How many Minions?

14 August 2013

Today’s lesson on whole numbers gave me ideas on how to provide more variety in my math lessons with the kids.  

One of the activities we did in class today was to find as many possible numbers of minions we have if there are 7 eyes.

I personally find this activity interesting because firstly, it uses materials that will capture children’s interest and attention – which in this case are the minions. Secondly, it intrigues our curiosity into wanting to know more and it acts as a motivation for us to try our best to get to the answer. Seriously, the process and experience in getting to the answers are very meaningful.

Getting to the answers was a bonus though.

Apart from the mentioned activity, we also touched on fractions (equal parts). 

Dr. Yeap showed us how to apply the CPA approach in finding 4 equal parts in a rectangle.

The most important take-away for today’s lesson will be the “golden question”…

“WHY CHILDREN CANNOT COUNT?”

There are a number of reasons that Dr. Yeap enlightened us with.

They are:

• ·         The inability to one-to-one correspond
• ·         The inability to classify objects
• ·         No number sequence
• ·         No variations in math lesson and application
• ·         Do not appreciate the last number uttered represent the set

Whole Numbers.

13 august 2013

What are numbers used for?

ü  Ordinal numbers – tell the order of things in a set—first, second, third, etc. Ordinal numbers do not show quantity. They only show rank or position.

§  In relation to time (e.g. 2^nd child in the family)

§  In relation to space (e.g. 2^nd from the finishing line)

ü  Nominal number - a telephone number, a player on a team. Nominal numbers do not show quantity or rank. They are used only to identify something.

ü   Cardinal number - tells "how many." Cardinal numbers show quantity.

ü  Measurement – Standard Index unit (SI unit)

There are many ways to find the sum of numbers.

One of the ways is by using ten frames.

Advantages of using 10 frames for children are:

·         Visual

·         Concrete

·         Number bonds

·         Number conservation

·         One-to-one correspondence

·         Cultivate place values (ones in relation to 10)

Take-away for today:

v  Things with different nouns cannot be added or subtracted

v  If a task has constraints, there are opportunities to problem solve.

First Class...

12 August 2013

First Class…

Today is the first class for the module EDU 330 Elementary Mathematics. I was looking forward to learn more about math.

Here are some of the things that I learnt in class today:

ü  Children learn mathematics in many ways

1.       Through visualization

2.       Looking for patterns and generalisation

3.       Number sense

4.       Metacognition

ü  3 ways of teaching

1.       Learning through exploration

2.       Scaffolding/Prompting/Questioning

3.       Teaching by role modeling

Through these ways of teaching, it helps children to construct knowledge. Children learn best by constructing knowledge and not by giving information. This is because knowledge last but information can be forgotten.

ü  Jerome Bruner’s CPA Approach

           C – Concrete

-          Children first learn to construct knowledge by having concrete materials to explore with

P – Pictorial

-          Children will move on in constructing knowledge through pictorial aid

A – Abstract

-          Children will be able to construct knowledge and problem solve through abstract methods. For example by using symbols like numbers etc.

EDU 330 Elementary Mathematics

Mathematics education has been undergoing steady change for the past two decades. One of the factors to the changes is the public or political pressure for change in mathematics education due to student performance in national and international studies. Standards and Principles for School Mathematics (NCTM, 200) provides guidance and direction for teachers and other leaders in mathematics education. Standards and Principles includes four grade bands. There are five standards contents throughout the grades. They are,

• ·         Number and Operations
• ·         Algebra
• ·         Geometry
• ·         Measurement
• ·         Data Analysis and Probability

Each content standard has its own set of goals that are applicable for the different grade bands and expectations of what they students should know. All the five contents are applicable across all the grades; there is different emphasis in every grade band.

Following the five standard contents, are five process standards. They are;

• ·         Problem solving – Using problem solving as a tool for students to develop mathematical ideas. Students are also encourage to apply and adapt variety of appropriate strategies to solve problems
• ·         Reasoning and Proof – Students are encouraged to use logical thinking to provide rationale as part of their answers. This is to prove on whether or not their answers make sense.
• ·         Communication – Being able to talk, write, describe and explain about their mathematical ideas.
• ·         Connections – Students being able to connect mathematics within and among mathematical ideas or to connect with the real world and other subject areas like art, science, language arts and social studies.
• ·         Representations – Being able to use symbols, manipulative, charts, diagrams and other materials as tools to express mathematical ideas and relationships.

Mathematics is more than solving problems or completing sets of exercises. Doing mathematics is to generate strategies to problem solve, applying different approaches that leads to solutions and to see if they make sense to prove your answers.

Come on! Let's do Math!