Miss

Firmans
Mathema
tics
Handboo
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By: Karlissa Firman

We cannot solve our problems

with the same thinking we
used when we created them.
-Albert Einstein

Should we communicate with students who

dont use vocabulary terms? The answer is,
yes.

Just because students may word something differently or may even

have an answer that doesnt quite make sense, there is never a
reason to tell a child that they are wrong. If theyre thinking in the
first place then they are moving in the right direction. If a child
doesnt know the correct term and uses a different word instead,
feed off of that and begin to share these vocabulary words so the
children can learn. Odds are, if one student doesnt know, many of
the others dont know as well.

Number charts on students desks, or other

keys such as this can be extremely helpful
when students are learning new material. They
can relate back to their basic charts and help
them solve new challenges.

Students will have mathematic power by the

end of the year. Not that they will know all
problems in the book, but they will have a very
good understanding to carry with them to the
next level of their mathematic career.
Start with a good problem, then let go and let
students work. Try to help students see the big
ideas.
Instead of pointing people out specifically in
class for not knowing something, ex- Does
anyone need help or does not understand what
were doing? Of course no one will raise their
hand. Instead ask something such as, Some of
these are a little confusing, in your groups
choose one problem youd like to discuss and
understand better. This way no one gets put
on the spot and no one feels stupid. Math
has a reputation for making students feel this
anxiety.

EdTPA- Never do piece where youre the only

one talking. Allow students to talk and do not
lecture to children, let them experiment and
solve.
Seating can help tremendously in a class. Make
sure you have students positioned so everyone
can see the board, but also where they can
easily work in groups together.

Give students plenty of time to think after

asking a question. Depending on the question
you could wait up to a good two minutes and
allow for group discussions table talk as well
for students to hear others opinions and
ideas.
Form a classroom community and a friendly
environment so the students feel comfortable
to ask uncomfortable questions. A math class
should be a safe place for children to be
wrong.
How long to you want to give struggling
students problems for if they do not
understand the information?

The goal is not to get students to learn and think, not solve
problem.

What can you do in your class to make class

environment friendly?

Establish expectations, such as a contract that you can make with

the children including working, thinking, respect, etc.

The physical environment is a key aspect

Believe in your students

Build a community through teamwork and learning about each

other. At the beginning of the year do ice breakers and activities at
the beginning of class so students can truly get to know each other.

Respect differences and learn how to work with them. No student

should ever be left behind because they learn differently.

Dont shoot down other students ideas, or allow others to do that.

Dont do activities that give your that give

your students a bad feeling.
It is okay to introduce incorrect work:
Someone did it this way, what do you think
about this?
Good classrooms dont just happen, teachers
make them happen. Your success or failure is
contingent on the environment you establish.
Strategy for listening: Repeat what someone
says to emphasize ideas. If no one looks
excited, have them turn to talk to partners.
What is the main goal?
-Teaching children mathematical power by teaching
them to use process standards.
Students learn more when you dont give them
the answer right away. Let them work to solve
it and encourage them to do so. It may be
easier to just give in and give them the answer
when they are struggling, but then the
meaning is taken away. If the student gets the
right answers, but theyre not their own,
whats the point?

Balance extremes between figuring out

yourself and let me do it for you.
(From chapter 10) It is important not to skip
over phases or the students will be confused in
the long run. Dont just try to skip over
everything to make sure you teach everything
youre required to teach.
Reasoning is the most important process
standard.
Crutches- After you heal you dont need
them anymore, same goes for if we develop
strong reasoning strategies.
Were so excited to have problems solved that
we dont actually discuss why or how we come
to that answer. Notice, connect, and relate
different strategies.

____ Bad Teacher

_________Good Teacher
_____________________Master Teacher
Some content, different kinds of teachers,
work towards being a Master Teacher.

What Makes a Good Math Problem?

(Source:http://www.homeofbob.com/math/proces/prblmSlvn/go
odPrblm.html)
1. Interesting - as a topic, subject, or includes people or characters
that are interesting to the students. It is fascinating enough to create
curiosity and develop a need for a solution within the students. It
requires some kind of action to solve - physical manipulation,
observation, measurement, classification, or arranging a pattern.
Something to entice students to get involved and focus their attention
to bring enough information into their working memory for an initial
internal representation that has a chance to lead to a successful
solution.
2. Time - the amount of time required to solve the problem is
appropriate for the student's developmental level.
3. Developmentally appropriate - The problem can be solved in a way
that will not contradict the students developmental way of
understanding, if the student isn't ready for a developmental change.
4. Understandable - Has at least one solution that can be understood
by the students - A solution is possible with the mental structures
available to students so they will be able to organize the information
and operate on that information in a manner necessary to solve the
problem.
5. Emotional value - The problem has characteristics that make it
reasonable to assume students have sufficient self-efficacy and selfconfidence to attempt the problem and persist long enough to solve it
so they will grow to appreciate and value mathematics in their lives.
6. Communication - The problem provides students with a need or
desire to communicate multiple ideas and in multiple ways.
7. Mathematical value - The problem requires mathematical ideas that
are powerful and something the students should know at this point in
their lives, will be able to apply it to their world to connect to other
mathematical content and process knowledge to increase their feelings
of empowerment by knowing.

Make things are clear as you possibly can,

especially when it comes to Algorithms.
Its important to be prepared to re-state or reword your original question.
A good future teacher wont wait for feedback,
they will seek it. No one is going to tell you
what to change unless you ask for it.
How do you help children to stop lying?
(saying they understand something that they
really dont)

Dont shoot their ideas down or say something like youre

wrong.

Give your students opportunities to feel confident. Praise them.

Do more group work for less pressure.

Efficiency- I am capable of making things

happen.
Things to help with a lesson: (time teaching)

Be accountable- Make sure you give them the opportunity to

think instead of just letting them give up.

Know your students and abilities form a community and build

trust.

Be over prepared for differentiation so you have useful material

for the full time. Younger kids get bored easily.

Principles- Shelf Life

If you make your classes about reasoning, if

reasoning is required, youre most likely to
engage children and inspire wonder.

Show examples

Be excited

Teaching Inequitably:

Teachers cant assume a child will do bad because of past

tracking (false assumptions)

Students who cant do multiplication facts quickly dont

understand it

Going too fast

No group work

Asking Does anyone not understand this? Because no one will

answer to that.

Dont only go by the standards; make sure to go above and

beyond that.

Give variations of grading criteria so all children are able to have

a chance at success. Know your students and their capabilities
well.

If you have a really good problem, then you

can challenge students. Matt Webb
Anytime you have more than one student you
will make compromises on how much you
challenge each student appropriately.
If a student is excelling, instead of letting them
be done early, give them something to
challenge their learning further.
Ideas:

Have a math challenge box

Work backwards

Add activity page (So if they finish, no one else will know and
feel rushed)

Multiple Representations

Relevant situations

Manipulatives

Spoken language

Drawings

Abstract symbols