Reflection on Blogging March 8, 2012

 

Blogging was a very new experience for me as I don’t have Face book or twitter account and mainly only use Email for work until this year. This class has not only taught me how to teacher Algebra to my students but also has taught me a lot about using the computer. I was able to learn how to access my friend’s blogs though my account and make comments. I still don’t understand fully the use of categorizing and tagging the blog as it doesn’t group like categories together. I do understand the difference between a page and a new blog but don’t know if there is etiquette for use. Adding pictures was frustrating as it wouldn’t accept them unless they were saved as web page. Also diagrams I drew using shapes were impossible to copy. Blogging is a good way to communicate and share information probably better than in a classroom setting because you read everyone’s assignment and comments, and can add comments yourself, going away with a lot of ideas. In the classroom there just isn’t enough time for all of this interaction.   This class has helped me see the big picture of math beyond just being able to do the computations.  Through this class I have learned that math can be an interactive hands on class that can be relate to real world living.  This is something I am very apprehensive about in becoming a math teacher because I have taught a FACS for 32 years. I found the entire class very interesting, although I think I enjoyed the linear equations and patterns the best. For the 1^st time I was able to relate to word problems as they were related to patterns which make it come to life for me. These were skills I apply in everyday life without realizing the math concept involved.  I did like and see the value to journals and would like to have students do them in a blog. Blogging them might reduce the resistance that the students have towards writing in math. I don’t know the district stand on Blogging, but they do allow Edmodo, which seems very singular but I think blogging is safer. I will also continue to use my blog to access resources and store others as I see my entire blog as a resource for teaching math.

Math Myths February 11, 2012

My Reflections of Math Myth

 

 

Several of these Math Myths were believed when I was going to school. The main one I remember was the memorization of math facts was crucial .I wasn’t until I started teaching that I noticed this myth was no longer adhered to. Students had to “learn” and not memorize the information. It took me a while to figure out the difference between learning and memorizing, because when I was in school there was little real life relevant connection provided or purpose to the learning. Children were taught to do as they were told and not to question. Counting on your finger was not allowed and in Catholic school would earn you a smack across the knuckles.  Today they are considered a manipulative. It was also a general belief that some people had a “Math Mind”, while others didn’t. When my own sons were in school, being able to complete 100 problems in a minute was key to placement in a math class, which supports the myth good math students, do math problems quickly. Fact is math problems take time to think out and solve. Some of us need more than others.

A lot has changed in schools and teaching, math in particular since I was in school 37 years ago. The biggest change came with the installation of the State Standards in the mid 90’s. They demand a higher level of thinking on the student’s part and the teachers. These standards were brought about by demands of the National Mathematics Associations in responds to demands for predicted as needed to live in the 21^st centenary world.

We as educators must encourage all student and provide for them to reach success. Even if it is one small step at a time, as forward is the goal. It is not easy to change a person’s attitude let alone societies.  The main thing is to provide relevance to our teaching. Two ideas that stood out to me during the reading were having students tutor others, struggling students could tutor young grades. Involving parents by having them require their child to teach (or refresh their memory) what they learned that day. This not only gives encouragement to the student but is considered the highest level of learning: to be able to teach it. Journaling would be a great way to find out the students career goals and an angle for the teacher to use in motivating them. Also having quest speakers take can relate how math connects with their career.

Mathography January 28, 2012

Mathography 1

 

The first thing I remember about Math is that as far back to second grade you were regrouped f with the other second grade classroom. I was always in the lower of two or the middle of three these groups. We had a workbook for math and we were allowed to write in it, no other book did you dare write in. There was also a lot of repetition, we had a drill at the beginning of every class, we’d graded each others, you got to write your problem on the board, and we always had homework. In third grade, I remember we were adding and subtracting multiple digit numbers and the teacher was telling us we were smarter them kids in public school, because when they carried a number or borrowed they would scratch though the original number and write the new number above for subtraction.  For adding they would record the amount carried over above the new column. We were not allowed to do this, we just had to remember. Perhaps this was her way of teaching mental math.

The first concept I remember learning in math was the counting song “one, two buckle my shoe, three four, close the door”. At school, I remember in second grade, we had to memorize the times table on the back of our copybook. My mother would quiz me at night when going to bed and in the morning at breakfast. It must have been important! In seventh grade I remember spending about 2 months making Christmas wreaths out of tissue paper. The teacher called it applied geometry, my father was furious, complaining it was a waste of time, I would have to agree. In ninth grade, at the end of the year, I remember the whole class tried to convince teacher to begin teaching us algebra, she refused, even though most of us were signed up for algebra 1 the next year. I guess this is what I disliked the most, it seemed I was always held back from what I thought I could. Then in algebra 2, I was lost in work problems. I would go to my algebra 1 teacher, who was the best math teacher I had, to get help. Part of my problem was I couldn’t get the connection from method to applied situations. I was good at solving problems but no connection to life had ever been made.  Problem 2, the class was a zoo, and the teacher didn’t teach, we just went over homework. To me my algebra I teacher, Mrs. Ruben, was the best teacher because she explained thing s very clearly. She also didn’t have a problem the students helping students, but she was always there to help us. I was learning something new and challenging and fun.

I didn’t like school early on, but math was my favorite subject because I did get good grades in math and I do enjoy working with numbers and solving things.  Reflecting back and comparing math with today’s elementary schools, it seems they are more advanced. When I got to 8^th grade, Home Economics became my favor subject. However there is math in Home Ec., in measuring, unit pricing, counting nutrients, time management, budgeting, sewing, crafts and decorating. I am always doing something with math in these areas.