I learned a great deal today. Three things that stick out are, a square can be a rectangle and the "kye" method and how important language is. I could really relate to what it would be like to be a young student trying to understand math and with the examples I could see where the students were coming from from the answers they gave. I am greatful for being accepted into this program because my main goal is to improve my language and math vocabulary.
A square can be a rectangle- where have I been? I've been teaching young students the difference between a square and a rectangle for years.
I liked the "Kye" methid but I am wondering if students could grasp the concept. At what grade would you introduce it? Would anyone use this concept in their classroom? It seems like it has extra steps so it may take a student a longer time. It seems to me that we need to teach students multiple approaches to do math because they all learn so differently.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
I've always been pretty careful with my math language (or so I thought). I always say "and" and not "point" when using decimals and have always hammered in to the kids NOT to say "and" in between their place values UNLESS there is a decimal point. I always emphasize the place value when reading numbers. I tell them to "put (not add) a zero at the end when multiplying by 10", but some of the examples presented today, made me realize that our language, even when not directly related to the math, can confuse. That poor kid who was trying to start on the side of the windows!!!! We have to be so careful with our words!
As far as the Kye method and other alternative strategies, I teach middle school kids in a resource room setting. These kids have been taught the same algorithms for years and are still struggling. They just don't get it and it doesn't matter how many times they are "taught" the same concept. If they don't understand the concept, you can repeat it until you are blue, but they still won't get it. I'm excited to be able to offer them an alternative way to solve these problems. Problems that, to many of them, are like a foreign language. I think a lot of my kids will love the fact that there is NOT only one correct way to do things and that it's okay to explore to find the way that works for (and makes sense to) them.
I appreciated the reminder about how important the language of math is to learning concepts. Keep it simple! Students can often times be so overwhelmed when they don't understand the language or there's too much talk that they "shut down" before even attempting the task.
I also teach in a middle school resource room and what I have found with some of my students is a reluctance to try something new, like the kye method. They have learned strategies like using lattices (which I still don't understand) that don't really teach why, it just gives them a way to get the answer. When kids are insecure about any subject, especially students with special needs, they tend to hang on to strategies that give them the answer whether they understand it or not, to avoid being seen as a failure. So how do you get beyond that and encourage kids to be risk takers and try something new or different that might actually also deepen their understand of the concept being taught???
Okay, the first time Maggie explained the Kye method, I admit I was confused. Then she referenced Base 10 blocks and it was clear. Perhaps using these manipulatives would help not only students in a resource room, but in all classrooms, particularly in the lower grades.
I find that sometimes there is too much "language" in teaching math. Math has become very literacy based and this can be confusing to students who are weak in literacy. They may actually have some good "number skills", but when most of the math problems are word problems they shut down. I think it is good to have alternate strategies in solving problems but sometimes the words become cumbersome.
While I agree that we need to clean up our language and use very specific vocabulary, I also feel that we should expose students to less precise forms of the language because presently in school, everyday life and conversation these lesser terms are still used and without exposure students will be "behind the eight ball." Multiple ways of expressing concepts is the reality. Until a common language is used and accepted by all, I think we do our students a disservice if we don't discuss these less appropriate terms. We should talk about these "non-examples" of precise math language so that our students can begin to evaluate the language of math and discriminate precise language from "muddy language."
Listening to adults trying to explain their mathematical thinking in class today served as a good reminder of how challenging it is to be both clear and concise. If adults find it difficult to use concise language, it is no wonder that students have difficulty. I am reminded of the importance of providing my students with numerous opportunities in math class to practice being clear and concise when explaining their reasoning both orally and in writing.
Post a Comment