EP 210 – Math Methods Welcome to the Unit 1 Seminar

Fun Facts – Our Classroom Community Share something interesting about yourself with us? Share one academic achievement. Share your career goal and/or a career achievement.

Career Services Fieldtrip Please take a moment to view this wonderful video from Career Services.

Unit Outcomes Explain how your own math experiences relate to your professional role. Identify how the reform idea of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematic (NCTM) impacts the role of the paraprofessional in the mathematics classroom. Define what it means to “do mathematics” and how that view affects the classroom.

Unit 1 To Do List Introduce yourself to classmates and professor Complete assigned readings Complete the Learning Activities Participate in Discussion Participate in Seminar Complete the Quiz

Math Center Field trip Let’s visit the Math Center micSupportCenter/MathCenter/Index.aspx

Mathematics What does the word Mathematics mean to you? What is your current comfort level with mathematics?

Mathematics and Your Professional Role “In this changing world, those who understand and can do mathematics will have significantly enhanced opportunities and options for shaping their futures. Mathematical competence opens doors to productive futures. A lack of mathematical competence keeps those doors closed.... All students should have the opportunity and the support necessary to learn significant mathematics with depth and understanding. There is no conflict between equity and excellence. NCTM (2000, p. 50)” (Van de Walle) How are your own math experiences related to your current or future professional role?

The Six Principles “One of the most important features of Principles and Standards for School Mathematics is the articulation of six principles fundamental to high-quality mathematics education: Equity Learning Curriculum Assessment Teaching Technology”

Equity The Equity Principle Excellence in mathematics education requires equity—high expectations and strong support for all students. (NCTM, 2000, p. 12)

Curriculum The Curriculum Principle A curriculum is more than a collection of activities: it must be coherent, focused on important mathematics, and well articulated across the grades. (NCTM, 2000, p. 14)

Teaching The Teaching Principle Effective mathematics teaching requires understanding what students know and need to learn and then challenging and supporting them to learn it well. (NCTM, 2000, p. 16)

Learning The Learning Principle Students must learn mathematics with understanding, actively building new knowledge from experience and prior knowledge. (NCTM, 2000, p. 20)

Assessment The Assessment Principle Assessment should support the learning of important mathematics and furnish useful information to both teachers and students. (NCTM, 2000, p. 22)

Technology The Technology Principle Technology is essential in teaching and learning mathematics; it influences the mathematics that is taught and enhances students’ learning. (NCTM, 2000, p. 24)

Your Role in Reform How do the reform ideas of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics impact your role as a paraprofessional in the mathematics classroom?

Doing Math “As a practical matter, mathematics is a science of pattern and order. Its domain is not molecules or cells, but numbers, chance, form, algorithms, and change. As a science of abstract objects, mathematics relies on logic rather than on observation as its standard of truth, yet employs observation, simulation, and even as means of discovering truth.” Mathematical Sciences Education Board (1989, p. 31) How would you describe what you are doing when you are doing mathematics?

Doing Math “Much change has taken place since 1989 when NCTM set a vision for change in mathematics classrooms. More teachers are beginning to use what might be called a “Standards approach”: more cooperative learning, more emphasis on concepts and problem solving, and a greater tolerance for and use of calculators. Often these changes are superficial and are not really changing the nature of what children do and how they think in the mathematics classroom. Furthermore, as noted in Chapter 1, the pressures of state test scores have a tendency to bring out “drill-and-kill” approaches even though such methods have consistently proved ineffective. Fortunately, wonderful exceptions are to be found everywhere.” (Van de Walle)

Doing Math Describe the traditional view of math and math instruction. Page 12

Doing Math “Engaging in the science of pattern and order—in doing mathematics—is effortful and often takes time. There are lots of ideas to learn. Often these ideas show up on lists of “basic skills.” For example, children should be able to count accurately, know their basic facts for addition and multiplication, have efficient methods of computing whole numbers, fractions, and decimals, know measurement facts such as the number of inches in a foot or quarts in a gallon, know the names of geometric shapes, and so on. But to master these bits and pieces is no more doing mathematics than playing scales on the piano is making music.” (Van de Walle, 13)

Doing Math “Children in traditional mathematics classes often describe mathematics as “work” or “getting answers.” They talk about “plussing” and “doing times” (multiplication). In contrast, the following collection of verbs can be found in most of the literature describing the reform in mathematics education, and all are used in Principles and Standards: explore represent explain investigate formulate predict conjecture discover develop solve construct describe justify verify use” (Van de Walle, 13)

Doing Math “Look again at the verbs of doing mathematics. They are action verbs. They require reaching out, taking risks, placing ideas out where others can see. Contrast these with the verbs that might reflect the traditional mathematics classroom: listen, copy, memorize, drill. These are passive activities. They involve no risks and little initiative. Doing mathematics takes effort and initiative. Though thinking, reasoning, and sense.” (Van de Walle,14)

Doing Math – The Basics “The most basic idea in mathematics is that mathematics makes sense! Every day students must experience that mathematics makes sense. Students must come to believe that they are capable of making sense of mathematics. Teachers must stop teaching by telling and start letting students make sense of the mathematics they are learning.” (Van de Walle, 14)

Wrapping Up What features of a classroom environment are important for students to be engaged in doing mathematics?

Wrapping Up How can students come to believe that they are capable of making sense of mathematics?

Wrapping Up How would you describe what it means to “do mathematics”?

Reference Elementary and Middle School Mathematics: Teaching Developmentally, Eighth Edition ISBN-13: Author(s): John A. Van de Walle; Karen S. Karp; Jennifer M. Bay-Williams