Reflection 13

The focus of this course is on instructional strategies of teachers, but the concept of checking ones self, evaluating methods of instruction no matter what position is beneficial in any field whether working with students, parents, or professional team members.  Steven C. Reinharts, use of questions and explanations not only provided assessment of his students, but helped bring an awareness of his teaching methods and new techniques which benefited his students.

I completed middle school and high school answering many questions asking for only a yes or no answer.  In fact, most of my teachers were old school and students did not speak unless spoken to.  What a blessing, children now have increased opportunity to express their ability to use deeper thinking skills.  And if not skilled or yet ready to use critical analysis, children have the opportunity to practice and fine tune these skills. Not only are students given the opportunity to develop and improve thinking skills, teachers are able to use open ended questions to provide ongoing formative assessments of their students and themselves.

Letting students question, practice, and discuss answers are critical components of learning.  Part of learning also involves becoming confident in ones self and ones ability to provide answers.  I remember chosing to not answer or respond in class because I was worried my answers were wrong which lead to many unanswered questions and misunderstood steps.  It does seem advantageous to encourage students to answer in any case without drawing attention to those who are absolutely correct and those who are wrong.

I see using this technique or ideology for future classes I will teach.  Middle school is a difficult time for students. I believe it is the make them or break them point in education.  As teachers, we must desire to "catch" our students and give inspiration while teaching without discouraging thinking about thinking.  It should not be devistating to be wrong, it should be an opportunity to encourage research and review of information and material which instills learning.

Reflection 12

It seems using tools other than summative assessments and end of chapter or course test to assess student achievement is a valuable asset to any teacher. The ideas imposed by states which expect every student to perform and pass on levels and standards of equality are absurd.  Provisions to families are not distributed equally, time is not distributed equally, and disposable income is not distributed equally.  Depending on the socio economic status and class in which children are born ultimately has a significant impact on student performance.  Adding to the families focus for survival is the time involved to develop those pre literacy skills needed when entering kindergarten.  Speculating all children have equal cognitive abilities, parents and early childhood caregivers would need to teach all typically developing children at the same pace and level.  Sadly, most likely this will not happen and continues to put low income students at automatic disadvantages when compared to age equivalent peers.  Thus using alternative assessment tools such as formative assessments and portfolios give educators access to immediate feedback and knowledge of student understanding and performance hopefully helping to ensure improved outcomes for students with academic delays and or differences in learning styles.

Paul Black and Dylan Wilian discuss the negative impact current assessments have on students and the need to study more in depth the impact of these requirements on teachers and classrooms.  Systems need to take a chance on using different types of assessments for grading and comparing students to ascertain success or failure.  In a society which focuses so heavily on diversity and the individual uniqueness in personality, dress, and preferences there continues to be an unvarying idea of what is considered achievement and what is considered failure in education.  Since society allows for such diversity in individual style and choice, why does education continue to maintain a standardized formula for students?  Thus, using only summative assessments without assessing prior to and during instruction does not give teachers a good idea of individual student understanding of topics as various point during instruction. 

Furthermore, as imposed standards and achievement expectations increase with government driving reform and change, I ponder the initial intentions of those implementing state changes.  Do the intentions of lawmakers stem from wanting only to ensure all children have equal access to great teachers and great instruction?  Do, those who push the laws and rules consider or look into the micro, macro, and meso environments of those inside the classroom?  I worry lawmakers are too far removed from the group in which the standards are designed to supposedly benefit.  If you have never worried about where your child’s next meal is coming from or how the electric bill will get paid this month, the thought of families not being able to provide the early literacy skills and knowledge needed early in a child’s life would not occur thus putting additional responsibility on the classroom teacher for recognizing the home environments impact on students.  The academic burden of success is placed solely on classroom teachers.   Why not place more responsibility on student parents?  Placing some burden of success on the family for their children’s behavior, attendance, and performance in the classroom might improve our schools and overall outcomes.  It might bring awareness to government entities of the needs of families and cause some to consider how the child’s environment and socio economic status has significant impact on academic success alleviating some of the burden  and responsibility felt by teachers.

The use of portfolios is seen more often in classrooms with students receiving special education receiving special education services.   Vicki L. Maxwell and Marshall B. Lassak believe standard assessments are not the only way to assess student performance in classrooms.  I imagine portfolios being used across the curriculum in all classes with all students allowing teachers to see student weaknesses and strengths allowing for student differences.  Also, the authors shared the portfolios helped assess instruction allowing for changes and teacher improvement such as recognizing the need for more open ended questions used with activities in the portfolios giving students opportunities to think critically and involve the use of writing across the curriculum.  It is always beneficial to check instruction style and methods when it pertains to student learning.  It is essential to understand if the success or failure of an individual student is related to the way instruction is provided.  Not only is the use of portfolios beneficial for students and teachers but also for families. Portfolios give parents immediate, easily understood records of student performance.  For example, regarding norms imposed and levels of achievement given based on standardized test, families may or may not see an increase in their child’s academic understanding of specific concepts when reviewing summative test scores.  Portfolios seem to show where a student was at the beginning of the class and throughout the semester providing families a way to view growth in which summative test may not be able to show.   

Reflection 11

There is an element of collaboration needed when providing the most advantageous avenues for students to be academically successful to their fullest potential.  This element is dependent on parent engagement and involvement. Unfortunately, in my opinion and experiences, parents and teachers do not always respect each other.  But, parent involvement is a crucial piece of student success.  It seems, in the past, parents did not question teachers or school administration.  Parents, mothers in particular, allowed educators to decide the direction of students without question.  In recent years there has been a push for parent involvement and collaboration.  No longer does the teacher have all the knowledge.  Middle class mothers are taking charge of their children’s education ensuring every opportunity is available.  Those equipped with the right resources usually get what is desired.  In contrast, there continue to be parents struggling to understand the importance of their role in student success often taking a back seat, giving in and being labeled the parent who does not care.

In fact, some parents labeled as not caring and uninvolved had awful experiences in school.  Others are doing the best they can with the resources they have.  Parents, when focused on providing the basic physiological needs for their children may not have the internal drive or physical ability to add one more element of stress to their lives.  These families are doing just fine with life and adding any other elements is going to cause the dynamics of the family to significantly shift.   These are the parents to be reached.  Children of typical, middle class, duel income families are not going to fall between the cracks and go unnoticed.  It is the student whose family lacks adequate resources and support who will fail and give up. Struggling parents need teachers and teachers need these parents too.   It is my belief, family learning nights provide opportunities for teachers and parents to come together in a nonthreatening, fun, learning environment giving parents opportunity to be involved as well as provide teachers a chance to see parents in a different setting.

NCTM’s tips provide good quality information regarding contact and collaboration with parents.  Considering I believe parents are a key component in the academic success of students.  Essentially, teachers and parents have a duel role in working to keep students on task and on target.  And for this to be successful, teachers must be willing to build relationships and collaborate with their student’s parents and caregivers.  Most every suggestion given was appropriate with building relationships and helping students.  Although, I do not agree with giving an extra credit point to students whose parents email a response to the teacher.  There are many families who do not have adequate or consistent internet or email access and this is not a fair distribution of bonus points.   Additionally when looking at the dynamics of a student’s family, it is vital to know who is providing care or has custody.   For example, if the caregiver is a grandparent or great grandparent, the use of text and or email may not be their main method or mode of communicating with the outside world.  Believe it or not, there are families who chose to go without cable in order to provide better quality of care for their children. This is something to consider as the number of grandparents gaining custody of their grandchildren continues to rise.  Not only is the ability to stay up to date on frequently changing technology a disadvantage for older parents, but the lack of disposable income also contributes to involvement and resource support.

Working with students who are language delayed, my focus has always been on improving their limited vocabulary.  Family activities or events have always been designed with literacy and reading as the main focus. Yet, this article has given new insight to other important areas related and connected to literacy.  Andrea Lachance is right on target with her Family Math Nights.  Families are an integral part of student success and there must be a way to reach those who are not currently, actively working with their children at home.  Realizing the importance of not only reading literacy, but also math literacy is becoming quite apparent.  Families need to understand what to do to provide homework, after school, and summer activities for their children which are fun yet focusing on building and increasing the student’s knowledge and confidence in literacy and math.  Family math nights and event nights are great assets for families.

 In contrast, these kinds of activities take money, resources, and time.  Without the support of teachers, colleges, and other organizations, it can be difficult to pull these events off successfully.  Teachers and parents are overworked and underpaid often not wanting to give up precious time with their families to be involved.  For example, part of my job is to establish parent support meetings and family activity nights.  I am struggling with getting families to attend and become actively involved in their child’s education.  Furthermore, I do not have adequate funding to pay for large scale events.  In the past, events were scheduled monthly in 6 different locations across the state without childcare being provided.  Following this model is proving ineffective in the purpose of these meetings.  It is evident a change is needed and I am considering following a model very similar to the one provided in this article.  It is my hope to provide family learning opportunities which involve parents, children, and teachers.

Prior to reading any articles, I typically read titles, subtitles, and skim for basic information.  This technique is useful for any reader.  Of course the anxiety potential is heightened when seeing words such as polynomial, linear equation, and factoring trinomial.  My thoughts become twisted and stomach begins to knot up.  Immediately, thoughts go toward giving up and throwing the articles in the trash. There will be no reflection on this week.  None the less, I trudged on determined to connect and relate to the articles in some way reading again and again until there is some way found to connect and relate mathematics to language instruction and literacy.  Eventually a relation, a connection is realized regarding using concrete models to introduce concepts, increase and learn important vocabulary, and using alternative approaches to provide students access to mathematics understanding

Annette Leitze and Nancy Kitt believe learning algebra is possible for all persons by using concrete models such as the algebra tiles mentioned in the reading.  The authors suggest this technique gives students a series of levels to learning: concrete, pictorial and abstract or symbolic. This is true for all subjects and pertains to not only mathematics instruction but language based courses also.  Young children especially gain experience going through various levels and stages of learning beginning with concrete and progressing to the abstract.  When working with students who have various learning styles and special education services, concrete is a great first stage of presentation.  For example when working with a deaf student on vocabulary building, I can say the word cup, sign the word cup, show the printed letters for the word cup, but unless I show a picture of the cup or an actual cup the concept of cup may not be acquired or fully established.  Although a child may have been shown how to use the cup, without being able to relate the cup to everything, pictures, sign, print and tactile – full understanding of the concept or meaning is not established.  It would be interesting to do a study and collect data with deaf students implementing all steps or methods of language or vocabulary acquisition.

Next, Rhela N Rubenstein focuses on strategies for increasing and learning mathematics vocabulary.  Students with limited vocabulary as a result of language delays may easily become confused during instruction, for example when math words such as sum and some are used during instruction.  A deaf student relying on speech reading and lip reading skills may have difficulty understanding which word is being used if enough clarification is not provided.  Although students using sign language will understand the differences in meaning, students using speech reading and listening skills may become confused or misunderstand these two words since they both look exactly the same on the lips.  This article in particular states the importance and the need for early language and vocabulary work.  It is important for parents and teachers to show, explain, describe, print, and give details and concepts as early as possible with students having language delays.  This suggestion does not come from knowledge gained through research, but as a parent these are issues that popped up from time to time when my daughter was young. Children born with hearing loss or deafness are at an instant disadvantage. Without sound may of the ways early language is acquired such as environment, parents, radios, television, and other siblings are not available.  Language stimulation is acquired from one on one and face to face interactions.  This is but one challenge children with hearing loss face in the classroom.

Another challenge in language acquisition is having access to skilled interpreters.  Interpreters do not always have a good grasp on conceptual signing. Using the same sign for two words with different meanings such as some and sum could seriously impair a child’s understanding of mathematical concepts.  This unfortunately occurs more often than I care to discuss. Additionally, these authors asked “how do we help students recognize these nuanced differences of usage?”   The idea of the need for understanding the difference in meaning is enormous.  Students using speech reading and or sign language need to be exposed to all meanings.  Signs must be conceptually correct; Interpreters must have an understanding of mathematical concepts and meaning as well as parents.  These concepts must be expressed, signed, spoken, practices, and shown to ensure the correct meaning is acquired.

Last, John W. Coburn discusses using various approaches to teaching algebra.  This article seems similar to several of the earlier articles read this semester regarding students invented algorithms and teachers teaching from the same, old approach.  Although, I have solved inequalities, graphed quadratic equations and factored polynomials, my heart races and anxiety increases while reading this article.  I look at some of the text and feel as if I am reading a foreign language.   There are pieces of my mind wanting to shut down and give up.  Equally, the intrinsically motivated side of my mind is determined to give this another chance, to reread over and over until something stands out.   When Coburn discusses students using certain uncommon styles, I am intrigued and continue reading.  I absolutely agree with this discussion.  There is a lot of information which seems to support providing students multiple ways for solving mathematical equations.  It is essential  to use every available resource in an education setting and these resources should be used until the concept is acquired.

I am beginning to understand there is much more to being math literate than merely knowing math related vocabulary words.  When hearing the term, “math literate”  the association to this term has been to the meaning of words and not concepts.  After reading and studying ideas pertaining to math literacy, it appears becoming math literate follows a process similar to learning to read.  Students must acquire and understand specific components necessary when moving from the learning to read stage to the reading to learn stage.   Thus, if students begin to make decisions about being math smart or math dumb during early middle school years, classroom environments must be established allowing teachers to implement strategies and practices needed to build student confidence and knowledge of mathematics stages and provide opportunity to promote and excite students about doing math through effective discussions, good classroom management and building on student geometric concepts.

Smith et al., (2009) presents the Five Practices Model to promote student participation and effective discussions during mathematics instruction which assist with offering a more manageable group time.   Planning a lesson to the last detail including student anticipated responses and solutions is a key component in being able to offer the best mathematics instruction while reaching the most students.  According to Smith et al, having a variety of scenarios established and knowing which direction to focus student discussion based on purpose of the lesson makes wise use of instruction time.  I, as the teacher, must be able to think about and offer multiple solutions to problems and explanations of concepts students might come up with.  This creates some anxiety as I ponder my ability to understand multiple processes and be able to think about all the ways a student might consider solving a problem both correctly and incorrectly.  In order to adequately facilitate my students, I would consider it essential to collaborate and discuss lessons being planned with a more experiences math instructor.  I agree with and support the use of a constructivist approach in teaching mathematics.  A constructivist approach, I know is successful in reading instruction and feel this would be a great way to present math instructions.

Although this model is a great avenue for conducting student centered, whole-group discussions and instruction, I must be able to effectively manage my classroom and instruction time.  Students need to be able to talk and write about math.  Yet, as steps are being built to understand mathematical concepts it is equally important to build steps for appropriate discussion of math techniques.  Group discussion can easily move off task when a teacher is unable to effectively manage the class.  For instance, last week we talked about using hands on work and activities, and how without good classroom management these tasks can easily become chaotic.  The whole purpose of the lesson could be lost without a focused instruction plan and good management.  It is important to anticipate the direction student discussion may go and how to bring it back to the main focus should other ideas become the topic of discussion.   When discussions move off topic, it can use valuable instruction time and trying to get back to the main point becomes difficult.  For me, one way to keep instruction on point is to know specific levels and needs of all students in my classroom.  This knowledge can help with planning for possible scenarios and having responses and instruction geared toward keeping everyone on the lesson task.

Similar to reading concepts, math geometric concepts are built on in layers.  Middle school is a good time to build on students thoughts about geometric shapes and special sense.  Van de Walle suggest,  it is important as a teacher to be aware in grades 5-8 there will be students at varying levels and in order to move to the next level a student must be able to understand each layer presented in the van Hiele Theory of Geometric Thought.  Each level, content area, overlaps and builds on each other.  This seems very similar to the components needed to learn to read.   Considering the importance of parental involvement in student awareness of print and reading components in the early years, I think this same idea must apply to students learning math concepts.  Components necessary to build on one’s ability to understand and then apply knowledge to different concepts may not be focused on at home in the early years leading to difficulty obtaining basic information necessary when entering elementary and middle school math classes.   Yet, this is an area parents can work to provide developmentally appropriate practice for the student. I believe education and language level of parents do not necessarily impede learning of basic math sense.  Many parents recognize shapes and can talk about these in a variety of ways building on those lower levels of geometric sense which may have some benefit in the classroom.

Parents should be encouraged to provide early literacy opportunities in all subject areas including mathematics. I work to provide resources and support in reading literacy and focus on parent involvement in helping students to improve reading and writing ability.  However, it is becoming more apparent the need to work with families to provide support for their children in mathematics. Both articles present models which with some changes implemented to fit with the parent perspective might be useful when teaching how to work with and benefit students outside the classroom.

 Furthermore education has placed such a focus on reading and writing, I am concerned early learning moments for math concepts such as spatial sense are left out of the day’s instruction.  Also, more and more art programs are being cut from education budgets.  Early drawing in art classes gives students a sense of shape and space in a non threatening learning environment most children enjoy giving the child and opportunity for spatial sense and development of geometric thought an opportunity to grow. As education seeks to work toward improving the mathematics literacy in the United State, it would be interesting to study the implications of removing art programs because of budget restraints.

Reflection 5

September 25, 2012

There is an unspoken inequality which seems to silently hover over distinct groups of people, towns, and cities across America who are in some ways limited by their circumstances.  In fact, society has a way of blocking those who have limited resources from access to improving their situation.  Possibly, not intentional but none the less, a system whereby escape is difficult and can seem impossible.  Those living in poverty must deeply desire a change and be able to endure challenges and hardships while obtaining their ticket out.  I recently heard the comment, “They should go get a job and move to a different part of town.  They are there because they choose to be there.”   Yet I do not believe social class or poverty is a conscious choice any one would make.  In fact there are many individuals considered working poor living below the poverty threshold maintaining full-time employment with enough to barely live day to day, but never enough to get ahead.  I am curious if becoming math literate for this next generation is the key to make a change in a system of reoccurring poverty?   I believe, becoming math literate is a piece to the puzzle, but a teacher’s ability in the classroom as the only implemented change is not enough.  One can make all the necessary adjustment in education and teacher requirements it wants.  But, it is necessary to go beyond the teacher’s ability to reach the student to change the mindset of this county related to one’s ability to excel in math.  Change has to be across the whole system.

The Algebra Project, Cobb and Moses article resonated with many ideas I believe are true, specifically the statement, “Math illiteracy is not unique to Blacks the way the denial of the right to vote in Mississippi was.  But it affects Blacks and other minorities much, much more intensely, making them the designated serfs of the information age…”  Not everyone would agree with me, but I feel the United States has an unspoken class system which people refuse to acknowledge.  A system which is nearly impossible to change and to change it will take determination and a will which cannot be tackled by teachers only. Yes, math is a key component in education and with the advancement of technology in all fields the need for math and science literacy is here to stay.  Yet, becoming math literate is not going to change a system of generational poverty.  Perfecting one’s teaching technique, style and use of technology is not going to be enough.  I have spent fifteen years working with children from all socio economic levels.   There are always the few who can be reached, but I continue to see middle class and wealthy students doing much better than their peers living below the poverty threshold. 

And, teachers continue to work endlessly to plan and labor to generate lessons which provide better understanding of concepts in an attempt to give equal access for learning to all students using hands on and real world applications.  This is a great benefit to students yet on the other hand, schools can offer waivers and vouchers to cross zones and bus students to the so called better schools, provide the most up to date advance technology, and use best plus practices.  But the outside resources available to students living in poverty do not currently and will never equate to the resources of middle and upper class students.   Annette Lareau, (2003) author of unequal childhoods references Paul Kingstons, The Classless Society stating, parents’ social class position predicts children’s school success and thus their ultimate life chances.  In essence, where people live, parents education level, income earning potential all determine one’s social class which in turn is going to impact a child’s ability to get into the better school leading to the better college thus the better college determines the future income potential (2003) which in turn determines social class.    I believe Cobb and Moses are suggesting to truly change to an education system where everyone becomes math literate, there must be a whole system change such as a change within the community and family value of education.  In my opinion to make this switch of mindset, those in the classroom must make every effort to collaborate and build relationships with our students and their families.  This, I believe, is another crucial piece in the conquest of students becoming math literate.

Additionally, Drew Polly points out the importance of two teachers working together and preparing questions in advance of the lesson in order to more effectively present and instruct while using technology to improve student ability in mathematics.  Definitely, co-teaching is an effective and resourceful way to present a lesson.  However, to be successful, this style of teaching will work well only when being prepared.  Impromptu and poor planning will lead to organized chaos.  These two teachers must share the same goals and be able to work together in a flexible and respectful manner.  It can be difficult to place two adults in one classroom when teaching styles and perspective of education are different.  Using this style of instruction should be well thought out and when administration places teachers together it should be purposeful.    Also, the approach of the teachers and classroom diversity may determine which style of co-teaching is used.   I have worked in a middle school which used co-teaching across the curriculum in all grades.  And some of the best lessons presented were by two teachers who were using best practices and up to date technology.  I witnessed students able to work in small groups and receive more one on one instruction during the lesson.  These teachers used a drifting method.  While one teachers focused on the main instruction and presentation the other drifted from group to group ensuring each student understood and was able to move ahead in the lesson.  At varying times, both teachers would be interacting with the groups.  It seemed all children’s questions were answered and everyone had opportunity to present ideas and show progress.  If at any time a student found the work difficult or did not understand one teacher could focus on the specific needs of that child while the other teacher continued to move forward with instruction.  With two or more teachers in a classroom, students are monitored more closely, grouped heterogeneously, and student centered instruction is easier to conduct thus giving students more time and access to explore, think, and analyze solutions.  This setting would be my preference given a choice.

Van de Walle’s discussion of sequences and growing patterns in Chapter 9 is similar to learning the steps to read and write.  When learning to read and write there are essential building blocks necessary to learn before one can read to learn.  It seems this is similar to learning mathematics and becoming math literate with steps and sequences being introduced early in education to establish a strong foundation and build on a child’s existing knowledge.  Realizing the importance of students learning math in stages going from concrete to abstract, I am concerned about providing the appropriate math instruction to students in special education.  Often students with disabilities may need additional support and resources when learning math.   So I question, is it the disability inhibiting the learning of math or is there another delay such as language attributing to a student's ability to learn math? In my experience it is not the students with physical disabilities or even sensory loss who necessarily struggle with learning patterns and sequences.  I know of many deaf students who excel in mathematics.  But for every one who excels there is one who struggles.  Often, it is the student who is identified with a secondary disability and considered to have a language delay or language impairment.  When the language and vocabulary to understand instruction and concepts of any core subject is missing – language instruction can become the focus of education with little emphasis on mathematics instruction.  Apparently, this lack of emphasis is impacting the futures of many students.  As teachers we must find a way to introduce building blocks of language and the building blocks for mathematics equally.  I am suddenly realizing the apparent need for teachers in elementary and special education to understand the importance of mathematics to the future of our students.  And understanding I need to move away from the mindset of math ability being set as ither good or bad at math.  Although, I have not specifically participated in planning lessons or instruction practices focused on mathematics, I can now understand the need to become an effective math teacher who is able to introduce students with or without disabilities to mathematics concepts as well as work with their families to change family minsets about math ability.

If math literacy for all is this generation’s focus, and if American students are to keep up with other countries, teachers must be willing to grow and change using different approaches for real life application and up to date technology.  Teachers must also be willing to learn to teach subjects to students with a new mindset.  Realizing all students have the potential to learn.  Additionally, for students of all socio economic status to be successful in any area of instruction, parents, caregivers and guardians are vital to a child’s academic success.  Until we can change the cultural idea that it is the teacher’s full responsibility to teach children and everyone begin to recognize the role of parents as teachers, I am expecting reform to occur at a much slower pace than is needed.

Session 4 Reading Reflection

September 19, 2012

As teachers, we want students to excel in the classroom, and we want them to have the same desire for learning educators have.  And, I believe parents, in general, want children to be successful in education.  But, not all parents know what to do, how to do it, or feel comfortable communicating with their child’s teacher or school personnel.  Often one’s culture will dictate how a parent responds to teacher contacts.  Therefore, before I begin to understand what my student knows about math or their motivation for math, I must consider how a student’s social class or culture impact motivation in the mathematics classroom.  I need to understand, from a social perspective, students, their parents, and family culture.  I must be aware of what parents understand about math concepts as well as the parent’s motivation and value of education before I can work to change student views.  Home environment, social class, and family culture have an impact on student understanding of math as well as student motivation and desire in being academically successful.

The information, ideas, and fraction practice presented by Van De Walle on pages 65-75 discuss a variety of issues related to the concepts of solving problems using fractions.  The idea of the inverse relationship between the number of parts and size of parts, according to Van De Walle, is a difficult concept for students to understand since elementary grades focus mostly on whole-number concepts.  I am curious, in earlier grades, the teachers approach to fractions.  I would imagine a lot of hands on and use of manipulatives with guided instruction are used.  In contrast, most of my elementary experiences in the general classroom were focused on language development.  And often when a deaf student is in the elementary grades, the focus of instruction is to provide as much teaching in language as possible.  Delayed language impacts every subject area.  But math, I believe, tends to be focused on much less than it should be.  This is not always the case, but does happen often.   Yet even with language delays, how do I get students and parents to understand the importance of math education for deaf students, more specifically understanding of inverse fractions?

In order to get children to understand any concept or idea, I feel parents are a vital asset in a child’s education. Thus as I begin planning for instruction, for example, fraction activities or lessons, I would send home a list of terms and matching math signs with activities for families to do together attempting to create opportunity for development of concepts in fun, stress free, and creative ways.   For instance, one activity I might suggest parents try is an activity my family always enjoyed doing together.  Most Friday evenings for most of my oldest daughter’s elementary and middles school years involved making and eating pizza at home.  Cooking and eating pizza is a great way for kids and parents to get involved in conversations and discussions about fractions.   In fact, any kind of cooking or baking uses not only fractions but inverse fractions.  Using measuring cups and measuring spoons are also great ways to introduce and practice inverse fractions.  Students have tangible items which serve a real purpose showing the use of inverse number relationships.  Furthermore, these activities give students and parents a chance to work together which provide opportunity for deepening and building family relationships and communication skills as well as helping students build an intrinsic motivation for math by showing usefulness and practical application of concepts.  It may take time, but I believe teachers can work toward helping parents understand the importance of their role in their child’s ability to value mathematics education.

In addition, the role culture plays in the way motivational strategies are implemented by teachers in classrooms is lacking significant research according to Middleton.  I ask, “what role a family’s culture, social class, and parent knowledge play in affecting motivation in the classroom”.  When I think about the role culture plays in my instruction style and the lack of research, I should also consider the role a student’s culture impacts their learning style and motivation toward education and the lack of research pertaining to this topic.  My parents taught and modeled the importance of a good education and passed the idea to me.  I believed in the value of education and passed that to my children.  Thus, I believe one’s social class, family, and culture impacts a child’s motivation or value of education.  The child’s value of education has the ability to impact the direction of the child’s future.   If I believe social class guides or directly impacts a child’s future, then I must consider how a parent struggling to raise kids with limited support and resources thinks about education.  If I am that parent, do I teach my children the value of a good education or how to survive?  If my children are dodging bullets on the way to school, do I teach the value of education or the value of survival skills?  If I believe ones social class impacts all areas of a child’s life, certainly motivation toward math education is impacted.   If the child’s social class is guiding their motivation then a concept of mathematical ability, positive or negative, has possibly been established long before entering my classroom.  What I must do is figure out how to undo the negative implications and work to instill a new value and understanding of the importance of math.  I must be able to teach math in a way students begin to feel it is beneficial to themselves, their family, and their social class.   Math has to become real for the students.  My strategies and instruction should relate to the likes and dislikes of middle school students as well as to their world, their culture, and their social class.

Furthermore, approaching math from a middle school student’s mindset may be necessary to appropriately motivate students.  I need to think about how middle school students feel, think, and react to situations.   Middle school is an awkward time with hormonal changes, puberty, and recognition of self in relation to groups.  Middle school students need stability and guidance in developing good self concepts and relationships among other peers.    Middleton's example, Grace, from chapter one seems to be motivated more by the first group in which she is working and the topic of the lesson.  She also seems to function better when she is comfortable within a certain group of peers.  As soon as she is requested to change groups her whole attitude toward the lesson changes.  She shuts down and withdraws from the group.  This was of particular interest to me as I can imagine how I would have felt being the only girl in a group of boys when I was in middle school.  This would have caused me to shut down as well.  Although Mr. Lawson was trying to use Grace as a role model, she felt as she was being punished.  As a teacher using groups for instruction, I should pay attention to the response I am getting from my students when groups shifts are necessary.  Realizing, it may not be most advantageous to students to continually regroup based on, for example, not wanting them to get too comfortable with each other.   Since I believe group work not only benefits learning math and also helps instill values of teamwork and collaboration, I would establish groups for longer periods of time helping to establish stable, trusting relationships among students while providing guidance in how groups should function and perform. 

Along with providing guidance and stability in a class setting, students need to see their teachers excited about the subject being taught.  Am I passionate about my calling?  Are all teachers passionate about their calling? If I ever lose my passion for assisting students and families in learning to establish an effective means of communication in their homes and families, it will be time to leave the field.  How can I expect families to get excited if I come in with an irritated, stressed, pessimistic attitude about language?  I cannot.  I definitely found Fires in the Bathroom an interesting read.  Especially, the student comments about having a passionate teacher as one way to motivate school attendance, or to motivate a student to pay attention in class.  It is so true, when a teacher is passionate about a subject kids pick up on that passion.  I remember sitting in classes where the teacher followed the same boring pattern every day.  It seemed as if they hated their job.  It is also difficult to interpret for a teacher who is uninspired.  I am supposed to interpret in the spirit most like that of the teacher, according to ethical guidelines.   I know if it is difficult to stay focused when interpreting, I can only imagine how hard it is for a deaf student to follow along.

Kids need an exciting and encouraging school environment.  As an adult I can monitor myself, I can motivate myself knowing the initial outcomes.  Yet, I do not believe middle school students have a fully developed cognitive ability to process and analyze the future.  These kids are still in the here and now moments thinking from the deep limbic system and not the pre-frontal cortex.  I believe middle school students continue to need lots of hands on activities. They need activities, interactions, role playing, and time to think about it.  I know this works in English classes with literary terms and characters.  I suppose this concept could be used in any subject.  Math, I trust, would be a great place to role play.  Instead of students being characters from books, they could be characters from the math problems representing the algorithms being taught.  It’s a long shot and might not work, but I at least like the idea.

Thinking back over the past several week’s readings considering how motivation is learned by students , then as teachers and parents we should strive to instill this love of education very early, much earlier than middle school.  It needs to come not only from teachers and school, it needs to begin from parents and home.  If parents do not have a value for education they will not be able to teach their children to value education.  So I think the question or research needs to look at why parents do not value education or appear not to value education.  If it is my perception only, why does it appear parents do not value education?   Do they not value education or are they so burdened by low wage jobs, lack of enough money, or lack of sufficient resources their child’s education is left up to those who have the training.  I am certain I alone cannot fully convince my students to love education or to instill a value of education if the family does not change its own value system.   I believe parents are the key to improving student achievement across this country.  And if we cannot get parents passionate about education and collaboration, it will continue to be a challenge to instill the value of education to students.

Session III

With a background in deaf education, special education, and child and family studies it was especially exciting to read about mathematics teachers using issues of social injustice as group worthy task.  Prior to reading, it never occurred to use these concepts for math.  I never imagined I would teach mathematics. However, using these concepts I might be inclined to think about it a little more. Not only are these ideas presented and used in the classroom, the students are able to show their knowledge in a different way as well as relate and find significance in the math lessons.  

Logan suggests using routine math work continues to show the same students doing well and the same students doing poorly.  In contrast using correctly structured, defined, and explained group worthy task is a useful and vital tool in the classroom.  One reason I agree with using group worthy task is it allows students with disabilities or delays opportunities to provide contributions to class work and activities that might otherwise go unnoticed. For example, while interpreting in general education classrooms for deaf and/or hard of hearing students, I witnessed students who normally excluded themselves from answering questions in a large group become involved in a variety of group experiments.  Often words for certain ideas are difficult to pronounce, spell, or talk about when answering questions.  Group work allows the student to physically show what he or she knows not only to their peers but to the teacher.  Furthermore, in a mainstream setting there is a term used by sign language interpreters, lag time.  A sign language interpreter must listen to the instructor, receive the information, process the information, and translate information to students.  Often by the time the information is passed to the deaf student, another student has responded and the teacher has moved on.  It may appear the deaf student is not understanding information or responding but it relates more to processing time than knowledge.  Thus having group work specifically designed for student diversity can offer a slower pace and time to think, analyze, process, and share ideas and information.  Using these kinds of task allow hearing students to recognizing the talents and abilities of their deaf peers.  Additionally, this concept of group worthy task goes beyond mathematics and begins to build skills required of students after high school such as building relationships with co-workers and learning to use collaboration skills which are necessary to improve social injustices in a real world setting.

Authors Eric Gutstein and Bob Peterson take group worthy task one step further using relevant social injustices for mathematics instruction.  I have read studies of teachers using culturally relevant social injustice issues in reading classes, but this is a first using it in mathematics.  What a tremendous way to introduce the concepts of math to students who otherwise might not be exposed to such pertinent issues.  In fact, I may have been more inclined to search deeper into mathematics had my instructors used social injustices to define the relevance.  As students of this generation deal with different and new struggles about the future, being able to use math to build student awareness of social injustices is tremendous.   Especially students in low socioeconomic environments, the ability to learn math and relate to their reality may instill a desire to increase knowledge which may later provide opportunities to improve their family’s situation and community survival.  

 Two examples of social injustice issues to use with students in mathematics especially with the increase of inclusive settings is special education and poverty.   But, with inclusion how do I make a general education math classroom socially aware of the injustice done to students with disabilities or families living in generational poverty.  I might not be able to change ideology, but I can certainly apply math concepts in groups that showcase social issues in a lighter, grade appropriate way.  I can show a student’s abilities and not their disabilities.  Consider working with students who have sensory loss, physical and cognitive challenges.  It occurred to me, math is used when reading and understanding , setting hearing aids, mapping cochlear implants.   Also, circumference, distance, radius, and diameter could be investigated using the wheels of someone’s wheelchair.  Inclusive settings can be frustrating for all students and teachers, but using a variety of resources not only helps to include students with disabilities it infuses the cohesiveness of a group.

 I should be able create classrooms sensitive to diversity of all kinds, even poverty. For instance, the math lesson provided by Leah McCoy does a superb job of using group task and social issues highlighting and explaining how to use poverty as the topic and a learning tool. I would like to see a lesson created after the teacher strike in Chicago ends using mathematical concepts to instruct and explain the consequences and necessity of strikes.  However, it is pertinent to understand and present a sensitive topic, such as poverty, without singling out students currently living in impoverished areas.  As well as being insensitive to students who have no concept of the term poor.  This requires preplanning and a strong sense of my students family settings. In addition to being sensitive to my students, as a teacher it is vital to see social injustice through the eyes of my students.  I must be able to change my social imagination or at least gain an understanding of diverse social issues in order to adequately instruct, lead, and choose group worthy task.  The lens in which I perceive the world may be sufficiently different than the lens in which my students see the world.   Task need to be relevant to student experiences, not my experiences.  For example, prior to entering education I knew poverty existed.  For me, poverty existed in places like India, Mexico, and Africa and not in my community or neighborhood.  Yet, some of my first experiences in education were with students who lived in abusive, addictive, and impoverished homes.  At first, it was overwhelming and I spent a great deal of time saddened by these situations.  Eventually, I came to realize my part in their lives.  Although, I could not change their immediate situations, my role was to help students complete a high school education and move into post secondary education settings or transition into a work environment which often had the potential to change the students future.   Using group assignments can be very important in helping students become aware of how their own life situations can be related to mathematics, reading, and science as well as providing awareness of ideas which help create a desire to make changes in our world.

Each of the assigned articles unites the importance of group worthy task and social injustice issues within our classrooms.  Students, whether impoverished or with a disability, can find ways of relating their life circumstances or situations to real life applications.  The real life applications and opportunities to collaborate more indepth about social issues and math are wonderful ways to encourage and build a cohesive setting which steps away from boundaries that society seems to continually put into place.  And, instill a love of learning for all students.

MathReally!

Welcome to my MathReally! blog.  I am excited to gain new insight for providing instruction to students.  Math truely is important to the world inwhich our students live, and I need to be able to create and instruct not only creative but meaningful lessons.