Developing Fractions Sense Workbook B is a collection of 45 lessons and is suitable for teaching fractions in the fourth grade. The workbook begins with the recognition and description of the unit fraction, including representations of the unit fraction using pattern blocks, an area model, and a number line. For each of the next 44 lessons, there is an instructional section followed by exercises. Included are review questions at the end of the exercises to help students to make connections between old and new concepts. At the end of each lesson is a summary statement of the idea taught in the lesson. The lessons are carefully sequenced such that only one concept is addressed per lesson and each concept builds on the previous one. Also, the
The following assignment shows the progress I have made throughout unit EDC141: The Numerate Educator. Included are results from the first and second round of the Mathematics Competency Test (MCT). Examples from assessment two, which, involved me to complete sample questions from the year nine NAPLAN. I was also required to complete a variety of ‘thinking time problems’ (TTP’s) and ‘what I know about’ (WIKA’s). These activities allowed me to build on my knowledge and assisted me to develop my mathematical skills. The Australian Curriculum has six areas of mathematics, which I used in many different learning activities throughout this study period (Commonwealth of Australia, 2009). These six areas will be covered and include number, algebra,
Session one began with me getting to know Jenna. However, this is not my regular student so I had to follow in the footsteps of the future teacher who was paired up with her. However I was able to give her my getting to know you activity as well has an informal assessment in order to gather an understanding of what math level she was at. After she answered questions from both the other future educator as well as my getting to know you activity, we began working on both of our pre assessments with her. It quickly became apparent that her biggest struggle was when it came to fractions. Every fraction question she had left unanswered. Additionally, she struggled with a few division problems and two digit multiplication problems. However, as a
Van de Walle, J., , F., Karp, K. S., & Bay-Williams, J. M. (2010). Elementary and middle school mathematics, teaching developmentally. (Seventh ed.). New York, NY: Allyn & Bacon.
Agenda setting and the development of legislation are two distinct parts of health policymaking that are specific in the formulation phase. What is mostly happening in agenda setting- is establishing diverse problems, with possible solutions to the problems then it allows them to move
Numeracy is a mathematical skill that is needed to be a confident teacher. This unit of study has allowed students to build their knowledge in the mathematical areas of competency and disposition towards numeracy in mathematics. The six areas of mathematics under the Australian Curriculum that were the focus of this unit were; algebra, number, geometry, measurements, statistics and probability. Covering these components of the curriculum made it evident where more study and knowledge was needed to build confidence in all areas of mathematics. Studying this unit also challenges students to think about how we use numeracy in our everyday lives. Without the knowledge if numeracy, it can make it very challenging to work out may problems that can arise in our day to day activities. The knowledge of numeracy in mathematics I have has strengthened during the duration of this unit. This has been evident in the mathematics support I do with year 9 students at school, as I now have a confident and clear understanding of algebra, number, geometry, measurements, statistics and probability.
As an employee of County Community College, I teach an Adult Basic Skills Numeracy class. I originally started the academic year with 18 learners, but by April 2015 I had approximately 6 learners per session. Most learners are female, of Afro-Caribbean or African origin and aged between 20 and 50 years. It has been suggested that many learners see numeracy as a male domain (Cemen, 1987; Gutbezahl, 1995; Levine, 1995; Miller et al, 1994) and I have noticed that I teach predominantly female learners who are particularly shy and have low self esteem. They are also full of self doubt and lack confidence in their mathematical ability and some do not see numeracy as a useful subject when compared to literacy. To some it is just a means to an end and not something to learn for the sake of self-improvement.
In the Variables and Patterns of Change (Annenberg Media, 2004), we are introduced to two classrooms during their first week of instruction. The first class is Ms. Green’s algebra. Ms.Green uses real life situation of wanting to get a pool in her backyard to teach dimensions and equations. During the example, she helps to guide the students learning by asking leading questions to help them figure out the problem. Once they understand the problem, she puts them into groups to figure out dimensions of different pool sizes and how many tiles it would surround them. While in groups, Ms. Green goes to each group to check their progress and answer any question.
Fractions have been a around long enough for me to understand that I do not like them, but they play a significant part in simplifying, for some, division of goods or time. There is no one person who can be credited with the invention of fractions, but their use has been traced back as early as 1000 BC, in Egypt--using the formula to trade tangibles, currency, and build pyramids.
All children learn differently and teachers, especially those who teach mathematics, have to accommodate all children’s different capacities for learning information. When teaching mathematics, a teacher has to be able to use various methods of presenting the information in order to help the students understand the concepts they are being taught. Most teachers in the past have taught mathematics through procedural lessons. Procedural lessons consist of having the students work with a concept over and over again until it is memorized. For example, children could be given homework assignments with the equation three times five over and over again until that equation is memorized.
Elementary school is the place where one learns the basic principle of math, English, and science. If a child can’t master simple concepts such as addition or spelling; then they are not fit to move on to the next grade where they learn even more advanced concepts. Some people say that if a student is hel...
Countless time teachers encounter students that struggle with mathematical concepts trough elementary grades. Often, the struggle stems from the inability to comprehend the mathematical concept of place value. “Understanding our place value system is an essential foundation for all computations with whole numbers” (Burns, 2010, p. 20). Students that recognize the composition of the numbers have more flexibility in mathematical computation. “Not only does the base-ten system allow us to express arbitrarily large numbers and arbitrarily small numbers, but it also enables us to quickly compare numbers and assess the ballpark size of a number” (Beckmann, 2014a, p. 1). Addressing student misconceptions should be part of every lesson. If a student perpetuates place value misconceptions they will not be able to fully recognize and explain other mathematical ideas. In this paper, I will analyze some misconceptions relating place value and suggest some strategies to help students understand the concept of place value.
To investigate the notion of numeracy, I approach seven people to give their view of numeracy and how it relates to mathematics. The following is a discussion of two responses I receive from this short survey. I shall briefly discuss their views of numeracy and how it relates to mathematics in the light of the Australian Curriculum as well as the 21st Century Numeracy Model (Goos 2007). Note: see appendix 1 for their responses.
Breaking down tasks into smaller, easier steps can be an effective way to teach a classroom of students with a variety of skills and needs. In breaking down the learning process, it allows students to learn at equal pace. This technique can also act as a helpful method for the teacher to analyze and understand the varying needs of the students in the classroom. When teaching or introducing a new math lesson, a teacher might first use the most basic aspects of the lesson to begin the teaching process (i.e. teach stu...
The early acquisition of mathematical concepts in children is essential for their overall cognitive development. It is imperative that educators focus on theoretical views to guide and plan the development of mathematical concepts in the early years. Early math concepts involve learning skills such as matching, ordering, sorting, classifying, sequencing and patterning. The early environment offers the foundation for children to develop an interest in numbers and their concepts. Children develop and construct their own meaning of numbers through active learning rather than teacher directed instruction.
...decimals from the worksheet and round each decimal. Next, students will glue the decimal under the number that it would be rounded to. This activity is a great way for the teacher to assess the students’ understanding.