Face the Math

Before I started the teaching credential program, it didn’t occur to me that teaching vocabulary would be an integral component to teaching mathematics.  It wasn’t until Dr. Jill Aguilar professor of teacher education at California State University Dominguez Hills had us create a math lesson plan that was infused with vocabulary, reading and writing activities.  Well immediately I thought, “How would my student benefit from learning vocabulary? I wasn’t taught vocabulary and I turned out okay” Of course I was ignorant of the essential role that vocabulary plays in learning.

So I did my research and was amazed at what I learned.  According to Dr. David Chard Language and Vocabulary Consultant for Houghton Mifflin Math and Professor of Reading at the University of Oregon, in language arts, mathematical words conjure up graphic representations of the objects they label. But when it comes to abstract mathematical concepts, words describe activities or relationships that often lack a visual counterpart.  He adds that children learn mathematics best by using it, and understanding the language of math gives students the skills they need to think about, talk about, and assimilate new math concepts as they are introduced.

After discovering the latter, I realized I had lots to learn about teaching.  Dr. Aguilar recommended the book Inside Words by Janet Allen.  Inside Words models how to employ a great deal of building vocabulary skills for each discipline.  A particular activity for continue reading…

Like most secondary school students, I always had trouble doing my homework.  As hard as I tried, I couldn’t seem to reproduce what I had learned in class.  Since the 6^th grade I was taught that I needed to take notes in my own words, and I did just that.  But it just wasn’t enough.  Although I copied each step and made side comments to my self, I was unable to complete my homework successfully.

Dr. Jeffrey Miller, one of my university professors suggested that it is paramount that all teachers teach their students how to take good notes.  I say, teaching your students to take good notes should be every teacher’s first lesson.  But how does one take good notes?

Dr. Miller, taught us the art of note taking or what he calls, “task analysis” by having us do an activity.  He said, “I’d like you to pretend that I am an alien from outer space and I am here on my first visit.  Now, your task is to give me directions on how to go to McDonalds and order a meal (up to 10 steps).  Remember, I’m an alien so I need step by step directions.” Collectively, we shared our steps and this continue reading…

In the little time I have taught, I have witnessed with incredulous eyes the volatility at which students forget recently covered material.  So I asked myself, “Are my lessons not conceptual enough? Is the material perhaps too complicated for them? Why aren’t my students recalling previous lessons? What can I do about it?”

Well I gave it some thought and one day as I was giving my students a warm up on Pythagorean triples, one of my students asked, “Mr. Alvarez, didn’t we do this yesterday? Why are we doing it again?” So I replied, “Warm ups help you recall the material we covered yesterday.”  And there lied the answer to my questions, warm ups.

So I began incorporating material from past lessons to my warm ups and sure enough, it worked like a charm.  These new mix of warm ups have helped keep past material fresh in my students mind.

So if you find that you are having the same problem give it a try and be sure to come back and tell us how it went.  If you have discovered other methods that worked please share them with us.

-Sergio Alvarez