I found a great math blog for teachers and parent. This math blog has quite a few uses and ideas. I really like the story problems related to literacy. I believe that whenever teachers integrate other subjects into a specific subject, students make more connections and learn more. The resources the author uses and gives are also great tools. By following links throughout the resources, I’ve found plenty of creative, useful ideas that I plan on using when I begin teaching.
I believe that teachers who might not have a background in mathematics can benefit from the blog as well. Most of the ideas/posts that I read had legitimate mathematical concepts behind them. While they’re not all constructivist, as I would like, they could still be useful for students and teachers.
The blogger, Denise, is a mother who home schools her children. So this blog is also useful for home schoolers. While she doesn’t have a degree in education, she has done her homework, so to say, as to great mathematics tools. My sister plans to homeschool her children, so she’s always looking for ways to become connected with other mothers and help her children connect with peers. I know that this website will give her useful ideas, that might spark her own creative ideas for teaching her children.
One item in Denise’s blog that I really enjoy is Alexandria Jones. She has multiple stories about this fictional character that have math problem solving problems in them. Students must listen to the story and try to figure out the answer before Alexandria Jones does. These stories remind me of the Sir Cumference stories that are wonderfully rich with mathematical concepts. I can see myself using her Alexandria Jones stories, and perhaps coming up with a few myself.
Overall, this blog is useful for parents, teachers, and homeschoolers. Using my background knowledge of math, I assessed the content and found it reasonable. I plan on using this blog as a resource in the future.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Technology Article
I found an article that discusses using blogs in the classroom. This article shows the benefits of using a blog to help students interact, find out homework they missed, share resources they’ve found, or even just to keep parents informed of a classroom’s activities. I believe that blogs and all technology can enhance a student’s learning. Now a days, students as young as preschool know how to operate a computer, cell phone, ipod, and much more, and are drawn to using technology. I believe that if a teacher integrates technology into the student’s learning projects, students will be more engaged and feel connected with the content.
As far as integrating technology into math, there are a lot of online activities for students to use. Students can use computers to graph, analyze large quantities of data, and even collect data. In addition, simple technologies such as ELMOs are helpful for showing work. If you want students to explain to their peers what they did while working on a problem, it’s much easier and faster to throw your notebook on an ELMO than to rewrite it all on the chalkboard. I did a research paper about students using calculators to generate numbers. This is such a simple, inexpensive piece of technology, yet there is still quite a bit of controversy surrounding their use in young grades. However, the research states that students who use calculators even as young as kindergarten, have increase in conceptual knowledge, as well as advancing their skills. Students who had constant access to calculators often used them in creative ways, such as quick note takers, or playing games.
I believe that technology should play a large role in the classroom, and when I begin teaching, I hope to integrate it as much as possible.
As far as integrating technology into math, there are a lot of online activities for students to use. Students can use computers to graph, analyze large quantities of data, and even collect data. In addition, simple technologies such as ELMOs are helpful for showing work. If you want students to explain to their peers what they did while working on a problem, it’s much easier and faster to throw your notebook on an ELMO than to rewrite it all on the chalkboard. I did a research paper about students using calculators to generate numbers. This is such a simple, inexpensive piece of technology, yet there is still quite a bit of controversy surrounding their use in young grades. However, the research states that students who use calculators even as young as kindergarten, have increase in conceptual knowledge, as well as advancing their skills. Students who had constant access to calculators often used them in creative ways, such as quick note takers, or playing games.
I believe that technology should play a large role in the classroom, and when I begin teaching, I hope to integrate it as much as possible.
My Teaching Philosophy
I have a constructivist teaching philosophy. During my Senior Seminar Math class, we discovered the constructivist philosophy and saw many examples of math teachers applying the philosophy to their classroom. I was extremely impressed with the results, as well as the research behind the constructivist philosophy, showing students concept knowledge increasing.
The constructivist theory states that knowledge is not universal. It is personal to each individual person, because each person uses their prior knowledge to “construct” the knowledge in their schema. It is much like how two people can walk through a haunted house together, and come away with very different memories of their experience. Because this is the core belief of the constructivist theory, those who wish to implement it into their classroom, use an interactive, problem-based, inquiry model for teaching their students. The teacher is still the director of the classroom, but asks students to discover the solutions with each other’s cooperation. The teacher facilitates discussions, and teaches students concrete knowledge based upon their discoveries.
For example, a teacher may give the students a cylinder, and ask them to find the volume of it. The students, at this point, do not know the generic formula for the volume of a cylinder, but instead have to use their prior knowledge to make a conjecture. The teacher would have them work individually, in small groups, and then discuss their findings together as a class. In the end, the teacher will point out the generic formula, after the students are close to finding it themselves. This way, the students will understand the CONCEPT behind the formula, and will be able to generate the formula later in life. It is when students are simply given the formula, and asked to practice it that adults no longer remember it when they are older. Do you remember the formula of a cylinder? If you do, is it because you understand WHY that formula works?
The constructivist theory states that knowledge is not universal. It is personal to each individual person, because each person uses their prior knowledge to “construct” the knowledge in their schema. It is much like how two people can walk through a haunted house together, and come away with very different memories of their experience. Because this is the core belief of the constructivist theory, those who wish to implement it into their classroom, use an interactive, problem-based, inquiry model for teaching their students. The teacher is still the director of the classroom, but asks students to discover the solutions with each other’s cooperation. The teacher facilitates discussions, and teaches students concrete knowledge based upon their discoveries.
For example, a teacher may give the students a cylinder, and ask them to find the volume of it. The students, at this point, do not know the generic formula for the volume of a cylinder, but instead have to use their prior knowledge to make a conjecture. The teacher would have them work individually, in small groups, and then discuss their findings together as a class. In the end, the teacher will point out the generic formula, after the students are close to finding it themselves. This way, the students will understand the CONCEPT behind the formula, and will be able to generate the formula later in life. It is when students are simply given the formula, and asked to practice it that adults no longer remember it when they are older. Do you remember the formula of a cylinder? If you do, is it because you understand WHY that formula works?
Introducing Me and My techonogly skills
I'm Stephanie Winkel and this is my son, Killian. My son always comes first in my life, and school comes second. I enjoy cooking from whole, local foods. I also enjoy being outside in the summer, and I dream of having a large backyard for gardening and raising chickens. I have a PK-6 grade Major with a math minor. I have one and a half year left before graduating from UW-Oshkosh. I hope to teach preschool-2nd grade, but I’m also interested in teaching sixth grade math.
Right now, I believe that my technological skills are adequate for my profession. I’ve created podcasts, movies, picture books, blogs, utilized wikispaces, used all word applications, and much more. I feel confident in my ability to use and navigate any technology. The only technology sources I haven’t played around with are things like smart boards and projectors. I wish that my classes would have us utilize these technologies in my classes to that I could feel more comfortable with it.
I personally have a Mac, and have played around with all the applications in the Mac. However, I also use a PC for work. I am an accountant for a law firm, so I use QuickBooks, scan and edit legal documents, and much more for my work. I feel comfortable using these technologies, as well as a copy machine and fax machine. I have used the internet to find out how to use a few programs that I didn’t understand, so I also feel comfortable with my ability to self teach any skills I don’t have already.nologies so that I could feel more comfortable with it.
In my Reading 440 class, my teacher was very interested in technology, so we used and played with a lot of technology such as wiki spaces and epals. I learned how valuable using technology in a classroom is, and it inspired me to utilize technology more.
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