Chapter 3 Reflections

What are the key ideas presented in Chapter 3?

• The key ideas presented in Chapter 3 had to do with how math problems are approached.
• Children should not learn the term addition as "joining" or "putting together" because this will limit their understanding of the concept.
• In "story problems" children often focus on getting the answer in the way that the teacher wants; in context problems, students can see how math applies to the real world.
• Contextual problems and models are the two main tools that teachers use to help students understand addition and subtraction.
• Models can be used for problem solving, even when there is no context involved.
• Multiplication and division should be combined as soon as possible so students see how they are related.
• Solving problems should be a means to helping students learn.

How do these ideas inform your understanding of teaching numbers and operations?

I thought it was interesting that the one of the problems presented in the chapter sounded like addition but was solved through subtraction, and another problem that sounded like subtraction was solved through addition. Students that are taught concrete ideas of what addition and subtraction are may be limited in their ability to solve math problems in the future. Therefore, I have learned that children should not be told how to solve a math problem; instead, they should use methods that they can understand. If math problems are worked out using manipulatives and real life examples, students may find more purpose in mathematics. Students should be able to use the method they understand best when solving problems.

I have also learned that teaching numbers and operations should not be taught with the sole intention of finding the answer. Children should see that math is useful and applies to everyday situations. If students see how they can apply math to everyday life, they will likely be more interested in the subject.

Week 3 Reflection Questions

How does the information and the tasks presented in chapter two connect to the videos of lessons you viewed as part of challenge 5?

The information and the tasks present in chapter two are about understanding number concepts and number relationships. The video that I watched about classroom norms discusses children's different approaches to solving the same math problem. The teacher emphasizes to the students that they need to understand their classmates approaches to solving the problem, as there are several different ways to combine numbers to reach the same answer. In this video, the teacher's objective is to have students understand that numbers can be combined in different ways to make the same result. In Chapter 2 of the text, there are four methods described to help students develop relationships among numbers 1 through 10. This relates specifically to the video I watched; in the video, one of the students points out that "5+0", "1+4", "4+1" etc all add up to 5. The text states that "the principal tool that children will use as they construct these relationships is counting" but counting will become "less and less necessary as children construct new relationships," which they were doing in the classroom norms video. The teacher in the video wanted students to understand each other's solutions to the problem, because if they understood that the different number combinations (ie 4+1, 2+3) all added up to 5, they also understood something about number relationships.

What task (activity) in chapter two was most interesting to you? Why?

One of the activities in the chapter that captured my attention was Activity 2.10: One-Less-Than Dominoes. I thought this activity would be great to use when teaching number concepts because it is a game. Students will likely be engrossed in playing the game and will not be focusing on being in math class. In this activity, students play dominoes in the regular way (which may need to be explained before starting) but instead of matching ends, a new domino can only be added if its end is one less than the end of the one on the board. There are also variations of this activity that can be played, which are mentioned in the book. For example, the game could be played for one more, two more, or two less. I think students will enjoy this activity and it can also help them develop their understanding of number concepts. It will help students think of numbers in different ways. For example, they may start thinking of 3 as "one less than 4" and also as "two more than 1."

Reflection Question for Week 2

I read two articles that discussed Classroom Norms. The first article, Equity and Accessibility, by J. Hiebert, discusses the importance of participation and discussion in every mathematics lesson. The article stresses how important it is for the success of every child in the classroom to be able to discuss and participate in the explanation of math problems. I thought the author made an interesting point when he stated that "each child's thinking should be discussed and valued because all ideas and methods are potential learning sites." If one child is having trouble understanding how to reach the correct answer in a problem, it's possible that one of his classmates used a method he would understand. If all children in the classroom are going to be successful in mathematics, then all methods, whether correct or not, should be discussed and analyzed. I also thought the author's suggestions for modifying the discussion process would be useful in any classroom. Some students will be shy and uncomfortable with the idea of speaking in front of their entire class, so having students work in small groups, having them check their answers with the teacher first, or having them write their methods on paper for others to read are all suggestions that may help students gain confidence in their math abilities. The author also stresses the idea that all students, regardless of their intellect, can understand math. Therefore, each child should be considered when coming up with math problems. Problems that can be solved in different ways are good to use, because children of all different learning levels should be able to find a way to solve them. I have learned that discussion of math problems is important to have in the classroom, because you never know when the discussion of a method will help a student gain a better understanding of a concept.

The second article I read was "Creating a Problem-solving Atmosphere" by Yackel, Cobb, Wood and Wheatley. This article also emphasizes the importance of classroom discussion. The authors describe a "problem-solving atmosphere," which is created through discussion of methods. In this atmosphere, children view math problems as personal challenges and they feel accomplished upon completion of the problems. In this type of environment, children enjoy figuring out math problems for themselves. In the problem-solving atmosphere, the teacher explains that is is okay for students to make mistakes. Students can learn from mistakes, and there is nothing wrong with making an error and correcting it. I also like how the article discusses students working through problems, regardless of how long it takes them. Finally figuring out a math problem after working hard out it will be very satisfying for anyone, particularly a young child. I also think it's important to point out that the article explains how important it is for the teacher to have an open attitude towards students methods. If students are expected to volunteer their methods in front of the class and are expected to experiment with different methods, then the teacher needs to try to understand their train of thought and be open about their approach to the problem. There should never be one "right way" to get an answer.

Both articles show how to create a classroom environment that promotes discussion. Discussion about mathematical methods in the classroom can help students understand math approaches and open their eyes to methods they wouldn't otherwise think of themselves.

Challenge 5

Initial Thoughts-

The topic my group selected to look into was Classroom Norms. At first, I wasn't exactly sure what the topic was referring to. In the video, the teacher asked the students if their classmate was correct in his approach to a math problem. She asked them if they understood his approach and what he was talking about. Then another student confirms that she believes he solved the problem correctly. From the video, I think that the classroom norms refer to the students being actively involved in the learning process and making sure they understand different methods to getting answers in mathematics. I think that the classroom norms in the video show that the students are expected to explain how they reach answers in math, and are expected to question each others work.