MATH: the science of pattern and order

TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study)

About the study:
o Largest study on math and science education ever conducted (41 nations)
o mid-1990s, study repeats in 2007
o Data gathered from 4th, 8th, and 12th grades
What we learned from the study:
o US 4th and 8th graders are above average, but significantly outperformed by 8
countries
o US 12th graders are significantly below international average
o Top countries start math lessons with new problems/tasks; in 99% of US
classrooms, math class starts with review of hw.
o US Math Curriculum is a mile wide and an inch deep
NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics)
Worlds largest mathematics education organization
6 Principals Fundamental to high-quality mathematics education
1. Equity- high expectations and strong support for all students
2. Curriculum- must be coherent, focused on important mathematics, and well
articulated across the grades
3. Teaching- requires understanding what students know and need to learn and then
challenging and supporting them to learn it well
4. Learning- actively building new knowledge from experience and prior knowledge
5. Assessment- done for students, to guide and enhance their learning
6. Technology- essential to teaching and learning
5 Content Standards (in 4 grade bands: preK-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12)
Number and Operations
Algebra
Geometry
Measurement
Data Analysis and Probability
5 Process Standards
Problem Solving- learning and doing math as you solve problems
Reasoning and Proof- justifying ideas through logical argument
Communication- being able to talk about, write about, describe, and explain
mathematical ideas
Connections- connections between ideas and to real world
Representation- using charts, symbols, graphs, manipulative, etc to express ideas and
relationships

Characteristic of a Great Math Teacher

Knowledge of Mathematics- profound, flexible, and adaptive knowledge of content
Persistence- demonstrate persistence
Positive Attitude- leads to more effective instruction
Readiness for Change- be prepared to unlearn and relearn math concepts to fit current
methods and standards
Reflective Disposition- professional development, etc
Educational Theories that Inform Math Teaching
Constructivism (Piaget)- students are creators of their own knowledge
Sociocultural Theory (Vygotsky)- learning through social interactions
Best classrooms use ideas from BOTH
Classroom Environment & Teaching Strategies (informed by educational theory)
Students
o share ideas
o look for and discuss connections
o view errors or strategies that didnt work are opportunities for learning
o embrace struggle
o build new knowledge from prior knowledge
Teacher
o makes mathematical relationships explicit
o engages students in productive struggle
o Provide opportunities to talk about math
o Provides opportunities for reflective thought
o Encourage multiple approaches
o Treat errors as learning opportunities
o Scaffold new content
o Honor diversity
What does it mean to Do Math?
Means generating strategies for solving problems, applying those approached, seeing if
they lead to solutions, and checking to whether the answer makes sense
Basic facts and skills are important in enabling students to do math, but rote exercises
alone do not prepare students for real world math
What does it meant to understand Math?
Understanding: a measure of the quality and quantity of connections that an idea has with
existing ideas
o varies person to person
o not an all-or-nothing proposition
o exists on a continuum from relational to instrumental understanding

Instrumental Understanding: doing something without understanding

Relational Understanding: knowing what to do and why (GOAL)

Different Ways to Represent Mathematical Ideas

1. Oral Language
2. Written Symbols
3. Real-world Situations
4. Pictures
5. Manipulative Models- physical objects used to illustrate and discover concepts
Tips for Effectively Representing Math Concepts
Teach and encourage the use of multiple representations; students develop deeper
understanding and stronger retention when they have more than one way to think about
and test emerging ideas
Help students connect models to the concept but avoid parroting (do as I do)
Variety of tools should be accessible for students to select and use freely
5 Strands of Mathematical Proficiency (foundations for CCSS Standards of Math Practice)
1. Conceptual Understanding- comprehension of concepts, operations, and relations
2. Procedural Fluency- skill in carrying out procedures flexibly, accurately, efficiently, and
appropriately
3. Strategic Competence- ability to formulate, represent, and solve mathematic problems
4. Adaptive Reasoning- capacity for logical thought, reflection, explanation, and
justification
5. Productive Disposition- habitual inclination to see mathematics as sensible, useful, and
worthwhile, coupled with a belief in diligence and ones own efficacy
Teaching through Problem Solving (not for problem solving)
Students learn through real contexts, problems, situations, and models
Problems presented at the beginning of a lesson and skills emerging from working with
the problems
Dont tell students how to do a problem
o choose a problem that lends itself to your targeted strategy
o if no one uses your strategy, ask could we have tried ____? What would that look
like? Lets give it a try.
What is a problem?
Any task or activity for which the students have no prescribed or memorized rules or
methods (no specific correct solution)
Routine problem- students can right away which operations to use (ex: 2 + 4 = __)
Non-routine problem- students dont initially know how to solve it (ex: 2 + _ = _ + 9)
Features of a problem:
Must begin where the students are

Problematic or engaging aspect of the problem must be due to the mathematics that the
students are to learn (content overrides context)
Must require justifications and explanations for answers and methods
Worthwhile Tasks are:
Cognitively demanding (problem-based; involve higher-level thinking)
Accessible to every student (multiple entry & exit points)
Contextually relevant (reflect cultures and interests of students; connect to other
disciplines)
Found in standards-based textbooks
Problem-Solving Strategies
Draw a picture, act it out, use a model
Look for a pattern
Guess and check
Make a table or chart
Try a simpler form of the problem
Make an organized list
Write an equation
4-Step Problem-Solving Process (for students)
1. Understanding the problem
2. Devising a plan
3. Carrying out the plan
4. Looking back
Questioning: Tips for Asking Productive Questions
Ask higher-level questions
Good questions target both concepts and procedures
Consider the pattern of questioning; 3 major types
1. Initiation-response-feedback (IRF)- teacher asks, student answers, teacher
confirms or challenges
2. Funneling- teacher continues to probe student until they reach a particular answer
3. Focusing- uses probing questions to negotiate class discussions and facilitate
understanding; THE BEST ONE
Use strategies that ensure every student is accountable to think of the answer (ex: turn &
talk)
Dont automatically confirm a correct answer; instead, engage other students by asking
follow-up questions (brainstorm alternative strategies, check work, etc)
3 Things that Teachers Should Tell Students
1. Conventions (symbols, labels, terminology)- should be introduced after concepts
2. Alternative Methods- if important strategies dont emerge naturally, teach the strategy as
another way of solving the problem
3. Clarification or formalization of students methods

Calculators should:
NOT be used to practice computational skills
be used to explore patterns, conduct investigations, test conjectures, solve problems, and
visualize solutions
Drill vs Practice:
drill- repetitive, non-problem-based exercises designed to improve skills or procedures
already acquired
practice- refers to different problem-based tasks or experience, spread over numerous
class periods, each addressing the same basic ideas