Mathematics can be considered one of the tough subjects a student could face in his entire quest for education. Math give students a detour on their interests whenever number and formulas will be involved in the picture, therefore making focus and motivation a hard-to-reach goal of the educators.
It is then vital that educators continue to develop teaching strategies to generate full participation and commitment from the students. By doing so, students will develop a sense of familiarity with the subject creating an impression that Math is Fun. Maria Miller in her article at the Home School Math provides four principles for Math Teachers to remember, four basic habits that every educator must apply:
Principle 1: Let It Make Sense
Strive to teach for understanding of mathematical concepts and procedures, the “why” something works, and not only the “how”.This understandingdoesn’t always come immediately. It may take even several years to grasp a concept. For example, place value is something children understand partially at first, and then that deepens over a few years.
The “how” something works is often called procedural understanding: the student knows how to work long division or knows the procedure for fraction addition. It is often possible to learn the “how” mechanically without understanding why something works. Procedures learned this way are often forgotten very easily.
The relationship between the “how” and the “why” – or between procedures and concepts – is complex. One doesn’t always come totally before the other, and it also varies from student to student. And, conceptual and procedural understanding actually help each other: conceptual knowledge (understanding the “why”) is important for the development of procedural fluency, while fluent procedural knowledge supports the development of further understanding and learning.
Principle 2: Remember the Goals
Be clear with objectives and goals. Always make a SMARRT goal, and always think of the students as a vital part of accomplishing your objectives.
Consider these goals:
Students need to be able to navigate their lives in this ever-so-complex modern world.
This involves dealing with taxes, loans, credit cards, purchases, budgeting, and shopping. Our youngsters need to be able to handle money wisely. All that requires good understanding of parts, proportions, and percents.
Another very important goal of mathematics education as a whole is to enable the students to understand information aroud us. In today’s world, this includes quite a bit of scientific information. Being able to read through it and make sense of it requires knowing big and small numbers, statistics, probability, and percents.
I’d like to add one more broad goal of math education: teaching deductive reasoning. Of course high school geometry is a good example of this, but when taught properly, other areas of school math can be as well.
The more you can keep these big real goals in mind, the better you can connect your subgoals to them. And the more you can keep the goals and the subgoals in mind, the better teacher you will be.
Principle 3: Know Your Tools
A math teacher’s tools are quite numerous nowadays.
There is no need to try ‘hog’ it all at once. It’s important to learn how to use any tool you might acquire. Quantity won’t equal quality. Knowing a few “math tools” inside out is more beneficial than a mindless dashing to find the newest activity to spice up your math lessons.
Basic tool
Manipulatives are physical objects the student manipulates with his hands to get a better grasp of some concept. Manipulatives are definitely stressed in these days. They are usually very recommendable, but they’re not the final goal of math education, and there is no need to over-emphasize them. The goal is to learn to do the math without them. Often, drawing pictures can take place of manipulatives, especially after the first elementary grades.
Geometry and measuring tools, such as ruler, compass, protractor, scales, and measuring cups. These are of course essential teaching tools. (Note though that dynamic geometry software can in these days replace compass and ruler constructions done on paper and actually be even better.)
Principle 4: Living and Loving Math
You are the teacher. You show the way – also with your attitudes, your way of life.
Do you use math often in your daily life? Is using mathematical reasoning, numbers, measurements, etc. a natural thing to you every day?
And then: do you like math? Love it? Are you happy to teach it? Enthusiastic?
Both of these tend to show up in how you teach, but especially so in a formal classroom environment, because you’re teaching your students a way of life and whether math is a natural part of it or not.
Math is not a drudgery, nor something just confined to math lessons. Integrate the worthy uses of math in application to daily living. By making mathematics and its application simple to understand, educators will be able to bring with them their students in having a great passion for Mathematics.
Plans, frameworks, strategies, and concepts can all be customizable depending on the perceived needs and learning assessment done by educators. All suggested tips to become a better Math teacher are acceptable but what lies at the top spot is the incomparable desire of an educator to impart his acquired cognitive, psychomotor and behavioral skills to the future Mathematicians of the society.
By: Ariel G. Borja | TEACHER III | LIMAY NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL | LIMAY, BATAAN
