I sooooooooooooo enjoyed this lesson!!!
I always loved being challenged with different types of thinking. The Mars counting problem was right up my alley. Doing this in the classroom can introduce students to different ways of thinking and different ways people have thought. You could expand on this sooo much it is amazing. Learning to count with different systems is a really cool idea. I just hope that when I'm teaching I will find these ideas very useful in the classroom.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Assessment
Our assessment discussion showed me that our students deserve attention and respect when we are planning and putting into place our plans. Assessment should reflect what the students need, not what the teachers has to do. We al know that teachers have a lot of pressure on them to satisfy all the outcomes in the curriculum for that year but we cannot lose sight of what the students need. Assessment would be our way to help us understand where our students are in learning or if they need more time. We should always remember that assessment is ongoing. It has been drilled into our minds last year. Assessment is one of the most important thing we can do when we are reflecting on our teaching. It will help us learn more about our students as well ourselves.
Team Teaching November 27th
Again so many ideas!!!
Liz and Diedre's lesson was very amusing. We all acted like students who would secretly eat our M&M's while doing our tasks. Slowly our piles grew smaller and smaller. But it was the using of colors and graphs that would help students become aware of learning. The use of a book was amazing. Who would have thought you could read a book about Math?? Reading books to me seems limited to Language Arts. But With all the books out there and the many topics, books should be used in all areas of the curriculum. This lesson was very enjoyable as well as tasty.
The lessons on pattern with Danielle and Elaine and Christa and Megan were great too. The use of simple manipulatives was great because it helps the kids visualize and work with their hands to solve the problems. It helps them construct their own knowledge. All these lessons were designed to be used in the classrooms with real students (though we tried our best to act like primary elementary students lol). I know when I go to my classroom i will think back to these days and try them.
Liz and Diedre's lesson was very amusing. We all acted like students who would secretly eat our M&M's while doing our tasks. Slowly our piles grew smaller and smaller. But it was the using of colors and graphs that would help students become aware of learning. The use of a book was amazing. Who would have thought you could read a book about Math?? Reading books to me seems limited to Language Arts. But With all the books out there and the many topics, books should be used in all areas of the curriculum. This lesson was very enjoyable as well as tasty.
The lessons on pattern with Danielle and Elaine and Christa and Megan were great too. The use of simple manipulatives was great because it helps the kids visualize and work with their hands to solve the problems. It helps them construct their own knowledge. All these lessons were designed to be used in the classrooms with real students (though we tried our best to act like primary elementary students lol). I know when I go to my classroom i will think back to these days and try them.
Team Teaching, November 29th
So many ideas and so much learning!
I was amazed by the lessons we have come up with. It just goes to show that teaching is a creative art!! I enjoyed the last class of teaching because it just made me realize how much we need to do for our students. Raylene and Peter's geoboards was very very interesting because I have never used a geobaord before. In my school experience, all we had was the sheet of graph paper with dots on them. So it was so much fun. I was finding shapes and just experimenting before I even knew what we were supposed to do lol. It just goes to show that the simplest learning for students can go a long way.
It was the same with Larissa's and Leah's lesson. They used tanograms. This was little more frustrating but it just goes to show that it is more important for students to construct their own learning without always looking to the teacher for the answer. When I was growing up, the teacher was the key to all problems. If we were stuck we would go to her/him and get the answer. We were always checking and re checking in the back of the door for the answers. If we had the right answer then we were good at Math. But now it's soooooo much more than that! The students hold the key for the answers and the teacher is just a guide. She is there to help students find more answers or different ways to find those answers. But we do not give the answers. With the tanogram lesson it was frustrating but once I got it, it was so exciting. I Did this on my own. I can do this was running through my mind. So if this was running through my mind, then the students would surely have the same thing.
Next it was Nicole's and Heather's lesson. Food is such a motivator for learning Math. It's amazing. The cake idea was so good that I was becoming hungry at the end of the lesson! Again it just goes to show how simple ideas can be the best ones to help students learn fractions or place values or even how to add or subtract. As teachers we need to find the best way for our students to learn. Using food can give them the visualization that some may need or it could just get them more interested. If we bring out lessons to them instead of bringing the students to our lessons the the involvement will more interesting.
The same with Angela's and Krista's lesson. Time is one thing that we used constantly! But finding a way to bring it to Math was very interesting. It just helps students learn about time management and organization. All kepy concepts that everyone should have. It was just really interesting to use a clock to count the time. I really enjoyed it.
All the lessons I have witnessed are all excellent ideas that we can use in our classrooms. We can diversify our lessons so that our students do not become bored. Even though some pen and paper tasks are required, at least we know that we can use different ways to help students keep interested.
I was amazed by the lessons we have come up with. It just goes to show that teaching is a creative art!! I enjoyed the last class of teaching because it just made me realize how much we need to do for our students. Raylene and Peter's geoboards was very very interesting because I have never used a geobaord before. In my school experience, all we had was the sheet of graph paper with dots on them. So it was so much fun. I was finding shapes and just experimenting before I even knew what we were supposed to do lol. It just goes to show that the simplest learning for students can go a long way.
It was the same with Larissa's and Leah's lesson. They used tanograms. This was little more frustrating but it just goes to show that it is more important for students to construct their own learning without always looking to the teacher for the answer. When I was growing up, the teacher was the key to all problems. If we were stuck we would go to her/him and get the answer. We were always checking and re checking in the back of the door for the answers. If we had the right answer then we were good at Math. But now it's soooooo much more than that! The students hold the key for the answers and the teacher is just a guide. She is there to help students find more answers or different ways to find those answers. But we do not give the answers. With the tanogram lesson it was frustrating but once I got it, it was so exciting. I Did this on my own. I can do this was running through my mind. So if this was running through my mind, then the students would surely have the same thing.
Next it was Nicole's and Heather's lesson. Food is such a motivator for learning Math. It's amazing. The cake idea was so good that I was becoming hungry at the end of the lesson! Again it just goes to show how simple ideas can be the best ones to help students learn fractions or place values or even how to add or subtract. As teachers we need to find the best way for our students to learn. Using food can give them the visualization that some may need or it could just get them more interested. If we bring out lessons to them instead of bringing the students to our lessons the the involvement will more interesting.
The same with Angela's and Krista's lesson. Time is one thing that we used constantly! But finding a way to bring it to Math was very interesting. It just helps students learn about time management and organization. All kepy concepts that everyone should have. It was just really interesting to use a clock to count the time. I really enjoyed it.
All the lessons I have witnessed are all excellent ideas that we can use in our classrooms. We can diversify our lessons so that our students do not become bored. Even though some pen and paper tasks are required, at least we know that we can use different ways to help students keep interested.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Team Teaching
Our Plan was to introduce measurement and the concepts of periemeter and area to students in the elementary level. We thought the concept of Santa Claus with no helpers was cute in the way that it would make the connection to the students a little easier. This concept was very vague in the idea that we did not give enough instruction for students to find the answer that we were looking for. Rather it was just enough instruction for students to think of ideas of how to solve the problem themselves drawing on previous knowledge of measuring and estimating.
This plan could be used for any grade because it can introduces so many concepts or help sutdents relearn concepts for earlier grades. We had anticipated some confusion with the start of the lesson but we were wrong. When we introduced the problem and just handed the boxes out, the students just rolled with it. It was easy to begin, the students did not need much instruction for us and it was simple to conduct. All in all the team teaching went extremely well and we were surprised at how well.
It was fun to be able to be the teacher for once. Being in observation days you are considered a teacher but do not necessarily get the chance to teach the whole class. This helped me become more aware of the challenges I will face as a teacher. I would have to be constantly aware of how well the students are faring with the problem and come up with solutions for those who are having extreme difficulty with the problem at hand.
This plan could be used for any grade because it can introduces so many concepts or help sutdents relearn concepts for earlier grades. We had anticipated some confusion with the start of the lesson but we were wrong. When we introduced the problem and just handed the boxes out, the students just rolled with it. It was easy to begin, the students did not need much instruction for us and it was simple to conduct. All in all the team teaching went extremely well and we were surprised at how well.
It was fun to be able to be the teacher for once. Being in observation days you are considered a teacher but do not necessarily get the chance to teach the whole class. This helped me become more aware of the challenges I will face as a teacher. I would have to be constantly aware of how well the students are faring with the problem and come up with solutions for those who are having extreme difficulty with the problem at hand.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Team Teaching
Natalie and Carla: I found their activity really good. They created an idea that can apply to real life situations as well let the children have fun. I had fun doing the problem so I would imagine grade 1's woud have a ball! it was so simple and easy to conduct that it was possible to add more condiments to their sandwich for those who are finished early. The best thing I liked about this topic was the fact that it helped students find patterns but apply it to a real life situation.
Amanda and Nichole: Like Natalie and Carla's idea, they decided to use food to help students find the math. The pizza party with fractions was very interesting because I am so used to using pie for fractions. With this topic, the students can apply to everyday life. They could figure out how many people can go to their parties and how much food they need. They would become helpers for their parens. I found it enjoyableand aware that I was continuing looking for solutions after I was done. It stuck in my mind.
I enjoyed these two lessons and hope to use them in my classroom.
Amanda and Nichole: Like Natalie and Carla's idea, they decided to use food to help students find the math. The pizza party with fractions was very interesting because I am so used to using pie for fractions. With this topic, the students can apply to everyday life. They could figure out how many people can go to their parties and how much food they need. They would become helpers for their parens. I found it enjoyableand aware that I was continuing looking for solutions after I was done. It stuck in my mind.
I enjoyed these two lessons and hope to use them in my classroom.
Fractions Class
This class was a very interesting experience for me. I am so used to to following procedures and quations that this class kind of stumped me. Over the course of my Math experiences in school, it has been drilled into my mind that the only way you can solve a math problem is to use the procedures or equations. This class had me so frustrated. I was trying to place myself in the shoes of a student but I could not help but think "No this is not the way!!" It was so hard for me to do this without writing everything down on paper. I know the kids would find it great because you are not woritng but doing hands on. But what if there is a student in my classroom like me? How would I accommodate him/her if I do this as an activity for mental math?
As for using this type of tool for fractions in my classroom, I will definitely find it beneficial for students to get the complicated topic of fractions. If students have the ability to visualize what they are doing, then it woiuld be a push for students towards success. However, I would have to work and understand this tool very clearly before I give it to the students. If I cannot help them when they ask questions about how to use it, then how good of a teacher would I be?
As for using this type of tool for fractions in my classroom, I will definitely find it beneficial for students to get the complicated topic of fractions. If students have the ability to visualize what they are doing, then it woiuld be a push for students towards success. However, I would have to work and understand this tool very clearly before I give it to the students. If I cannot help them when they ask questions about how to use it, then how good of a teacher would I be?
Monday, October 22, 2007
First Observation Day
On october the 15th, I had my first observation day at St. Andrew's. I was in grade 6 and observed the intensive core french program. Alot of the children did really well with the french but I noticed some did not speak French or spoke only necessarily. The students were really smart and energetic but from learning about classroom management last year, I felt there was little routine to help the children settle down after lunch and recess. In the morning they had their quiet time while the teacher sets up for the next lesson.
After class on tuesday, I rethunk what I said about my experience. I felt I came on too harshly about my teacher. But really he was a great teacher just use a loud/shouting voice to gain control over the classroom. He was enthusastic about all the lessons and really enjoyed the students but like I said just classroom management was a bit shaky. He did not have lessons plans mapped out but just a quick Science observation at such such time or Math-whole number this time. But that worked for him. He did not do everything at a strict pace. He was constantly aware of the students need to stay with something for extra time.
But I was very lucky to observe a Math lesson on my observation day. They were learning about whole numbers and decimal places. He took an impicit teaching approach. He would ask them to read the numbers on the pages about the area of a country. They had to tell which one was bigger and why. I thought this was amazing how he probed the students for the answers. After being in a class with Linda Laite and learning about questioning, it was so amazing to see it being used. He kept asking questions in order to get students to arrive at the answer.
I'm learning so much in my observation days. It just helps put everything that we learned thus far into context.
After class on tuesday, I rethunk what I said about my experience. I felt I came on too harshly about my teacher. But really he was a great teacher just use a loud/shouting voice to gain control over the classroom. He was enthusastic about all the lessons and really enjoyed the students but like I said just classroom management was a bit shaky. He did not have lessons plans mapped out but just a quick Science observation at such such time or Math-whole number this time. But that worked for him. He did not do everything at a strict pace. He was constantly aware of the students need to stay with something for extra time.
But I was very lucky to observe a Math lesson on my observation day. They were learning about whole numbers and decimal places. He took an impicit teaching approach. He would ask them to read the numbers on the pages about the area of a country. They had to tell which one was bigger and why. I thought this was amazing how he probed the students for the answers. After being in a class with Linda Laite and learning about questioning, it was so amazing to see it being used. He kept asking questions in order to get students to arrive at the answer.
I'm learning so much in my observation days. It just helps put everything that we learned thus far into context.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Oct. 2, 2007 class
I was very unsure how to proceed with the problem of counting the grains of sand. It was not my usual Math lesson where we copy from the board and do the problems in the text book that was associated with said problem. I'm just so used to having the teachers give me the problems and say "Here, use this formula and the answer is in the back of the book."
So I was completely lost on how to figure out the problem the Professor asked of us. What exactly was she looking for? What was the answer? What was the formula? This is the mind set that I have been taught about Math. There is always a right answer, wrong answer and a formula that will solve the problem. But doing this problem and writing down ideas about how to figure out the answer was completely liberating. Being stuck in one frame of mind just made me realize what we can do as teachers to help students break free of this mind jail.
It was nice to finally see that Math can be taught differently just as Language arts or Art can be.
So I was completely lost on how to figure out the problem the Professor asked of us. What exactly was she looking for? What was the answer? What was the formula? This is the mind set that I have been taught about Math. There is always a right answer, wrong answer and a formula that will solve the problem. But doing this problem and writing down ideas about how to figure out the answer was completely liberating. Being stuck in one frame of mind just made me realize what we can do as teachers to help students break free of this mind jail.
It was nice to finally see that Math can be taught differently just as Language arts or Art can be.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Mathematics for the Moment
As I was reading the article Mathematics for the Moment, I was able to connect with what the textbook students were saying. I went to a school where our math consisted of tests, formulas and problem solvng statements. We did not use manipulatives, ony in the first or second grades. We had to sit in our seats and take notes about math. So I completely agree with what one of the students said. That the Math they learned has nothing to do with the math in real life. I thought the same way. This is why I am so enthusiastic about trying new methods with children. Getting them to use manipulatives and thinking about numbers in a different way.
One day in class I remember Professor Cameron saying how many different ways there are for looking at the number one: ONE thousand, ONE hundred, ONE cube, ONE side etc etc. How am I able to teach children that one can mean so much. In a way it is overwhelming but I believe that students can and will learn better if a) Math is applied to real life situations or just real life in general and b) children can attach their own meanings and own experiences with Math while satisfying the outcomes as well.
One day in class I remember Professor Cameron saying how many different ways there are for looking at the number one: ONE thousand, ONE hundred, ONE cube, ONE side etc etc. How am I able to teach children that one can mean so much. In a way it is overwhelming but I believe that students can and will learn better if a) Math is applied to real life situations or just real life in general and b) children can attach their own meanings and own experiences with Math while satisfying the outcomes as well.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Math Autobiography
This entry will be answers to the questions posted on our Main blog.
My Math classroom was very bland. First of all we had the same teacher for all subjects except for Music and Art. So our Math class was always in the same classroom. Our Classroom was very boring. All we had on our walls was a section where a calendar was, the time of year, day, month etc and what the weather was for that day. Then there was a big bulletin board on another wall where the teacher would put up pictures of things that we were learning about such as animals or books. But there was never anything about Math. There were no numbers or equations or anything posted on the walls about this subject.
My best memory of Math is sitting in our grade 3 classroom and having our teacher spontaneous announce that we were going out in the school yard to count how many things are the same. I cannot remember what exactly we were learning about but I know I have to find things that were of similar shape, color and size. We were so excited that we tried soooo hard to find everything we can that fitted this criteria.
My worst memory of Math was watching as one of my classmates being belittled for getting an answer wrong. It was horrible. The person was trying so hard to get the material straight. I cannot remember what grade it was but I know it was during the Elementary years. They were having trouble with this certain topic and after being "told off" for being "stupid" and a "moron" I was mortified for this person. And after that I always saw the person going to the back of the book for the answers. They never tried anymore. I know this memory did not include me but the only horrible memories I had was in High school. I was not allowed to continue on to Advance Math because I did not get a high enough grade to continue. My Math teacher at that time said to me that I would not be able to handle the criteria that came with Advanced Math. At this time I was planning on continuing to Memorial to study math as my focus area. Due to this being said to me I felt absolutely stupid for trying to continue on with something I loved but was not good at.
In answer to the question, was I good at Math or not? I would say I was good at Math. I could tell this because I was always able to do Math in my mind very quickly and I was always able to finish more quickly than the other classmates. Plus I thoroughly enjoyed Math. So I was always asking the teacher if they had a more challenging problem for me or if I could help someone else with their math. My last year of high school I had an incredible teacher. He realized that I loved this subject and that I enjoyed it. So he was constantly challenging me to more with it. For instance I remember that I was waiting patiently for other people to finish when he saw me and gave me this complex problem of calculus. It was from one of his old university textbooks. He gave the week to complete. By the next day I handed him my answer. He encouraged me to try everything. I was very grateful for him.
In the primary/elementary level my teachers were very boring when it came to math. It felt like sometimes it was a struggle for them to get through the lesson with us or to even start it. They were monotone and always used our textbooks. The assessment was always tests at the end of the chapter with worksheets worked in. That is the only way we were assessed in Math.
My first of Math in high school was absolutely horrible. We had a teacher that did not know how to handle grade 10's. He was extremely intelligent but just did not know how to teach the subject .He would just give us equations and if we had problems, he did not know how to resolve them for us. During grade 11 it got a little better but my teacher assumed that by my grades I could not do math. But I did it was just tests always made me nervous. Then I would forget the formula or equations. So she assumed that I could not do it in grade 12. So in my last year I went to academic Math and I loved my teacher. Like I said above He was incredible to me. He realized that tests did make me nervous so he helped me get past that. The only year I thoroughly enjoyed Math in high school.
The only math I took in university was the requirement of Math 1050 and 1051, with no electives.
I think I engage in Math for the big parts of my life. I always use it to calculate my budget, how much cloth I will need for making my quilts, my cross-stitches etc etc. I always calculate how much time I will need to work on something for school and such things like that.
I feel that Math is a big part of our lives. It's everywhere! I think that we can enjoy Math and help others enjoy if we take out the monotone, equations written on the chalkboard, sitting in our desks part. I think Math is a great subject to learn. You can use it for anything. How much paint you'll need for your picture, the time in between the beats of the music or even the number of words on a page. It would a magnificent thing if we could get children to enjoy Math.
My Math classroom was very bland. First of all we had the same teacher for all subjects except for Music and Art. So our Math class was always in the same classroom. Our Classroom was very boring. All we had on our walls was a section where a calendar was, the time of year, day, month etc and what the weather was for that day. Then there was a big bulletin board on another wall where the teacher would put up pictures of things that we were learning about such as animals or books. But there was never anything about Math. There were no numbers or equations or anything posted on the walls about this subject.
My best memory of Math is sitting in our grade 3 classroom and having our teacher spontaneous announce that we were going out in the school yard to count how many things are the same. I cannot remember what exactly we were learning about but I know I have to find things that were of similar shape, color and size. We were so excited that we tried soooo hard to find everything we can that fitted this criteria.
My worst memory of Math was watching as one of my classmates being belittled for getting an answer wrong. It was horrible. The person was trying so hard to get the material straight. I cannot remember what grade it was but I know it was during the Elementary years. They were having trouble with this certain topic and after being "told off" for being "stupid" and a "moron" I was mortified for this person. And after that I always saw the person going to the back of the book for the answers. They never tried anymore. I know this memory did not include me but the only horrible memories I had was in High school. I was not allowed to continue on to Advance Math because I did not get a high enough grade to continue. My Math teacher at that time said to me that I would not be able to handle the criteria that came with Advanced Math. At this time I was planning on continuing to Memorial to study math as my focus area. Due to this being said to me I felt absolutely stupid for trying to continue on with something I loved but was not good at.
In answer to the question, was I good at Math or not? I would say I was good at Math. I could tell this because I was always able to do Math in my mind very quickly and I was always able to finish more quickly than the other classmates. Plus I thoroughly enjoyed Math. So I was always asking the teacher if they had a more challenging problem for me or if I could help someone else with their math. My last year of high school I had an incredible teacher. He realized that I loved this subject and that I enjoyed it. So he was constantly challenging me to more with it. For instance I remember that I was waiting patiently for other people to finish when he saw me and gave me this complex problem of calculus. It was from one of his old university textbooks. He gave the week to complete. By the next day I handed him my answer. He encouraged me to try everything. I was very grateful for him.
In the primary/elementary level my teachers were very boring when it came to math. It felt like sometimes it was a struggle for them to get through the lesson with us or to even start it. They were monotone and always used our textbooks. The assessment was always tests at the end of the chapter with worksheets worked in. That is the only way we were assessed in Math.
My first of Math in high school was absolutely horrible. We had a teacher that did not know how to handle grade 10's. He was extremely intelligent but just did not know how to teach the subject .He would just give us equations and if we had problems, he did not know how to resolve them for us. During grade 11 it got a little better but my teacher assumed that by my grades I could not do math. But I did it was just tests always made me nervous. Then I would forget the formula or equations. So she assumed that I could not do it in grade 12. So in my last year I went to academic Math and I loved my teacher. Like I said above He was incredible to me. He realized that tests did make me nervous so he helped me get past that. The only year I thoroughly enjoyed Math in high school.
The only math I took in university was the requirement of Math 1050 and 1051, with no electives.
I think I engage in Math for the big parts of my life. I always use it to calculate my budget, how much cloth I will need for making my quilts, my cross-stitches etc etc. I always calculate how much time I will need to work on something for school and such things like that.
I feel that Math is a big part of our lives. It's everywhere! I think that we can enjoy Math and help others enjoy if we take out the monotone, equations written on the chalkboard, sitting in our desks part. I think Math is a great subject to learn. You can use it for anything. How much paint you'll need for your picture, the time in between the beats of the music or even the number of words on a page. It would a magnificent thing if we could get children to enjoy Math.
Response to Sir Ken Robinson's Video
The message Sir Ken Robinson has for me is to allow for students to show in different ways what they know. They can devise a way that is best for them to reproduce what they have learned. With Math we always think that it's equations and writing and solving and and . . . . but what if I could produce a lesson plan that could take away writing and constantly sitting in a desk. This lesson could help children become more engaged in the curriculum. If I could use dancing or musical instruments to help them learn algorthyms and equations, would I not have engaged them in creativity? Am I not showing them to be creativity when learning something new?
I remember, and it's my favorite memory of school, that in World History (I know it's not Math but it shows my point a bit better) we were learning about the start of World War One. it was about the assination of Archduke of Austria. My teacher got us to act out the scene of the assination. I will forever remember how World War One started. But it just was not what we learned but how we were engaged in it. If I can apply this type of creativity in my classroom I will show children that it is okay to learn in a different way.
When I was in school, it was always sit in the desk and learn. The only time we could get up and move around was recess, lunch and computer/art class. But during our computer/art class , it was in a limited manner. We could only get up and get our materials and go back to our seats. We were very restricted in what we could do to show our teacher that we have learned the material. For me I was always singing or humming, tapping my feet, pencils etc etc., it was the only way I could get the information into my mind. But the teacher was always telling me to stop "that racket". So when I watched Robinson's video I realized that as a teacher I have an obligation to my students to let them be creative. If I don't then I am a criminal stealing away their education.
I remember, and it's my favorite memory of school, that in World History (I know it's not Math but it shows my point a bit better) we were learning about the start of World War One. it was about the assination of Archduke of Austria. My teacher got us to act out the scene of the assination. I will forever remember how World War One started. But it just was not what we learned but how we were engaged in it. If I can apply this type of creativity in my classroom I will show children that it is okay to learn in a different way.
When I was in school, it was always sit in the desk and learn. The only time we could get up and move around was recess, lunch and computer/art class. But during our computer/art class , it was in a limited manner. We could only get up and get our materials and go back to our seats. We were very restricted in what we could do to show our teacher that we have learned the material. For me I was always singing or humming, tapping my feet, pencils etc etc., it was the only way I could get the information into my mind. But the teacher was always telling me to stop "that racket". So when I watched Robinson's video I realized that as a teacher I have an obligation to my students to let them be creative. If I don't then I am a criminal stealing away their education.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
I will use this blog to explore my own experiences with Math, to explore new possibilities in teaching Math to children and also to reflect on my own experiences. I will use my reflections to help me teach my own class. I will learn from my own horrible experiences to put myself in the child's place so I can give them the best learning environment.
This is my first reflection from the first day of class:
During the first class when Professor Cameron asked who liked math, who hated math etc., I got to thinking about my own Math experiences. All during Primary/ Elementary school, I've had really positive experiences. My teachers were always encouraging me to try and solve the challenge problem or to find another way to find the solution. I became to enjoy Math very much. But when I came to Junior high I realized that I never got that much encouargement from my teachers but I got it more so from my parents. After transferring schools, my grades were not the best except in Math. So my mom would sit with me and ask me to explain my Math homework to her. Then she got me to teach her what I was learning. It just made me realize that my enjoyment of Math would not have continued except for the support of my mother and father.
Another thing that latched onto my thoughts from class is the topic of passion. Professor Cameron and from the video were saying to me that because of the "more important" subjects some people do not get to continue with what they love. Personally my intention in coming to Memorial was to do a Math focus area. I was intent on it but during high school my advanced Math grades were not "good enough" to continue with advanced Math in my last year of high school. That in turn affected my chance of continuing with Math while at MUN. Because I was told that I should drop back to academic Math, I felt that I would not succeed with Math at the univeristy level. I did not realize how strongly I was affected from my high school until Tuesday's class.
I realize that I will try my best not to hinder my students the way my Math teacher hindered me.
This is my first reflection from the first day of class:
During the first class when Professor Cameron asked who liked math, who hated math etc., I got to thinking about my own Math experiences. All during Primary/ Elementary school, I've had really positive experiences. My teachers were always encouraging me to try and solve the challenge problem or to find another way to find the solution. I became to enjoy Math very much. But when I came to Junior high I realized that I never got that much encouargement from my teachers but I got it more so from my parents. After transferring schools, my grades were not the best except in Math. So my mom would sit with me and ask me to explain my Math homework to her. Then she got me to teach her what I was learning. It just made me realize that my enjoyment of Math would not have continued except for the support of my mother and father.
Another thing that latched onto my thoughts from class is the topic of passion. Professor Cameron and from the video were saying to me that because of the "more important" subjects some people do not get to continue with what they love. Personally my intention in coming to Memorial was to do a Math focus area. I was intent on it but during high school my advanced Math grades were not "good enough" to continue with advanced Math in my last year of high school. That in turn affected my chance of continuing with Math while at MUN. Because I was told that I should drop back to academic Math, I felt that I would not succeed with Math at the univeristy level. I did not realize how strongly I was affected from my high school until Tuesday's class.
I realize that I will try my best not to hinder my students the way my Math teacher hindered me.
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