Post 6

Children's Story Books and Math, Does it Add Up?

 A new trend in teaching math is linked to reading children's story books.  Teachers have been using childrens literature in the classroom to enhance the learning and enjoyment of many subjects for years.  But few teachers have incorporated it into their math curriculum.  

Today's teachers are seeing the value of sparking a child's mathematical imagination through literature.  The world of math comes alive and their wonder and creativity begins to flow.  This level of excitement is rarely seen when just a straight math lecture is given.  Books help to overcome the stigma that math is dull.  The characters and creativity in many books that focus on math, pull the students in and grab their attention.  This is a great transition for any teacher to then move into the math lesson.  The students are engaged and ready to learn. 

 Adding childrens literature to teaching math is also a great way to assist teachers who do not have a passion for math or feel comfortable teaching it.  A teacher whose passion or strengths are in language arts, can help increase their own confidence in teaching math with literature.  It is known fact that when you have a passion for something, your love of it can been seen in your actions.  On the flip side, often your fear or dislike can be seen as well.  When you are having fun, any topic is easier to teach or learn.  Your students will see your joy and excitement and pick up on the vibe too.

Researchers have found four important reasons to link math instruction to children's literature:

• It sparks children’s interest in learning mathematics.
  
  
• It provides context that bring meaning to mathematical ideas.
  
  
• It ties mathematics to another area of the curriculum.
  
  
• It supports student understanding through communication.
  

Math ideas and concepts are often abstract in the minds of many students.  By providing a forum for a teacher to read and then explain what math concept has just occurred, it creates an opportunity for students to ask questions and develop a deeper understanding of math.  By linking math and literature, you are creating a crossover of information.  The more often a crossover occurs, it strengthens the understanding of both subjects.  The stories that surround the math concepts in the books give meaning to the math they are learning.  It is no longer just numbers on a paper.  It helps them cross the gap from memorization of information to utilization. 

Scholastic books has picked up on this new trend in math and has partnered with Marilyn Burns to provide teachers resources for teaching math.  Marilyn has worked-hands on in classrooms and through her love of teaching, she has compiled the Marilyn Burns Classroom Math Libraries.  This is a collection of 125 books spanning the K-6 grades.  Here is the link to her library list which is broken down by grade.   Along with her link, I have provided other links below to help you build your math library and gain your buy-in of why linking math to childrens books adds up to success.

Why use childrens books to teach?

Best picture books to teach math

Math picture books

Effective math solutions

Using children's books to teach math

Post 5

Geometry, It's all Greek to me!

How many of you feel that figuring out geometry some times feels like traveling in a foreign land, with the language unknown?  Well, as the saying goes geometry... "it's all Greek to me!"   This is true for a large number of people.  This is surprising to me since from such a young age children are delighted by shapes.  They are excited to point them out, color them in, fit them into the corresponding cut-out, or eat a sandwich that is cut into triangles.  From early on we have a fascination with shapes and how they fit in our world.  Somewhere along the way geometry turns into a foreign language, causing challenges and creating questions for many.

The word geometry comes from the Greek word "geo" and "metron,"  when put together it means "earth measure."  Over time the meaning has evolved into more general terms, stating that geometry is the branch of mathematics that treats the measurement, relationship, and properties of points, lines, angles, and figures in space.

The above definitions of geometry seem pretty straight forward.  So where does the challenge come in?  I believe it comes down to the curriculum that is taught.  When looking at the math curriculum there is a greater emphasis put on algebra than geometry.  Algebra is given 2 full years to lay foundations, calculate equations and build an understanding of algebraic mathematics.  Geometry has just as many theorems, calculations, and equations to master, but only given half of the time to accomplish it in.  Students are given a brief overview of geometry, at a rapid pace, thus never gaining the concrete understanding developed through practice and repeated application. 

Geometry is a vital part of our everyday lives.  Geometry plays a large part in many professions, such as: art, chemistry, medicine, physics, auto design, road construction, real estate transactions, computer graphics and  structural engineering, just to name a few.  With so many professions utilizing geometry, why are schools limiting the focus on this topic?

I may not be able to change the state standards or school curriculum in the near future, but as an educator I can help students get comfortable with geometry.  Please take the time to read the embedded  article  to get ideas on how to incorporate geometry into your classrooms and homes.  Have your children measure their rooms and calculate the area.  Let them use rulers and tape measures.  Have them estimate what they think the length is of objects are around your home or classroom.  Use this worksheet to have them record their information.  Or play games with them at different math websites.  There are many resources out there to help make geometry fun and exciting.  And in no time at all, it won't seem so Greek!

How to teach geometry

Why do students struggle in geometry?

Geometry is supposed to be easy

Jobs that use geometry

Geometry math games

Post 4

 Math + Fun Just Doesn't Add Up! 

How many of you when you hear math and fun in the same sentence have to stop and re-read it to see if you can find the sarcasm?  If you are one of the many people who do not think math and fun belong in the same sentence, you will be excited to hear about a new trend in math.  Many teachers, parents and math curriculums are working towards making math fun!  It is possible and I am going to share with you many tips, articles and websites to prove it!

Showing enthusiasm for math is a must for teachers and parents.  If a teacher does not show a love and a passion for math the students will know.  Many teachers who dislike math do not spend adequate time on this subject.  This creates two problems.  It shows that math is not a critical skill and the lack of adequate time needed to grasp math concepts reinforces that math is difficult.  This coupled with many parents' lack of enthusiasm is a recipe for disaster.

Parents will go out of their way to support their children when learning how to read and write.  They will sing the alphabet song and read them books.  But how often do they sit down with their children to work on math?  An article  I recently read gives five tips for parents and educators to make math fun for children.

1. Find mathematical situations in everyday life.
2. Be the “guide on the side” versus the “sage on the stage.”
3. Respond neutrally to correct and incorrect answers.
4. Avoid “drill and kill.”
5. Model enthusiasm.

When reading through these, there is merit in each one.  Showing children the relevance of math in everyday life is critical to gain buy-in from the student that math is important.   You can do many simple things.  For example, when solving a word problems use the student's name and topics they are interested in.  This will help to grab their attention. 


It is so important to be the guide on the side.  Children need to learn and explore on their own.  This is a critical skill that will take them far in life.  Additionally, children have become dependent on responses from adults.  Instead of answering with a yes or no to a correct or incorrect answer, respond by asking, how did you get that answer.  It is important to know the why behind the answer.  What steps did they take to get that answer.  Could they get the same answer if asked in a different way?  This is one reason why the kill and drill approach is not effective.  U.S. students have a tendency to memorize facts without understanding the meaning.  


But the most important thing that we can do for children is to model enthusiasm.   Many of us do not enjoy math.  It it not our job or our place to push our feeling about math on them.  They should be free to make this decision on their own.  Showing love and support will encourage their love of math.  Talk about math in the world and the role it plays in our lives.  Talk about how having a deeper understanding of math with help them throughout their life time not just during school. 


Be creative with how you teach math.  Have you ever done the decimal dance?  Or taught fractions with chocolate bars?  Math is more than just a pencil and paper.  Hands on math that gets the body and mind working together makes learning fun and memorable.  A great way to make math fun in through comics.  There is a great resource available called ToonDoo by clicking on this link you will see a sample of some of the great cartoons I created to use in my classroom.  
  
Humor is a great way to engage students.  You can grab their attention with this funny math video. This video shows that math can be viewed differently by different people.  Showing that we all look at math differently will lighten the mood.   


I hope your mood and feelings towards math were lightened through this post and it's resources.  Math is all in how we view it.  The saying "attitude is everything" is a perfect fit for math.  If we view math as hard and worthless, so will our children and students.  Math should not be viewed as a daunting challenge with no point, but as a way to explore our world.  Our world is not just paper, pencils and memorization, so how we teach math shouldn't be either.


Creative ways to teach math

Creative ways to teach math for ELL students.

Step by step math

Hands on Math

How Washington State is making math more fun.

Post 3

                     "Arithmophobia," Fact or Fiction?
Are you one of the many adults who suffer from "arithmophobia" or "numerophobia?" While it may sound funny or appear that I am being sarcastic, these are real clinical phobias that affect a surprising number of adults.  The fear or hatred of math runs deep for many adults.
                                                      
                                         

Why does this matter and how does this affect our youth?  Unfortunately, this negative bias towards math has a big effect on how our students perceive math.  Have you ever heard a child say, "I hate math, this is hard, or when will I ever use this?"  These comments are often followed by a biased adult saying, "just try to get through it and when you are done with school you won't have to use math anymore."  This statement couldn't be further from the truth.  Our world is filled with everyday math and to have a negative bias towards it, puts students at a huge disadvantage.

As educators, we have our work cut out for us to help change this negative bias towards math.  We will have to work double time to help overcome the many negative views and comments that students hear about math from adults and other role models in their lives.  To help show the lack of enthusiasm and retained math knowledge from adults, I have inserted a video clip that drives home this point.

In the video clip above, several adults and teens are asked the simple question, "What is a rhombus?"  Sadly, no one was able to answer that or similar questions correctly.  The questions being asked were part of 3rd and 4th grade curriculum.  However, when the interviewer started to recite numbers from a popular 80's song, the teen was able to quickly and correctly say the numbers.

This solidified the fact for me that as educators we need to make learning fun, interactive and filled with repetition that builds and deepens understanding.  If adults and teens have a "what does it matter" attitude, so will our students.  We need to be role models for today's youth and get them excited and confident in their understanding and application of math.

Rocking the Standards  is a great way to excite and engage children in math education.  The premise behind it is that music makes learning fun.  Tim Bedley the creator and lead drummer of the Rocking the Standards band is a 4th and 5th grade teacher in California.   With over 20 years under his belt and his passion to help students succeed in school, he was able to mastermind the success of this band.  Please view the video below showing the excitement and engagement of the students while learning about shapes.

As a future educator, this is a tool I will definitely incorporate in my classroom.  I hope to be able to break the cycle of the negative math bias.  I am confident that by making math fun, hands-on and relevant to today's world.  I too, will be a teacher that helps my students to "rock the state standards"  and help them to love the world of math! 

For more information on math phobias and the negative bias it creates please read the article below.
Negative Math Bias

Post 2

                                         One is the Loneliest Number

Have you ever heard of the saying "One is the loneliest number?"  This statement couldn't be more true especially when learning math.  As educators and researchers are discovering, students most often learn best when working with other students.  Communication is key when learning math concepts.  This doesn't just include communication from the teacher to the student or from the student to the teacher, it also includes student to student communication.  

According to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, NCTM, communication is a tool that is critical for learning math.  Communication helps build meaning for students.  Conversations about math help to deepen the understanding of math concepts, equations and strategies for solving problems.  The communication standard below helps emphasize the importance of communication in relation to math.   




 Instructional programs from prekindergarten through grade 12 should enable all students to—

• organize and consolidate their mathematical thinking through communication;
• communicate their mathematical thinking coherently and clearly to peers, teachers, and others;
• analyze and evaluate the mathematical thinking and strategies of others;
• use the language of mathematics to express mathematical ideas precisely.

As educators how can we better facilitate communication in mathematics?  One way is by making sure that students are active participants in the learning process.  Don't just ask the student for the answer, ask how they came up with the answer.  It's not just about knowing the answer, it's also about the steps involved.  
Communication of the answer from the student helps them to express the steps or process they took to solve the problem.  If there is an error, the teacher is better able to trouble shoot where the problem is occurring and get the student back on track.  Communication should be both written and spoken for the best learning results to take place.  

To encourage active participation, math games are a great way to make learning fun and communication effortless, engaging, and educational.  Games help facilitate learning by increasing thinking, reasoning, and logic of math skills.  This often puts peers in the role of the teacher.  This role helps to deepen the understanding of the math concept for both the student-teacher and their peers.  
   

 

There are many great math games and resources available to teachers, to help enrich the learning experience for their students.  A great web site for math skills that I have found breaks down the standards and skills for each grade.  Fun and motivational games are part of the learning process for each grade.  Additionally, you can look at the standards for each state to compare the similarities and differences.  

I am a huge advocate for communication in mathematics.  I have been in and seen too many classrooms where learning opportunities are missed when the teacher only implements individual work through worksheets or books.  Learning should be fun and exciting.  Events that evoke emotion, whether good or bad, make a lasting impact.  By making math exciting and interactive you are increasing and strengthening the knowledge acquired by the student.  Communication is the key to greater success for our students in math.

For more information on how to communicate in math please read the article below. 

Article on the importance of communication in math 

Post 1

Do U.S. Students Measure Up In Math Achievement?

School curriculum and state standards are ever changing and often a topic of controversy.  Do our students measure up to other countries?  When reading the article, A Cohort Curriculum, The Case of Mathematics, by William Schmidt, Richard Houang and Leland Logan, the authors' are quick to point out the short comings of the content and depth of content our children are learning.

The authors' views are by saying, "A mile wide and an inch deep."  This implies that U.S. curriculum is currently designed to give a brief and general understanding of many topics as compared to other countries who focus intensely on just a few.  When compared to other countries our lack of in depth-knowledge on tested subjects, has caused our students to measure up short.

Are we really measuring up short?  Are our students less educated or bright?  This topic has views on each end of the spectrum.  I am a firm believer that students become well-rounded and enriched the more they learn and know about our world covering a variety of topics.  So who is to say what and how much knowledge is better?   If the study was testing the amount of knowledge on mathematics  as a whole verses in depth knowledge in just a few areas the authors would be singing praises for the curriculum taught in the U.S.

I give our teachers a lot of praise for educating  our students in an ever changing environment where school curriculum is only as good as the latest study or test comparing students from all over the world.  My motto is inch by inch, mile by mile.  As long as our children keep learning and stay current with knowledge that will help them to be successful members of society, I think we are right on track. 


Link to read the original article in full.