The first week of class presented the challenge of time management. Becoming organized is a key component to being a successful student and I was finally able to see the big picture of all that is required before the end of July. I also enjoyed the articles "A Coherent Curriculum: The Case of Mathematics" by Schmidt, Houang, and Cogan and "The Mathematical Miseducation of America's Youth" by Micheal Battista. I appreciated the challenge of seeing math from different viewpoints. I value information that gets me thinking outside the box. These articles showed me that math is more involved than memorization and the students need to understand why they are solving problems, not just how to do them. These ideas challenge much of what I grew up with; rote repetition. That will be an obstacle to conquer for me during this class; don't just memorize it, comprehend it as well. Finally, after spending time in the local schools observing classrooms, it is obvious that math is much more involved than I ever realized while at the same time, it can be as simple as it appears.
A frustration that I have when it comes to math is homework; not mine but my childrens' homework. My daughter Abigail just completed 6th grade and my son Toby, just finished up 3rd grade. Homework, homework, and more homework. A huge part of our school night routine was obviously homework. Both the children always had math homework every night and inevitably, I would be more confused than they with the "how to" of their math homework. Thankfully, my husband, a 2nd grade teacher, is very familiar with all the "ins and outs" of the math curriculum and he was able to explain equations and techniques in a way our children could comprehend. I would sit and listen and watch him teach and wonder when I would be able to be that fluent in math. I was always happy that he was able to help, but at the same time I would be frustrated that I didn't know what a math tree was and the point of it.
As a student, I intend to soak in as much information as possible. I look forward to learning the "ins and outs" of math in order to gain a greater knowledge for a teaching career. Furthermore, I look forward to the time I too will be able to sit at the table with my own children and be able to explain math to them in a way they will comprehend. I have quickly become aware of different learning styles in students from observing in the classroom this past semester. In my own children, I can see that my daughter is one to get frustrated immediately and my son is one who will sit and work a problem until he fully understands it. My daughter does well with repetition and my son learns better with visuals. When I become a teacher I know that the students in my classroom will be diverse in everything including learning styles.
I am looking forward to the challenges and triumphs of this class and I look forward to reading and learning tips and tricks to math from my fellow classmates.
