Throughout school I always did well in math, though it wasn't necessarily fun. Clearly, students that don't do as well in math find it particularly frustrating and are at risk of shutting down. I am confident in my math content knowledge, yet I am still growing in my ability to reach students who have learned to hate math. Please share your ideas and philosophies about how to make math instruction more interesting and engaging. In addition, any knowledge of hands-on activities, online resources, fun problems, how to connect math to the real world, etc. is welcome. Contrasting your advice with your thoughts on how not to teach math could also be helpful. Thank you for your time.
Lisa, the key word seems to be manipulatives! This is something I need to spend more time integrating in my thinking because I do not have any experience with manipulatives. I have only recently become aware of them since it is such a big buzzword in education. In my problem solving class, our teacher stressed the importance of beginning with more concrete ideas then transition to the abstract. If students are going to really solve problems or care about problem solving, they must understand the purpose behind what they are doing. Thank you for the ideas and resources. I'm liking that link, and I'll have to struggle to implement number 8 more. ;)
ReplyDeleteMatt, I have the same preoccupation as you. Since I am not yet a teacher, and I am aware of how some students see math, I am concerned on how to solve this situation before I encounter it. I believe hands on experiment are a good way to get students engaged. I remember enjoying working in groups when I was in high school. If done in an orderly manner, students have the opportunity and the challenge to participate and give their opinion on how they think the problem should be solved.
ReplyDeleteI know I still have a lot to learn, but that is what I think would work for most students.
Good points, Julian. Hands-on experimentation isn't something we always associate with math, but maybe it should be. I like how you focused on involving the students by giving them the opportunity to solve problems and not being afraid to challenge them. If we can show confidence in their ability to learn by challenging them instead of just dumbing everything down and hoping they can memorize it all, then I believe students will rise to the challenge. If we can get students interested in solving problems, then they will really start to understand the math behind them.
DeleteI am also trying to find a way to teach math without making it boring rigor. I noticed that a charitable 501(c)3 non-profit organization named Why U has released very good animated videos on YouTube for teaching math. You can subscribe to their videos. However, most school systems do not allow the use of YouTube in the classroom. Now I am trying to find alternatives. This is the main difficulty I encounter when looking for fun resources for teaching math. At least the teacher can view the videos and include the presentation style in the classroom. The teacher just has to make sure copyright laws are not violated.
ReplyDeleteI think students get tired of watching the same teacher give more and more material every day. The idea is to include instruction that is entertaining and is sometimes delivered by a source other than the teacher. This variety will minimize the monotonous ritual often seen in most classrooms.
It is wonderful that you want to make learning math fun for your students. There are several ways that you can make math interesting and relevant. First of all, try engaging your students with interactive games that you can use on your Smartboard. Many of these activities can be downloaded from the Internet. Secondly, let students play math games, and they would also enjoy using flash cards. In addition, make math relevant by helping students to realize that they must use math every day. Create word problems based on shopping or even planning a trip. Hopefully, these strategies will benefit your students.
DeleteThank you for the link, Shawn. They look like good videos, and I believe I could take away something from their presentation style. I agree that it's good to mix it up. I know I always appreciated when teachers brought out videos in science class because it was more interesting to see the visuals and hear someone else talking. I'll have to remember that my students may be able to get something easier from another source sometimes. I've noticed a lot of today's entertainment changes the pace constantly to ensure it keeps your attention, and that could be something to keep in mind when lesson planning.
DeleteHello Mat. I have taught math to 4th to 9th grade students in the form of Mathcounts, and various math competitions held by the county. Games work particularly well for those ages. For instance, a pair of dice works great for probability, as does money, i.e., coins. Building design works great for Geometry. I use the race track for physics because I love racing. Whatever you are good at and love you can turn into a Math lesson.
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