Math is the bomb!

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Doug Darfus on February 9, 2009 at 12:59pm

I usually tell parents & students that math is not genetic. But I'm also honest ... not everyone will love math (just as I don't enjoy some subjects). My goal is to try to move students from hating math to at least making math tolerable. They don't have to love it, but realize its importance and why they should try to understand it instead of just giving up.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Pierce on February 20, 2009 at 11:08pm

What drives me crazy is to hear parents, teachers, administrators...you get the idea...say, "I was never any good at math," in front of kids. It gives kids permission to be bad at math. You never hear people say, "I was never any good at reading." and have others think that is ok.

Permalink Reply by Nina on February 24, 2009 at 9:10pm

I so much agree with you, Lisa! And we seem to be one of the few countries in the world who feel there is some sort of a math gene! I believe it is possible to make math class enjoyable and engaging enough to give all students the feeling that they too can 'do math!'

Permalink Reply by Kim Lightle on February 25, 2009 at 10:22am

One of the folks in the guidance counselor program at Ohio State told me one time (probably 3 years ago) that the best indicator of whether a student (male or female) goes to college is the mother's level of education. I wonder if more educated women have a better relationship with mathematics and in turn instill that in their children. I also wonder if the new (ok - semi new) math programs have any impact on these mothers to be. My daughter who is now 17 went through the Everyday Math program and absolutely loves math and thinks mathematically. As a parent, I just loved it. My 2 cents.

Doug Darfus said:

I usually tell parents & students that math is not genetic. But I'm also honest ... not everyone will love math (just as I don't enjoy some subjects). My goal is to try to move students from hating math to at least making math tolerable. They don't have to love it, but realize its importance and why they should try to understand it instead of just giving up.

Permalink Reply by Mary Henton on February 26, 2009 at 2:23pm

OK...I'm one of those folks who didn't enjoy math (I hesitate to admit it in this group!). I was in the top math classes in "junior" and "senior" high school only because of the way my school "tracked" students (I'm hinting at my age in these admissions!). Yes...I did very well in English, social studies, music. Did well in science, too. LOVED biology and chemistry. BUT...struggled in math. I'm convinced it had EVERYTHING to do with how it was taught. I was still in the concrete phase of understanding math concepts when the classes I was in as an 8th and 9th grader were already moving into teaching the abstractions of it all. I was lost and stayed lost through high school, with the exception of geometry. I was able to navigate the geometry landscape with its squares, angles, cylinders, and concepts that had concrete representations.

Permalink Reply by Ron on October 1, 2009 at 3:29pm

Technology, technology, technology...voicethreads, podcasting, schoolpads, & "clickers" just to name a few. ALSO...this will be big for me (and our district) is the use of Kagan structures (kaganonline.com). We are wrapping up a week-long training tomorrow and I am excited for Monday (the sub-thing was gut-wrenching!).

Permalink Reply by Nina on October 1, 2009 at 7:34pm

I love the Kagan structures in math classes. They make all the difference in student engagement while maintaining student accountability for learning!

Ron said:

Technology, technology, technology...voicethreads, podcasting, schoolpads, & "clickers" just to name a few. ALSO...this will be big for me (and our district) is the use of Kagan structures (kaganonline.com). We are wrapping up a week-long training tomorrow and I am excited for Monday (the sub-thing was gut-wrenching!).

Permalink Reply by Eric Biederbeck on October 2, 2009 at 7:59pm

I think the more people differentiate their instruction instead of tracking students will help break down the negative conception that some students and parents have about math. When students feel they are stuck in the "low" group, I believe it decreases their attitude toward math. If students are not tracked but instead everyone receives similar teaching it also hurts students attitudes toward math as they become either bored or frustrated. When teachers pre-assess and determine what students need and then provide them appropriate lessons that meet those needs, I think the students are more likely to feel comfortable and enjoy math. My one concern about this (and its one I'm running into a bit this year) is that the typical "higher" students are sometimes reluctant to do some of the different math activities I have planned because they are different from the norm which they have previously been so successful with. I do think that as more and more people in my district embrace differentiation (one of our district initiatives the last couple of years) students of all levels will be more and more comfortable with the different activities and I won't have this problem so much anymore.

Permalink Reply by Nina on October 2, 2009 at 8:53pm

I have watched some really great math classes and some really boring math classes. In general, the difference is the amount the students are 'invited' to become directly involved with the math, i.e. discussions, hands-on activities, group work, etc. Yes, this is not traditional math instruction, but it has so much more potential to lead to a life-long love of the subject!

Permalink Reply by Eric Biederbeck on October 4, 2009 at 3:32pm

You are so correct Nina,

That feeling of belonging be it through the hands-on activities or even the discussion is critical. Does traditional math instruction work? for some yes but as you say, we really need to make sure we are getting the life-long love (or at least life-long willingness not to hate) of the subject and however we do that is important.

Another area that I think can help with this is math nights- bringing in parents some of whom do not have the best feeling toward math and letting them do some of these hands-on activities or letting them use the Interactive White Board- if they begin turning their attitude around it might just help with their children

Nina said:

I have watched some really great math classes and some really boring math classes. In general, the difference is the amount the students are 'invited' to become directly involved with the math, i.e. discussions, hands-on activities, group work, etc. Yes, this is not traditional math instruction, but it has so much more potential to lead to a life-long love of the subject!