GEOMETRY 101

After reading Chapter 10 in our book, and completing the homework and test I struggle with how often a person truly has to recall this information. I could figure out the concept given the formulas, but I can't imagine remembering the same formulas a year from now if I was given a geometry problem to solve. My question is this, do we equip students with the skills to memorize the formulas and equations for all types of geometry problems, or do we give them the resources to find the equations if need be. Maybe in some professions this is included in every day activities, but for me, I might use this information once a year, if that. My response is a bit skeptical, but I also want to be practical. Is it realistic to memorize formulas galore, or is more realistic to simply know how to solve the problem if necessary? Does anyone have any insight, or a different perspective?

Technology in the Classroom

I am taking several math classes right now and have found that in order to grasp and learn some of the concepts, I need to not have to focus on the math involved. For example, when we are working with medians, mode, and mean, I often spend more time calculating the numbers rather than rationalizing the data. When I use software that allows me to put the data in and then manipulate it, it is much more powerful. I know younger students have these same drawbacks in the classroom. Once they understand how the data calculates, we should move on to the interpretation of data. This will allow students to dig deeper into problems than just use up paper and pencils doing basic math.

Technology and the endless possibilities!

The children these days have so many perks because of all the technology being used in the classrooms. There really is endless possibilities with everything you can do, and many, many things to keep children engaged with the topics at hand. The only thing I am hesitant about is calculators. Calculators are nice to have, but should not be introduced until later in school. I remember having to memorize the different math tables and different ways to find the answers to the problems, and because of not having the use of calculators we were forced to know that stuff. Now days the children are encouraged to use calculators, which like I said is nice but if they get them to early then they will never learn the basics that I still use on a daily basis.

Math and Technology

With the use of technology students can see real world applications of math. By using spreadsheets they can learn to chart data and make graphs. When they help to collect the information that is used in the graph they understand what it represents. If they use this information to draw conclusions or make decisions they can begin to appreciate the importance math can have in our daily lives. If students see for themselves the importance of math they will explore it deeper on their own and quit asking "when will I ever use this". Technology can show students manipulatives in many ways that would be difficult to show without it. My son plays many games on the computer and doesn’t even realize the math problems he is solving to advance within the game. He thinks he is just having fun but really he is also learning.

Making Math Fun

I loved this article because it made teaching and learning math both fun and easy to relate to. As a self proclaimed struggling mathematician, I find it very hard to learn math, let alone teach it. However, this article made teaching math seem exciting and easy. I love how the author talks about using spreadsheets to create charts, surveys to plot data and photography to locate patterns. All of these lesson relate to real life scenarios in a new and fun way. What I enjoyed the most about these lessons is that they all incorporated other subjects like art and science. Because the lessons are unique and creative, students are more likely to enjoy them and find a deeper meaning in math. I think this author has a real grasp on students today. It is important to know who your audience is and that will determine if you are able to reach them or not. I have bookmarked this site to reference and to remind me how fun math can be, even for struggling mathmaticians.

Math Techonology in the Elementary School Classroom

I want to apologize to everyone that this post and my comments are so late, as I have been having technology issues (ironic huh?) due to the fact that I graduated from CLC a year ago and now had to get all my student id's, email, etc... all changed or reactived so it has been a pain! Anyways, I really enjoyed reading this article. I have found in my experience with Americorps reading Tutoring through my workstudy at CLC and subbing as a paraprofessional in the Brainerd School District that has been really helpful. The students use Math games in the computer lab and I have helped with and watched many of them and the students really learn from them AND they are fun! This makes it fun for them to learn math, rather than just from a boring textbook which I think is awesome! I personally struggle with math and do much better when it is fun and/or I can relate it to real life. I know this helps do both for the students and as a teacher this is really important to myself as well. Brainerd also uses a hands-on math curriculum in which they use tanograms and geoboards and I have found the students pick up these new lessons with these really easily and do really well as it is fun and very hands-on. They also use the new projector screens to go thru the workbooks which helps to see the teacher do some examples. I have found that is very helpful for students and teachers and definately plan on using it in my classroom. I would like to learn more about how to use the smartboards with students, as I have found this helpful for myself in these math problems using it.

Not only is math a large part of the school day, but it is also a huge part of everyday life. I do not think students realize how important it is to have a solid math background just to get through the basic concepts in everyday life like figuring out a percent. I really like the spreadsheet idea in the article because it gives students a different way to look at figures and data. And when the teacher has varied ways of instruction he/she can reach many different learning types. I think she incorporates a great idea for cross curriculum when she combines math and reading with pictures and numbers on the bulletin board. Math facts are important but I feel it is more important to understand the concept and work through it not just arrive at an answer. Using a calculator allows me to mentally think through it and visual do the problem on the calculator. This teacher used a calculator to introduce basic concepts and I am sure students are thrilled to see that a calculator can be used to make learning fun. Using different technology enhances the style and tone of the classroom and also promotes collaboration and cooperation between the students and teacher. Using technology also takes the focus off the teacher and lets him/her be the "guide on the side". I am always interested in the latest technology available and truly believe that it enhances a lesson and deepens the understanding and learning taking place. Many lesson plans now also incorporate something with technology.

connections & feedback

What I liked about the article was not only does the teacher uses technology in a variety of ways but she makes it relevant to the students lives. Taking photos of their playground and having them create and update a spreadsheet of the temperature in their city makes the connection between technology and mathematics interesting, and therefore stronger, for the students.
From the article, I discovered technology in the classroom does not need to be fancy nor time consuming, just applicable and appropriate. Using a digital camera or Excel is something that I, who considers myself a novice, is comfortable and can effectively manage even with thirty youngsters are depending on me! With the use of suitable computer software, reinforcement of basic math skills is easily done and with instant feedback, the students can determine immediately, if they are having trouble, where the error is occurring. This is a positive aspect of technology in the classroom as without the instant feedback, mistakes will continue to be made and bad habits may form. These days, students expect immediate feedback and if teachers can provide this, I believe it will benefit the student. Technology in the classroom is essential as the world the students live in has become dependant on it. We should provide numerous opportunities and a variety of technology tools to our students.

Involvement = Memorable

The idea I found interesting from the article is: "Bring your class and a 35mm camera outside and take pictures of your students on the playground equipment, but do it systematically. Start out with one student on a swing, then two on the jungle gym, three on the slide, etc. The last picture will be of your whole class (however many that happens to be). After the pictures are developed, you can either set them up as a number center (match the picture with the number word) in a pocket chart, or assemble pictures plus words on a bulletin board or in a photo album for "reading.""
I believe the more involved the student becomes the more they grasp the information. For me, working with ADHD children, I've seen that they need to do and not watch or listen. In this case you are actually having the children perform but also involving them in the slide show so it becomes more meaningful and personal. Students will remember moments like these. Then when the following year comes a long and they are learning about adding and subtracting they can remember a slide show or being in the photo. The article went further with giving options for older students taking the photos. That is even better making them create the number sentence with the photos! I would have loved this as a child!

Nothing less than the BEST.

It might be agreed that technology is necessary to help students and prepare them for current society. It only makes sense to teach students how to transition from school to the business and work world. We would like them be successful and competitive, confident at what they undertake, and sure of what they know. As the world continues being modified and updated, students should be allowed the privilege as well. Whether that is computer access with games, programs, and the internet, or using a calculator in math class. I don't believe that replacing math logic and knowledge with quicker methods is necessary, but I do believe that each student should be equipped with how to successfully and efficiently use appropriate technology when needed. I know from personal experience that I'm very glad I know how to use Excel, and operate a financial calculator when I need to. My job doesn't require those exact skills, but it definitely helps. To summarize, I agree with the author, we should utilize the numerous technological resources available to help students achieve even higher understanding of math concepts and excel at life after school.

Real World

After being in a my teaching program for over a full year now I have came to the conclusion that k-12 is intended to create people of positive interdependence and complimentary existence. Essentially creating individuals that can contribute to society in a successful way while getting along with others.
If we do not allow students to use such tools as a calculator we are not simulating a real life situation. Yes at times there will be no-calculator tests or other exercises to stimulate and work out concepts. For the most part though students need to know how to use cutting edge materials in a way that will only allow innovation and productivity to be present.
The use of such technology of a smart board and the many materials made available by the internet enhances opportunities in the classroom. Many years ago students had a chalk board, paper a pencil and a textbook. It is well understood that we all learn differently. To not take advantage of showing vivid visual representations of bugs in science or verbally instructing math processes in a much faster and less cluttered presentation benefits the instructor and their students.

Technology in the Elementary Math Classroom

I love the idea of using technology when teaching math, and I think students do as well. During this past school year, I had the opportunity to work with elementary students each day in the tech lab as a paraprofessional. In this role, I was able to see how positively students responded to utilizing technology in a variety of ways. We worked on a variety of projects, with many of them being math-related. Many times, however, the students did not even think about the fact that they were doing math, they just focused on the fun!

One project involved researching the costs related to owing a puppy, which engaged the kids immediately. They enjoyed browsing the PetSmart website in search of the perfect dog collar, dog bed, and grooming tools. The students needed to keep their “purchases” within a certain budget allowance. Once they located all of the items they needed, they placed their data into Microsoft Excel and learned how the program can quickly calculate totals for them. If they were over their budget, they needed to determine how to adjust their purchases to stay within the budget. Another project required the students to tally up various colors of jellybeans (and eat them, of course), and enter the data into an Excel spreadsheet and create a pie chart that clearly showed the percentages of each color of jellybean.

Often times the students would finish their projects before the entire hour of tech lab was over. In these situations, I was able to direct them to various websites where they could play math games. A favorite was “Math Mayhem” (http://members.learningplanet.com/act/mayhem/free.asp), where students competed against each other in addition, subtraction, multiplication or division. Another popular one was “Bloxorz” (http://www.coolmath-games.com/0-bloxorz/index.html), which gave the students practice in strategic problem solving and exploration with geometric shapes.

As a teacher, I hope to utilize technology in my math lessons as much as possible. My experiences as a paraprofessional have shown me that students respond very well to this. There is an extremely large amount of free online math activities and games that can enhance the math curriculum at any grade level. Utilizing these resources can help students see that math can be very fun!

Starting to Emerge

Our school doesn’t seem to incorporate very much technology into any classroom, let alone the math classes. Our scores are low, and it seems to be a struggle to get the kids to learn the basics. This next year is going to be a bit of a change, I hope one of many. Instead of the 5-6th graders only having a 50 minute block of math each day, they are going to have a 100 minute block to split between both math and social. This extra time give the teachers a little leeway in planning out projects and activities that require more time. I am always passing on new ideas to the current math teacher and am excited that she has taken a few of my suggestions. The kids have been into the computer lab to graph results from surveys that they have taken, and to practice for their MCA’s by using both Study Island and Pearson. I currently work with a grade teacher who is always trying to incorporate technology and computers into her classes. I know the ideas in the article are something she will embrace, and am thrilled to pass onto her.

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When writing your original post, make sure to click on "New Post" in the upper right corner here.

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Connecting Math with Technology

I love how the article starts out saying, "Math is such a large part of the school day- and technology can enhance what you're already doing." This statement is so true! I loved how the teacher in this article has incorporated using charts, graphs and pie charts into their daily routine activities. For example, the ongoing spreadsheets are done on the computer by graphing the results on the computer. It's a another way to bring technology into the classroom instead of just coloring the results on a graph piece of paper. This is a skill that they can use in their daily lives. The digital camera is another great idea where student can get involved with Math that is all around them. I liked how this teacher had students take pictures of shapes and then download them to a sideshow where it can be used as a teaching tool. I think my children would love to do this activity this summer. It so simple and another great way to get our students involved with math. This experience is so valuable for the students because students of today are the computer generation. It's almost crazy to think that I didn't really create any slide-shows until I was in college! It's exciting to know that technology can be such a valuable resource to help students learn and become involved in Math.

Two Birds

I think it is such a good idea to have those 1st graders graphing the temperature, ect. daily. Those 1st graders are "killing two birds with one stone," they are learning to use the graphing technology they have available, plus they are learning new math skills all at the same time. They can then compile all of their information at the end of the week and then do another math project. Hands on learning I feel is the best way to learn because your hand, eyes, and brain are all engaged, which helps you remember. So using the technology provided, makes them physically use their hands, eyes, and brain. Doing this project early in the morning gets their brains in the school mode again and lets them interact with classmates.

Start blogging! Week 2 Assignment

Let's talk about technology. In Chapter 8, the authors discuss it often, urging you all to use graphing calculators and spreadsheet programs to create visual representations of the data discussed. To get started, please read this article: http://www.edzone.net/~mwestern/elemath.html
and give us your thoughts on the topic.
You may check out other websites, articles, teachers, and even your own past experiences for more information. Whatever direction you choose, let's have your post touch on technology in the elementary math classroom.
Can't wait to read your posts!

Week 2 Blog Assignment Summer 2010

Our first assignment here will be posted by Wednesday, June 16th. Please keep an eye out for it! You may want to refer once again to the blog rubric under the Content link in D2L.

Welcome Summer Session Bloggers!

Hello Everyone!
Here is where you will be posting to our blog and commenting on your classmates' posts. Feel free to read posts by former students. Some received a very high grade, and some did not.
I will be directing you to focus on topics for each blog week to get your brain working.

Have fun!

Jackie