantages to having them work together. 

With this in mind, my goal is to implement more groupwork activities in my future classroom and encourage students to collaborate to develop deeper understandings in math.