Running head: YOUNGMAN MATH STATEMENT

Math Statement

Anita Youngman

Dr. Katy Spangler & Dr. Beth Hartley

University of Alaska Southeast

ED 698

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Math

Teachers know, understand, and use the major concepts and procedures that define

number and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, and data analysis and probability. In

doing so they consistently engage problem solving, reasoning and proof, communication,

connections, and representation. In these math fluency lessons students work to gain automatic

recall of math facts, creating the foundations for the more abstract, higher level thinking math.

Fluency can be incorporated into a daily math routine as students work on fluency in number

recognition, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

Our Kindergarten math begins with a routine of daily fluency lessons, this is a signal to

the class that math has begun. The time it takes to deliver and manage a quick fluency check

takes about ten minutes, a small portion of our math block of learning. I have observed over

time that as students become fluent in a variety of math facts they begin to have more fun

engaging in math games and work. In a study on math automaticity by Axtell, McCallum, Mee

Bell, & Poncy, (2009):

if a student has to actively think about the answer to 5x5 in an algebraic equation,

he/she has fewer cognitive resources to think about the next step in an algebraic

algorithm. As such, this increases the time and effort it takes to complete complex

math problems. Not only does this increased time and effort hamper more complex

skill acquisition, it may produce an underestimate of a student’s true ability,

especially on time-limited tests or assessments.” (p. 527)

As this quote suggests, the more comfortable students become with math facts, and fluency, the

more comfortable they will become with abstract concepts and numeracy.
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Fluency work in my Kindergarten is set up similarly to the math fluency artifact. The

fluency worksheets are a one minute timed test. Old medals are re-used and given to students

when they pass a test. The medals along with being deemed a math master for the day works as

a reward system. Math masters then work to help everyone else finish or correct the problems on

their worksheets. This behaviorist reward system makes the start to our math day extremely

motivational for the students, and the students are enthusiastically working on developing math

fact knowledge. Research by Poncy, McCallum, & Schmitt, (2010) stated, “the study provides

support that behaviorally oriented instructional methods result in increased rates of learning

when compared to constructivist-influenced instruction.” (p. 925) I see the benefits of this

behaviorist approach to learning math facts for the beginning of our hour long math block

however, the rest of our math is designed around constructivist learning with games and small

group work.

Math fluency alone is not the answer to students understanding of math concepts, it is just

the muscle that “mathletes” need to play the games. Math numeracy is just as important as

fluency, and this is where constructivist teaching comes into play. In a research study about

kindergarten students playing games, LeFevre, Skwarchuk, Smith-Chant, Fast, & Kamawar,

(2009) explain, “ intervention studies support the correlational conclusions from the present

research: Children’s indirect experiences with numbers, particularly in motivation contexts such

as games, may be important contributors to their preparation for numeracy experiences in the

early grades.” (p.63) Alone fluency is not the answer to hold student interest, however,

transferring the fluency skills to games, makes math enjoyable for students.
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All aspects of math can be enjoyable, even the seemingly mundane work of rote

memorization can be revitalized with some resourcefulness. According to Zager, (2016) “Our

students arrive in kindergarten with powerful mathematical ideas, observations, and wonderings.

If we create the most favorable conditions we can for all students, we’ll equip them to enjoy

mathematics all their lives.” (p. 356) By giving students opportunities to play math games and

feel confident in their math abilities, learning and teaching math is enjoyable.
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References

Axtell, P.K. McCallum, R.S., Mee Bell, S., & Poncy, B. (2009). Developing math automaticity

using a classwide fluency building procedure for middle school students: A preliminary

study. Psychology in the Schools, 46(6), 526-538. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.20395

Lefevre, J.-A., Skwarchuk, S.-L., Smith-Chant, B.L., Fast, L., &Kamawar, D. (2009). Home

numeracy experiences and children’s math performance in the early school years.

Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 41(2), 55-66.

https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014532

Poncy, B. C., McCallum, E., & Schmitt, A.J. (2010). A comparison of behavioral and

constructivist interventions for increasing math-fact fluency in a second-grade classroom.

Psychology in the Schools, 47(9), 917-930. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.20514

Zager, T. (2016). Becoming the Math Teacher You Wish You’d Had : Ideas and Strategies From

Vibrant Classrooms. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers. Retrieved from http://

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