Final Math Post - What Have I Learned?

The most important thing I have learned is that math doesn’t have to be a word that evokes anxiety; it can actually be fun, engaging, and even entertaining.  I will be able to model the excitement I now have for learning math, which will be contagious to my students. 

What makes math fun?  One thing that makes it fun for me is using manipulatives to help with concepts that were only taught to me in the abstract.  Manipulatives do not have to be fancy gadgets; they can be ordinary everyday objects (like colored beans or folding paper).  You can use your whole body as a manipulative (ex. moving yourself up and down a life-size number line), or use good old-fashioned items such as miras.  The most important thing about manipulatives is that using them helps get kids (and adults) to move from the concrete to the abstract.  Setting a solid foundation helps students learn more, more quickly, as well as helping them move on to different types of problems beginning with the abstract.  In addition, students will feel more comfortable pushing themselves further when learning feels fun rather than boring or risky. 

Another way to make math fun is to make it interactive. (Rather than giving students a boring worksheet assignment- they should be given a fun and interactive group learning activity).  As social beings, group work is a natural way to figure out how to solve problems.  Having students take on roles (such as facilitator, etc.) keeps them engaged and accountable for their own learning.  Students need to make sure that everyone at their table understands, and can explain, the material.  This helps them learn how to care for others’ learning, as well as their own.  Also, changing up the projects and rotating their roles, which is important in terms of giving the students different points of entry.

Giving students an interactive math project also allows them to put a little of their own flair into the assignment, making it mean more to them, while helping them understand an abstract concept.  Students who wonder how or why would they need to know a certain math concept in "real life" will benefit by physically doing an activity like this.  Interactive projects also spark students' curiosity and creativity as well as their desire to learn - without making them feel anxious.  Removing the anxiety helps kids feel safe allowing them to take risks with their learning.

Having individuals take turns sharing out and rephrasing what others have shared keeps them invested in, and accountable for, their own learning.  Having students make sure that everyone at their table understands and can explain the material keeps them accountable for others’ learning. 

When planning group activities it is important to help your students see how and why the assignments are connected to real life, and why they need to be able to understand the concepts, etc.  Connecting the assignments and activities to things that matter to the students gets them interested in solving the problem and keeps them engaged in the activity as well.  

The last thing I would like to mention in regards to what I will take away from this class- is that a new teacher should not expect herself to have the all the wisdom of a seasoned teacher, and that she should focus on improving her instruction by 10% each year.  I plan on doing that!  I have really enjoyed this class.  I think I would have taken higher-level math classes if math had been taught to me in this manner.  Thank you for opening my eyes to the endless possibilities of teaching math in fun and interactive ways.