Algorithm Galore

In this weeks class we learned about the importance of different algorithms with respect to math. It is important to get a rational understanding of why we got the answer we did as well as how we got the answer we did.  The assessment for, as, and of learning are crucial to see and understand how students learn. All students don't learn in the same way and it is important to get students collaborating and discussing how they think in order to appeal to different learning styles and techniques. Students can understand that there are different methods to solving a problem and that the method they may use in one situation varies from another. Students understand that math is meaningful and it is everywhere. Getting students excited and involved in their math experience means that it becomes more enjoyable and students begin to love math rather than dread coming to class every day. It is important to note that students learn from each other and in various ways when teaching students math content and how to solve problems.

The images above demonstrate that there are many ways to solve a problem in math and some students may understand how to get it right away while others are more visual learners and need to break down the problem visually. The second photo really appealed to me because I myself am a visual learner and I can begin to see how a student will understand what multiplication really means by seeing how it is broken down into parts. Students should not cry while filling out multiplication tables at home because they are struggling to complete them but rather use multiplication as a simplification tool just so they don't get bogged down in numbers. Multiplication has many meanings and it can be thought of as repeated addition, counting of equal groups, or objects in array. Thinking of multiplication as an area of a rectangle is a brilliant way to visualize a concept that many students may just think of as numbers at first. It is important to understand the meaning of multiplication before they simply just memorize a table and move on.

Students need to see math as sensible and useful in their daily lives. Good math problems involve relatable material such as holidays, sports, and material they are interested in such as super heroes or pokemon. A good math problem is one where any student can get started regardless of their comfort level in math and is something they can expand or build upon. Good math problems often have more than one answer or at least multiples ways of achieving a solution. Open problems are the key to any student getting involved in math and interested in developing their math skills

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Relatable Math? Yes Please

So often we hear negative messages about math such as “ I hate math” “I’m not good at math” or “I’m just not a math person”. Even in Hollywood movies we get bombarded with how math is for “nerds” or girls just are not good at math. Week one has completely changed my perspective about math and how fun it can be. It is so useful in our daily lives and I think the old methods of teaching made us forget about that. The old school methods of teaching created an environment where students were afraid to ask questions so they wouldn’t seem “stupid” or feel devalued if they just couldn’t understand the complicated formulas that were thrown our way. Teachers worked at paces that were too fast for students and complicated things way more than they needed to be. Why should there only be one way to solve a problem? Students should be able to solve problems in their own way and not think that there is only one “right” way of solving a problem.

           

            I was mind blown by the example of how to add and subtract that was demonstrated in class. I had always practiced addition and subtraction the way that my teachers had taught me previously but I never really understood what I was doing or even questioned it. Why would students be borrowing numbers from the column beside? When you borrow a number, where does it go? And why complicate math on paper when you can just simply do what is natural and the way that we all do math in our minds? I couldn’t believe how much more simple the way that was shown in the photograph above is. Students can easily add and not only that they understand what they are doing. I love that I can embrace that there are different ways of answering a problem and that everyone can come up with their own way that they feel comfortable with just as long as the method is not specific to one question and can be applied more than once.

            I am looking forward to learning other new ways of solving math that makes 
it easier for students to understand so that they never have to feel like they hate math. One message that really stuck with me this class was that a student should never say that they just can’t do it or they don’t get it because they may not get it in that moment but with the use of manipulatives and asking further questions or creating real life situations they will get it, they just haven’t got it yet. I love that math can also be relative to the current life of students. Math problems should not consist of “farmer brown has 5 pigs”… but have to do with fun themes that students can relate to. Math problems are open ended and get students engaged and asking questions that spark their creativity and they are able to use the knowledge they already have to solve the problem. All students have strengths and they can finally demonstrate those strengths and not feel ashamed about their weaknesses in math. 

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