Operations with Whole Numbers, Week 3

Hi Everyone!

To me, being an effective math teacher means holistically reflecting on what you have learned, what you are in the process of learning, and what there is to learn in the future. I believe it is important to reflect on what I have learned so far about becoming an effective, engaging math teacher, and connecting this to the class readings (Small, 2013) and to my personal experiences.

This past week in class, we were discussing computational strategies in regards to operations with whole numbers. A common theme discussed within readings and in class discussion, is that no matter what mathematical concept is being discussed, it is important that students completely understand the concepts and be able to effectively communicate (see Small, 2013: 219, 241). To me, this concept is important in any aspect of life, whether it be within the workforce, at home or in school, if you are not able to understand basic concepts and communicate effectively, that needs to be revisited and relearned.

Fletcher, A. 2015. Amanda Fletcher's Electronic Teaching Portfolio.

In addition to this basic fundamental of math, a common theme within this topic is that students are more likely to engage with math if they are able to use manipulatives and understand the language used. To the right is an image displaying grade 1 students interacting with manipulatives and communicating with their teacher. It demonstrates the importance for students to use manipulatives within the classroom in order to fully understand mathematical concepts. Money as a manipulative is also effective as students understand the basic concepts of money, are able to work with it and further apply it to real world concepts (Small, 2013: 236). In addition to manipulatives, there are other visual aids that math teachers can call upon for reinforcing concepts, such as images, diagrams, or technological resources. For me, I am a very visual learner so these types of strategies are ones that reinforce my learning style and I will call upon them during my teaching practice.

To further assess and reflect if the teaching methods are effective, it is important for the teacher and students to communicate about the concepts at hand. As Small states, "Students should be encouraged to record in whatever way is most meaningful to them, but that is understandable by someone who reads it" (Small, 2013: 225). This principle encourages engagement with the math material and further solidifies the skill set needed to communicate about the problem. For my teaching practice, I will utilize such skills to ensure my students are able to understand concepts holistically and further apply them to large scale ideas.

I believe it is important for students to engage with new material and be encouraged to work with the concepts, even if they are discouraged or intimidated. As a teacher, it is so important to offer support to students because should they be encouraged to continue with challenging tasks, they will more likely be successful with the problem at hand, later on in the academic year with school related tasks, and even further into their adult lives. Encouragement, effective communication, and engaging with material holistically are my ultimate goals of teaching math to my students successfully.

References 
Fletcher, A. (2015). Amanda Fletcher's Electronic Teaching Portfolio. Retrieved from http://sitemaker.umich.edu/amandafletcher/my_classroom_management_plan
Small, M. (2013). Chapter 10: Computational Strategies: Operations with Whole Numbers. In Making Math Meaningful to Canadian Students, K-8. (2nd Ed.) Nelson Education. Toronto: Canada.

The Importance of Being an Effective Math Teacher, Week 2

Hi Everyone!

Today I will be posting a brief reflection regarding mathematics education at the Junior/Intermediate level and the approach that I will have to take in the classroom as a student teacher teaching math.

Generally, through my own experiences and conversing with others, math does carry a negative connotation as the subject that a lot of students are not interested in learning about. I have personally experienced many ineffective math teachers, and this allowed me to give math a terrible reputation as I simply did not understand what was being presented and 'sold' to me. As a student teacher, I will do everything I can to prevent this from happening with my own students.

I believe in order for me to become a good math teacher, there are many different approaches to take; the article 5 Important Characteristics to Become a Good Math Teacher is a great article to consult. Based on this article cited, a successful math teacher has:

1. Care and Concern: Sometimes the focus will have to be on the way students are learning as opposed to the content being taught. 
2. Approach: Encourage the students to continue with the math at hand even if they get it wrong. After all, sometimes the best way to learn is to make mistakes then try again!
3. Teaching Strategies: Learn a variety of ways to teach the subject to the students as no one learns the same way. 
4. Leadership: Be a good role model for the students, demonstrate a positive attitude and respect for everyone. 



Katic, K. © September 15, 2015.
Having Fun in Math Class.

5. Knowledge of Math: This allows for confident explanation of math, and students have the ability to trust the teacher if they are having any problems. 

Finally, I believe that any math teacher can make math fun! To the right I have included a photo taken during my own Teacher Education Math J/I Level Course. We were presented with a word problem and had to think of as many solutions to the problem as we could. Upon being slightly stumped, the instructor demonstrated many fun ways of finding solutions to the problem by using manipulatives. Then it dawned on me that, yes, math can be made fun, it just takes a good teacher and good strategies to make it happen. These strategies are ones that I will be able to implement in my classroom, as well as providing students with math problems attached to real photos. Sometimes, all it takes is seeing a photo of something interesting to get students motivated to solve the associated math problem. However, I am looking forward to learning more effective strategies for teaching math well.

Over the next few weeks of this course, my focus will involve expanding my mathematical knowledge within mathematical assessment, evaluation, and strategies in lesson planning based on the math curriculum. Additionally, there are many useful assessment guides within the assigned readings that I will be able to consult. The most important emphasis placed on mathematical evaluation is to remember that each student will learn differently and at their own pace, so it is critical to evaluate them in comparison to the curriculum and not in comparison to their peers.

References 

Small, M. (2013). Making Math Meaningful to Canadian Students, K-8. (2nd Ed.) Nelson Education. Toronto: Canada.
Zeiger, S. (2015). 5 Important Characteristics to Become a Good Math Teacher. Retrieved from http://work.chron.com/5-important-characteristics-become-good-math-teacher-8926.html 

Introduction Post

Swire, B. © Spring 2015.

Hi Everyone! Welcome to my Mathematics Education Page! My name is Kathlene, I graduated this year from McMaster University with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, Minor in Geography. Currently, I am a teacher candidate at Brock University. Throughout my education, I have discovered that I love to help others learn and reach their full potential, and for this reason, amongst many others, is why I want to become a teacher within the Junior/Intermediate age divisions.

My first time wake surfing.
Katic, K. © 2015.

Aside from my passion to help others, I am generally a very happy, enthusiastic person who loves life! I am an avid gym-goer, and I thoroughly enjoy active participation in sports such as waterskiing and wake surfing (yes, actual surfing is on my list of things to do!). My favourite way to unwind is to attend MokshaYoga classes as I have found that being in a peaceful, encouraging environment is an excellent way to strengthen the body and calm the mind. If you’re interested in Hot Yoga, be sure to check out Kino MacGregor’s website - she is a well renowned yogi and I can only hope to achieve some of her poses...one day! In addition to being physically active, I am an avid cook and baker, I love to spend time with my family and friends (especially at the cottage: see below), and I am a total country girl at heart. 

My happy place: the sunrise view from my cottage.
Katic, K. © 2015.

As you can see, I am an extremely active, creative person, and I hope to incorporate some of these strategies into my teaching methods in order to help students engage with material, understand theories and apply concepts.

In this introductory mathematics class, I hope to learn simple, effective strategies for teaching math to my students, whether that be through appealing visual aids, real world applications, and the like. Too often in my own elementary school career I was left feeling as though I did not understand mathematical concepts, and the teacher would move forward from the topic with students trailing behind. I am aiming to figure out strategies that teach every student to engage, understand and apply mathematical concepts, and not feel as though they are being left behind if a concept is unclear. I also hope to encourage a positive, proactive learning environment by teaching students it is ok to make mistakes, just take a step back, relax, regroup and move forward, after all mistakes can be the best way to learn!