Tag Archives: Math

Math, Optimal Learning, Stories, Teaching Practices

Listening to Students’ Stories can Improve Math Class

Mind/Shift – How Listening to Students’ Stories can Improve Math Class (September 2023)

This is such a fresh approach to Math: humanizing it. As educators, we know that our students bring their own experiences, perceptions and hopes for themselves in many ways. I can’t say I ever really asked or considered a student’s hope for themselves in Math in a meaningful way. I see now that, giving students regular opportunities to reflect on their Math experiences and sharing them with us, allows us to be more aware and meaningful in what we teach, how we teach and support students to realize their hopes & goals for themselves; in Math and hopefully more.

Apps, Math, Technology, Visuals

Online Math Apps

Two posts in a row!

I’m getting ready to teach summer school – primary Math and Language Arts. In my prep, I found this great website of online Math apps.

Math Learning Centre

Apps include:

  • Pattern Shapes
  • Number Pieces
  • Clock
  • Fractions
  • Geoboards
  • Number lines
  • Number frames

I’ve played around with them a bit and they’re relatively easy to use (for educators and students) The apps allow images to be more engaging because they are uniform (ex. your base 10 blocks will be colour-coded and match size-wise). It’s useful as a tool for students who need adapted or modified learning opportunities.

According to the website: All apps are available in two or more versions: a web app for all modern browsers, and downloadable versions for specific operating systems and devices (such as Apple iOS for iPad).

When I was in the classroom, I relied a lot on projecting visuals (ex. worksheets, textbook pages, etc) on the whiteboard. Having these visuals displayed for the whole class allowed me to highlight key text + elements. For example, having the worksheet projected on the whiteboard allowed us to go through the handout and practice answering questions.

I’m hoping (there’s that word again – HOPE) to post about my summer school adventure and I’ll make it a point to share about my experience using them with my students.

Math, Outdoor Education

Sidewalk Math / Math Walks

Many of you have experienced this. You start reading about one thing and it leads you down a rabbit hole and you end up somewhere you weren’t expecting.

So my rabbit hole ending up here: Math Walks

KQED Mindshift had a story on sidewalk math.  The gist is parents and educators were using chalk to write math problems on sidewalks in their neighbourhoods and schools. Immediately the teacher in me saw the potential for student engagement from having math presented in this new format and location. I experimented with math journals last year as a classroom teacher and this is something that ties in the intended purposes of the journal; to foster brainstorming, revising their thinking if they get stuck or make a mistake, and collaborating with peers to share strategies and problem solve. All of this could be recorded in a journal. Consider having students write their ideas and answers next to the question and take pictures of it with a device. Now you have some formative assessment as well as digital evidence for online portfolios to share with parents. There is so much potential; especially for students who may struggle with math or written output or engagement inside a  classroom. When we change the parameters of how we deliver instruction and support, we create another opportunity for success.

Click on the links and give them a bit of your time. Of course, there is other rich content within them to lead you down your own rabbit hole. Good luck and see you on the other side.