1. Shifting from Traditional to Nontraditional Teaching Practices using Multiple Reprsesntations. Rider, Robin. Mathematics Teacher, Vol 100, No. 7. March 2007
Was an example of a teacher that realized he needed to change the way he presented inforamtion to his class. Like many of us, we will first change by adding in graphs, and tables and showing them how the are important. We will talk about how to tansition between one another, but what I have noticed about that change is just what the author stated. You can change instruction, but if you do not change your assessment to model your instruction, then it will be for nothing. This is what I found very inlightining. In my classes I am trying to find better ways to teach students Algebra 2 and the use of technology is something I am trying to use more. After reading this article I believe I have some better ideas on what and how to approach the issue of teaching struggling students high level mathematics.
2. Putting Understanding First. Wiggins, Grant & McTighe, Jay. Educational Leadership, Vol 65, No. 8. May 2008.
This Article talks about how a mathematics classroom should be constructed. I feel this is a very good article about pedagogy. I am interested in whether it is more important to direct teach or take the approach of a facilitator. The article speaks of teaching for meaning and transfer and gives three bullet points for how to construct and teach mathematics.
1. Direct Instruction
2. Facilitation
3. Coaching
Good article of designing a classroom and instituting the skills necessary for students to gain understanding into what the mathematics is really doing.
3. Modifying Our Questions to Assess Students Thinking. Chappell, Michaele F. Thompson, Denisse R. Matheamtics Teaching in the Middle School, Vol.4 No.7, April 1999
Starting the article, 7 standard questions are asked to students and through out the article infroamtion is gathered from how the students respond. They give three diffrent examples of each, and explain the information that can be gathered from asking a student to explain their reasoning. This part of the activites gave a tremendus amount of feedback and is something I try to employ but focus more on the correct answer.
I think this was a good read, and used good examples to explain/show what we should be looking for as eduactors and how we can use assessments to gain understanding of our students.
4. The Challenges of Implementing Innovation. Edwards, Barbara S. Connecting Research to Teaching. Vol. 93, No. 9. December 2000
I thought this was a great article that describes the challenges of implementing new ideas, concepts or teaching styles to a classroom. In the article Barbara talks about how even the best ideas are hard to implement, and they never seem to work out the way you want the first time. With the struggles at the start most attempts are soon faded away and you return back to what has worked before. I think this was a great article to read as we are constantly in a reform movement in mathematics. We are being asked to teach at a level that no other mathematics teachers has before in Michigan, four years for all students.
The article also made a point to say that teachers that are not strong in their discipline will likley fade back to what has worked before faster than those that are stronger. Being able to understand the mathematics will make it, not easier, but more likley to succeed in implementing your new ideas. If you are thinking about reforming your teaching then I would suggest this read, and now that in time you will succeed just do not give up before that chance arises.
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