Final Math Overview
It's unbelievable how much this year has influenced my perception of teaching math. So much has changed from the system of following math textbooks and assigning students pages of homework. I'm actually quite excited about all the fun ways to teach math: using manipulatives, drawing images, incorporating technology and games, working in groups. These are all concepts that I never experienced as a student... or even encountered during my placement last year! I've even learned about assessment strategies that can widely impact the success of your students. This post will outline the main ideas that have inspired me as a teacher candidate.
Math and Technology
via GIPHY
We are really starting to see big changes in the way math is taught and the way it is assessed. This shift away from standard techniques can feel challenging, especially for teachers when it comes to assessment, but I see it as a new way to have fun, be a little silly, and really engage ourselves and our students in class.
One of the most important topics we discussed this week was about giving effective feedback. Since feedback is a big part of assessment, we as teachers need to be aware and cautious when it comes to our wording. Studies have proven that students improve academically if they are given encouraging feedback. Something as simple as saying "I believe in you" can leave lasting impressions on students. Us teachers need to encourage a growth mindset by telling students that they are always capable of learning and improving, and that we have faith in them. A student is much more likely to succeed if they feel they are being supported by their teachers opposed to being judged. This leads to the next topic of giving students their marks.
Should Students See Their Marks?
Seeing how feedback can impact students, we also discussed the effects of giving students grades on a regular basis. Of course feedback is essential for students to develop further but is it actually necessary for them to see the numbers? This is something I honestly never thought about. It has always been an expectation that after every test or assignment, my teacher would mark my work and hand back a grade. It is definitely foreign to me to NOT give students their marks, but to only give them feedback comments. As I think about this more and more, it does make sense. Once it becomes a habit and students stop focusing on individual grades, they can learn to concentrate on what they need to improve on instead of getting discouraged by a poor grade... or thinking that they don't have to try anymore since they're already getting high marks. These are very interesting concepts that not all teachers will feel comfortable doing, but it's something to think about.
Overall, I have come to learn that traditional methods of teaching math need to change. Sure, it works for a select few, but there are better, more inclusive and engaging ways to teach. Through the use of technology, games, manipulatives, collaboration, inquiry-based learning, and by giving effective feedback, students can gain so much more out of math class. I'm hopeful that more teachers will be inspired by the benefits of these techniques and that it will become the norm in modern-day classrooms.
 |
| Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/ himanshukotnala99/maths-in-daily-life-54382866 |
Math is all around us, in nature and in everything we do. The problem is that we don't often recognize it. How many times have we heard (or even said it ourselves) "How does this relate to real life?" or "When will I ever need to use this math again?"? If we only learn math equations and never make connections to the real world, it's hard to find this type of learning useful and interesting. This is why I think it's essential to make connections to daily life with math every time we introduce new concepts. For example, connecting fractions with baking, measuring, construction, etc. or geometric shapes and patterns with nature and animals such as bees making honeycombs. Students will be able to learn more effectively if they can see these types of connections.
Math and Technology
We've all seen the basic math games that have cute animations and appeal to students.. but are these games really effective? I'll admit, I used to think of them as a great way to get kids practicing math, to improve their skills and speed. Although it may be fun for some students, a lot of the math games out there aren't for everyone. For example, games that require speed and have timed levels can be stressful for students who don't work well under pressure and need time to think. Imagine the amount of anxiety a student like this could be feeling if they were asked to spend a math period playing a timed game. There are other ways to use technology to enhance learning. Personally, I really like math Jeopardy games. They allow the class to play in teams, providing opportunity for collaboration, and they don't have the pressure of time limits. There are several online websites such as www.math-play.com that offer math Jeopardy games for multiple grades and strands. Another fun way to use technology is through picture animation apps like Chatterbox. This is something we explored in class, where we brought images on our iPads to life by recording voice-overs about math concepts. We then shared our recordings with classmates. This is an engaging way for students to express math information in their own words, and reinforce their learning by listening to the concept presented by their peers. As you can see, technology can be a wonderful tool in a math classroom, but you also have to be careful with selecting appropriate resources.
Assessment Strategies
via GIPHY
We are really starting to see big changes in the way math is taught and the way it is assessed. This shift away from standard techniques can feel challenging, especially for teachers when it comes to assessment, but I see it as a new way to have fun, be a little silly, and really engage ourselves and our students in class.
One of the most important topics we discussed this week was about giving effective feedback. Since feedback is a big part of assessment, we as teachers need to be aware and cautious when it comes to our wording. Studies have proven that students improve academically if they are given encouraging feedback. Something as simple as saying "I believe in you" can leave lasting impressions on students. Us teachers need to encourage a growth mindset by telling students that they are always capable of learning and improving, and that we have faith in them. A student is much more likely to succeed if they feel they are being supported by their teachers opposed to being judged. This leads to the next topic of giving students their marks.
Should Students See Their Marks?
Seeing how feedback can impact students, we also discussed the effects of giving students grades on a regular basis. Of course feedback is essential for students to develop further but is it actually necessary for them to see the numbers? This is something I honestly never thought about. It has always been an expectation that after every test or assignment, my teacher would mark my work and hand back a grade. It is definitely foreign to me to NOT give students their marks, but to only give them feedback comments. As I think about this more and more, it does make sense. Once it becomes a habit and students stop focusing on individual grades, they can learn to concentrate on what they need to improve on instead of getting discouraged by a poor grade... or thinking that they don't have to try anymore since they're already getting high marks. These are very interesting concepts that not all teachers will feel comfortable doing, but it's something to think about.
 |
| Retrieved from https://plus.maths.org/content/ sites/plus.maths.org/files/news/2011/alevels/exam.jpg |
Overall, I have come to learn that traditional methods of teaching math need to change. Sure, it works for a select few, but there are better, more inclusive and engaging ways to teach. Through the use of technology, games, manipulatives, collaboration, inquiry-based learning, and by giving effective feedback, students can gain so much more out of math class. I'm hopeful that more teachers will be inspired by the benefits of these techniques and that it will become the norm in modern-day classrooms.
Comments
Post a Comment