"Doing" Mathematics

In Elementary and Middle School Mathematics: Teaching Developmentally, the author Van de Walle mentions a third-grade class where the teacher gave the student opportunities for higher level thinking and chances to figure out math. This is what I am trying to do for my student when I go into their math classroom. I am currently in at third grade classroom and I want to encourage my students to become "doers" of mathematics, where they believe they are capable of mathematics. In my field experience I am trying to change the fixed mindset of my students, where they believe they do not have what it takes to learn (see Learned Helplessness blog post). I am encouraging my students and sending them the empowering message that is described in this textbook about how the students are capable of doing the work! By using a growth mindset with my students, which is focused on effort and hard work, and I can help my students persevere as seen in Opening Minds.

Teaching Children Mathematics states teachers "have the power to encourage students to adopt this growth mindset by focusing our praise and attributions of success on students’ effort". In the picture below, I am working with a student. The student tried numerous strategies that did not work. I told the student to look at the ways that didn't work as a learning expereince. When she found a way that did work, I praised her hard work and resilience.

To have my students become "do-ers" of math I use Bloom's taxonomy (Instructional Planning). I ask students higher level thinking questions and have my students reason their thinking. This can especially help students in mathematics and make sure they fully understand a concept. My students are currently learning fractions. Ways I can help student build connections and understand fractions would be to give real examples, use manipulative, and graphs- which are all things I do with students!

Moving on, Van De Walle gives techniques for help ELLs to understand mathematics. I have a passion for working with ELLs and can relate these techniques to my ESOL course. Half of my class is ELL students. Van de Walle says to engages in a discussion to help the student understand and thinking about the answers before solving the problem. A discussion can help teach the vocabulary and get students thinking about invented strategies. When doing problems with strategies, I ask the reasoning behind the strategies the students. This is to help the student understand the rationale of the math. I also use visuals in teaching my students math and reference anchor charts that were created with the students. Using a visual chart acts as a jumping point for helping my students do math problems. It models for them example and can help them explain their thinking. When students explain their thinking I encourage them in doing so and I provide specific feedback on their thinking. I do this in whole group instruction and one-on-one with students

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