Presented by

Margie Mullins

&

Elizabeth Pendergraph

Mathematics

A makeover for math class

Dan Meyer

High School Math teacherSells a product to a market that doesn’t want

it but is forced to buy it.He expects no higher than a 25% pass rate if

he gave an algebra exam

Dan Meyer

ComputationThe stuff we as adults

have forgottenFor example, factoring

quadratic equationsAlso easy to relearn

provided you have a very strong grounding in math reasoning

The application of math processes to the world around us

What we would love students to retain even if they don’t go into mathematical fields

The way we teach it in the U.S. ensures we won’t retain it

Math can be broken into two categories

Math Reasoning

Lack of initiative: students don’t self-startLack of perseveranceLack of retention: You have to re-explain

conceptsAversion to word problemsEagerness for formula

5 symptoms that you’re doing math reasoning wrong

Present a visualAsk a questionEncourage discussionApply labels and measurementsApply mathematical structureDevelop sub steps to solve

Developing patient problem solving

“The formulation of a problem is often more essential than its solution, which may be merely a matter of mathematical or experimental skill.” –Albert Einstein

Use multimediaEncourage student intuitionAsk the shortest question you canLet students build the problemBe less helpful

What you can do

Against “Answer-Getting”Ordinary teacher developing high

performance teachers in JapanHigh performing teachers producing ordinary

student in USA

Phil Daro

USA teachers teach for students to get answers

Japan teachers teach to the mathematics for the student to be able to solve the problem

Math is suppose to taught for students to learn mathematics

Goals

Why solve problems?Answers are the productAnswers are a part of the process

Correct answersAre importantShould not be solve mission

Answers

Is a opportunity to find out why the answer is incorrect

Helps student to see the problem differentlyGives an opportunity to clarify the

mathematics of the problem

Wrong Answers

Student don’t try to understand the problemThey try to make anything come out evenThere is no need to make sense of the

problem just get a even answer and move on

Problem with “Answer Getting”

Dan Meyer: Math class needs a makeover | Video on TED.com. 2013. Dan Meyer: Math class needs a makeover | Video on TED.com. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_meyer_math_curriculum_makeover.html. [Accessed 26 October 2013].

Phil Daro - Against "Answer-Getting" on Vimeo. 2013. Phil Daro - Against "Answer-Getting" on Vimeo. [ONLINE] Available at: http://vimeo.com/30924981. [Accessed 26 October 2013].

References