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.
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| 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.
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