I had not expected it. When I enrolled in the college class, “Math for Elementary Teachers I” I expected to learn how to teach elementary math. Yet the math in the text book, the math on the quizzes and the tests felt impossibly hard. Why? I would never be teaching these difficult questions to an elementary class. Emotions were on the rise—confusion, bitterness, low self-esteem, and frustration. Had I enrolled in the wrong class? (I actually checked). Was this a large neon sign blinking,
“YOU ARE NOT CUT OUT
TO BE A TEACHER!”?
At about 1:30 in the morning, I found
myself paging through that evil math text book. What had I missed?
I wanted to know why. Why such difficult math questions? Then, that
sweet, glorious light bulb moment. My answer was in the preface.
You know, that part of the book that no one reads. There was
actually a note meant just for me—“To the future teacher.” My
frustration at difficult math problems is similar to the frustrations
elementary students feel when they struggle at understanding math.
This course will hone in on my creative problem solving skills and
teach me to explain why math methods work or don't work for certain
problems. In this video, a teacher is using questions to aid her students in developing problem solving skills. (The sound is a bit off in the video but it is still very
interesting).
In his video, “Stop Teaching Calculations, Start Learning Maths!” Conrad
Wolfram points out that there is a disconnect between the way math is
taught and how math is used in the real world. There is a new
movement in the way we teach math. It is exciting to be a part of
that change! But are we ready as teachers to really help students
figure out what works or doesn't work to solve problems, and why?
It is our job to shape these little beings into future, expert
problem solvers.
The level of difficult for that math course has not changed. However, I'm learning problem solving skill I never
mastered in school. By mastering it, I will create new generations
of expert problem solvers. And that change in perspective has made
all the difference!
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