I think that I have mentioned in an earlier post that I find the articles in Teaching Children Mathematics (NCTM) very valuable. They are very relevant to learning in elementary mathematics classrooms.
The most recent issue arrived today and the focus is "Learning Environments That Support Mathematical Understanding" - sound familiar!
I've only had time to read one of the articles, Learning to Think and Thinking to Learn. I seem to always set the goal to leave more lesson time for discussion and continue to fail to make the time. I will say that using the new Investigations program has helped me immensely because it is built into each session - yippee!
This article provides classroom examples for using incorrect solutions to facilitate discussions, encouraging students to question each other's solutions, and allowing time to develop understandings. The author also talks about extroverts and introverts and providing for both types of thinkers. There is nothing earth shattering in the article but it reinforces strategies I have used and has given me some ideas for tweaking what I do so I can be more effective. If you have a learning community/study group with a mathematics focus at your school this article has a reflect and discuss page that is a good way to guide the process of self-observation and self-reflection.
Have you used incorrect solutions to facilitate discussions in your classroom? Do you have the students share (as in the article) or do you share the errors anonymously?
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Have you used incorrect solutions to facilitate discussions in your classroom? Do you have the students share (as in the article) or do you share the errors anonymously?
I will try posting this again now, as I have not been able to do so for a long time. Here I go......
To answer the first question: I have used incorrect sentences to facilitate discussions during my Literacy lessons because identifying errors teaches English language learners and mainstream students to critically think about correct ways to write. When they can correct my errors then I know that they have mastered the lessons.
It has been my practice that students merely put a line through their errors so that they can see the difference between the correct way and the incorrect way. I have switch my pencils to pens, black and red to show the contrast. They may choose their own color but when we correct the problems together they have to pick the other color.
My Math students in the iSucceed Math has learned to look at their errors and feel comfortable with the errors. The motto that I have told my students all the time is that, "It is better to have err than not to try at all."
And to answer the second question, I get permission from students who wouldn't mind me sharing their errors for discussion. They actually have become comfortable, admitting their mistakes.
Oh.......I finally could comment again. Apparently my cookie was turned off or something like that and I had to folow directions to allow me to post again!!
WHEW.......technology can be challenging.....
I would also like to hear from people who have successfully used this approach in their classroom....I often find that displaying errors simply confuses those students who do not truly understand the concept and who have "checked out" of class mentally. This shows me that I need to back up.....Providing challenging work for those who are focused and intent upon solving the problem at hand while indentifying and providing appropriate conceptual development for those who are not, is quite a challenge for me!
Any thoughts?
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