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My Favorite Math Teacher by Brianna

Briannaof Miami's entry into Varsity Tutor's July 2014 scholarship contest

My Favorite Math Teacher by Brianna - July 2014 Scholarship Essay

A teacher who positively affected my attitude toward education was my middle school math teacher Ms. Ross. She made math easy by explaining the problems clearly as well as by giving shortcuts to solve problems. Additionally, she gave me confidence in my ability to do math as well as methods to use in the future. I believe she has positively affected my attitude towards education because she’s an example of a good teacher who has helped students improve their math skills.

Ms. Ross made math simple by giving her students quicker ways to do problems. She also worked out the problems on the board step by step which made it easier to learn. When it comes to math I’m a visual learner and I need a detailed explanation. In addition, she explained everything clearly and was always willing to help her students.

Furthermore, while I was in her class I felt more confident in my math abilities. Math is not a subject I’m strong in so I usually need a really good teacher in order for me to understand the lesson. She taught me skills that I currently use and she made it easy to remember by turning math rules into chants.

To conclude, Ms. Ross has positively impacted my opinion on education because she is one of the few exceptional math teachers I've had. Ms. Ross’ simple teaching method gave me the strategies to be successful in solving math problems. She also wouldn’t hesitate to help her students whenever they were confused. Overall she was a great teacher and pleasant person as well.

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Teaching Math: The Best Learning Practice Essay

Learning math is not an easy task for many students, especially if they are of a young age. It is not always interesting to deal with numbers and develop various calculating activities to meet educational standards and get high grades. However, students have to learn mathematics as an obligatory part of the elementary school system. Therefore, to facilitate a learning process and raise students’ interest, teachers offer various practices and improve their understanding of children’s needs, abilities, and expectations. The examples introduced on video lessons show that teachers may cooperate with children in a variety of ways. Still, the main task is to involve students in a learning process by giving vivid examples, clear instructions, and options to choose from. In this paper, the attention to three teaching strategies, which are explicit teaching, developmental activities to support a diversity of levels, and reflection, will be discussed and explained through the prism of mathematics classes and teachers’ intentions to improve their classroom work.

Motivation and interest are the two crucial aspects of student education. It does not matter what subject has to be learned or what activities must be developed, teachers have to make sure that their students are ready and eager to participate in classroom activities. In both videos, teachers make use of explicit teaching as the main learning practice for their students to be offered. This type of learning aims at directing student attention towards certain subjects and topics in the already established learning environment. In math classes, it is not enough for teachers to provide students with an opportunity to learn new material and follow the given instructions (Selling, 2016). Explicit learning is used to make mathematical practices interesting to students through real-life representations, generalizations, problem-solving, and justifying (Selling, 2016). When students can use their own examples and explanations of the theoretical material given, it is easy for them to realize why all these tasks cannot be ignored, and what the essence of all these tasks is.

Another significant step in classroom learning is the attention to developmental activities in terms of which a diversity of levels and group work can be taken into consideration. Student learning and achievements depend directly on the teachers’ level of professionalism (Bayar, 2014). On the one hand, following the instructions and recognizing standards cannot be ignored in the classroom. On the other hand, students may easily get bored with all those requirements being set. In both videos, teachers underline the necessity to promote development activities and observe what students can do, want to do, and try to avoid. Sometimes, it is better to observe the work of students in groups or make them work individually and investigate their strengths and weaknesses. In schools, children of different backgrounds should cooperate, demonstrating their ability to use knowledge and their tolerance for other students’ mistakes. Teachers have to underline the importance of development and create the required environment to support but never offense or reproach a child.

Finally, the teachers from both videos agree that reflection has to be one of the main learning activities in the classroom. It helps not only to clarify what students learn but also focuses on the gaps that still exist. The possibility to reflect on the already gained experience and personal progress is the skill that has to be developed through teachers’ and students’ cooperation (Kiemer, Grőschner, Pehmer, & Seidel, 2015). In addition, reflection as a learning activity has a number of crucial benefits for students. First, they learn how to use the classroom material in real life. Second, sharing their thoughts, doubts, and ideas, students are able to comprehend the true importance of mathematics. Finally, students who are able to reflect on their activities demonstrate intentions to learn new information and participate in classroom activities. Therefore, the choice of this practice is not only a sign of a high-level professionalism of an educator, but an example of how teachers should respect and support their students.

To conclude, it is necessary to say that the offered videos help to realize how to improve mathematics classes and how to choose appropriate learning activities. The justification of this choice is based not only on the benefits students may gain in the classroom. The recognition of explicit learning, developmental activities, and reflection as the best practices to study math is explained by the possibility to focus on the merits and demerits of the subject and underline the importance of student participation. Though rules and plans cannot be ignored in teaching, educators should never forget that student motivation, interest, and achievement are the core values. Students may vary in their backgrounds, personal experiences, and skills. The task of teachers is to promote development, organize group projects, and reflect on the achievement made. Math can be one of the greatest subjects for students to deal with in elementary school, and explicit learning alone with group activities and reflections can help to achieve the best results in teaching practice.

Bayar, A. (2014). The components of effective professional development activities in terms of teachers’ perspective. International Online Journal of Educational Sciences, 6 (2), 319-327.

Kiemer, K., Grőschner, A., Pehmer, A. K., & Seidel, T. (2015). Effects of a classroom discourse intervention on teachers’ practice and students’ motivation to learn mathematics and science. Learning and Instruction, 35 , 94-103.

Selling, S. K. (2016). Making mathematical practices explicit in urban middle and high school mathematics classrooms. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 47 (5), 505-551.

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Using Positive Feedback in Math Classrooms

Providing math students with positive feedback can help them clarify their thinking, take risks, and apply concepts in new contexts.

High school student writes math equation on board with teacher

If you were a “good” math student, your teacher may have filled your papers with a checkmark next to each correct answer. But handing back “perfect work” with a slew of checkmarks is a missed opportunity for math teachers. Every time we provide a student with feedback, we have a chance to send a message. We can signal what we value and the strengths we see in the student’s work, providing insight into areas for growth and further learning. In math we value clarity and logic, creative solutions, perseverance, and curiosity. Used strategically, positive feedback can reinforce these cornerstones of the discipline. Although the examples I provide in this article are geared toward middle and high school math classes, positive feedback can be used at a variety of grade levels.

Reinforcing Effective Communication

Math teachers frequently ask students to show their work. When students give us insight into their thought processes by writing enough on the page, we can provide positive and specific comments in return. Our reinforcement helps students learn what specific aspects of their work were effective at clarifying their logic.

Here are some examples:

  • Your explanation here helps me see how you got from one step to the next.
  • The picture you drew helped me to understand how you’re thinking about this.
  • When you defined the variable before using it, I was able to follow your reasoning.
  • The sentence at the end helped me to see that this is your final answer.

All of these comments acknowledge the time that students put into explaining their reasoning. Providing positive reinforcement when students effectively convey their thought processes helps them develop into effective communicators of mathematics.

Recognizing a Mathematician’s Craft and Choices

Math teachers constantly remind their students that “there is more than one way to solve a problem.” This is true—the art of problem-solving allows students to discover elegant paths to a solution. Math talks have become popular because of their emphasis on multiple problem-solving techniques. The comments that we make on student work can reinforce the value of mathematical thinking.

You might write something like these:

  • I didn’t think of this strategy!
  • This is a clever implementation of factoring.
  • This step reminds me of the example we looked at when _____.
  • I like how you adapted the idea from _____ to this problem.

These comments will help students see their technique within the space of many pathways to a solution. When we reference the strategy that they used and contextualize it, we help them connect their problem-solving process to the content.

Celebrating Growth and Perseverance

Math is hard! Math teachers must find ways for students to grapple with the content and engage in productive struggle. If we give students credit for their progress and perseverance, we can encourage them to push through challenges the next time they arise.

Here are some examples of how you might emphasize growth and praise perseverance:

  • Great job catching the mistake here.
  • I can tell this was a long and messy computation. By keeping your work organized and sticking to your plan, you persevered.
  • I noticed that you had trouble with this skill in the last unit, but you have mastered it now! Great job sticking with it.

Students don’t always notice their own growth. When we can point it out to them, they see that their hard work and struggle is worth it.

Encouraging Reflection

When students perform at a high level, positive comments can push their thinking beyond the standard content. With feedback, we can inspire their curiosity and encourage deeper thinking.

Here are some reflective comments you could make:

  • What about this problem helped you realize that you needed this particular strategy?
  • How did you check your work?
  • What strategies did you use to keep track of all the steps needed to solve this problem?
  • How will you remember the connection that you made here?
  • What do you think would happen if the problem were slightly different? How would you have to adapt your approach?

All of these questions send the message that learning doesn’t stop at a perfect test score. We should continue to ask questions, pursue our curiosity, and find new and novel ways to apply what we’ve learned.

I hope that these ideas inspire you to provide comments beyond the simple check mark. We should be putting just as much care and attention into the feedback we provide to high-achieving students as what we give to students who need more practice.

While some may think that math teachers have it easy when it comes to grading, we shouldn’t take the easy way out. Writing a few comments might add a minute or two to the time it takes to mark a paper, but I assure you that the gains you will see in student confidence, motivation, creativity, and understanding will be worth it. By taking the time to provide meaningful, detailed, specific, and positive feedback, we provide all of our students the opportunity to grow.

Note: I wrote this piece after reading Alex Shevrin Venet’s “ How to Give Positive Feedback on Student Writing ,” because I was struck by how many of the guidelines that she provides are applicable to the math classroom. I recommend taking a look if you haven’t already!

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High School Mathematics at Work: Essays and Examples for the Education of All Students

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High School Mathematics at Work

Essays and examples for the education of all students.

Traditionally, vocational mathematics and precollege mathematics have been separate in schools. But the technological world in which today's students will work and live calls for increasing connection between mathematics and its applications. Workplace-based mathematics may be good mathematics for everyone.

High School Mathematics at Work illuminates the interplay between technical and academic mathematics. This collection of thought-provoking essays—by mathematicians, educators, and other experts—is enhanced with illustrative tasks from workplace and everyday contexts that suggest ways to strengthen high school mathematical education.

This important book addresses how to make mathematical education of all students meaningful—how to meet the practical needs of students entering the work force after high school as well as the needs of students going on to postsecondary education.

The short readable essays frame basic issues, provide background, and suggest alternatives to the traditional separation between technical and academic mathematics. They are accompanied by intriguing multipart problems that illustrate how deep mathematics functions in everyday settings—from analysis of ambulance response times to energy utilization, from buying a used car to "rounding off" to simplify problems.

The book addresses the role of standards in mathematics education, discussing issues such as finding common ground between science and mathematics education standards, improving the articulation from school to work, and comparing SAT results across settings.

Experts discuss how to develop curricula so that students learn to solve problems they are likely to encounter in life—while also providing them with approaches to unfamiliar problems. The book also addresses how teachers can help prepare students for postsecondary education.

For teacher education the book explores the changing nature of pedagogy and new approaches to teacher development. What kind of teaching will allow mathematics to be a guide rather than a gatekeeper to many career paths? Essays discuss pedagogical implication in problem-centered teaching, the role of complex mathematical tasks in teacher education, and the idea of making open-ended tasks—and the student work they elicit—central to professional discourse.

High School Mathematics at Work presents thoughtful views from experts. It identifies rich possibilities for teaching mathematics and preparing students for the technological challenges of the future. This book will inform and inspire teachers, teacher educators, curriculum developers, and others involved in improving mathematics education and the capabilities of tomorrow's work force.

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Reflecting on My Own Math Experiences

Hi thank you so much for being here..

Welcome! I am so glad you have come across this post! My name is Julia Park and I am a senior at Millersville University! I am an Early Childhood Education major and I have learned so much so far! If you have a moment, feel free to check out my previous blog posts!

In my last post, I shared information about learning centers in math class! In this post, I will be reflecting on my mathematical journey. My experiences in math have really shaped the way I teach my students.

My Early Math Memories

I believe that early math experiences can really shape a child’s mindset towards mathematics. It has definitely shaped mine. Unfortunately, it has been a long journey of growing my interest in math, and I am still working on it! 

When I was in elementary school, even up until my time at Millersville, math has been a huge struggle for me. I have grown up with the incredibly damaging misconception that you have to be a “math person” to excel in math.  A lot of my peers had the same mindset, which made it even harder to let go of those limiting thoughts. 

I discussed this in my growth mindset blog post , but “math people” do not exist! I have my own reasons as to why I thought there were math people, but children’s experiences often vary. I think my fixed mindset was formed from experiences with not-so-nice teachers, the pressure of time limits and the need for accuracy in class, and a lack of hands-on learning. Those are just a few ideas of why I think I have had a tough time with math and I will be discussing more ideas later in this post!

Although it was hard to get through math class sometimes, I am really grateful that I have had these experiences because I can learn from them and relate to my own students. I want my students to feel comfortable with asking for help and to know that it is possible to learn and grow in many ways!

What I Have Learned From Past Teachers

Through my time as a student in math class, I have had many different experiences with a variety of teachers. I want to share the good and the bad of what I have gone through because I think it is beneficial for teachers to reflect on all experiences related to learning. We can take what we learn to inform our own teaching practices. 

Positive approaches I have learned from teachers:

  • Providing assistance outside of class
  • Using a hands-on learning approach
  • Giving time to practice skills in class
  • Utilizing interactive math games
  • Facilitating class discussions 
  • Being kind and encouraging when a student is struggling 

Approaches of teachers that were difficult for me: 

  • Focusing on accuracy only and not effort
  • Putting pressure on students to turn in extensive assignments with a limited amount of time
  • Teaching new concepts too fast
  • Using too many lectures and PowerPoint presentations
  • Not having time to reflect on concepts in class
  • Being intimidating when a student is struggling 

Every student learns differently. These experiences are unique to me and not everyone will be able to relate to what I have taken from my past math classes. However, I think it is important to recognize that although one strategy might work for one student, it might not work for another student.  This notion emphasizes the need for differentiation. I will be discussing differentiation more in the next section. 

Strategies I Want to Use to Teach Math

As I finish this semester at Millersville University, I am leaving with so many new ways of teaching math that I was not even aware of previously. I have a new passion for making math class fun and interesting for my students. The following are some examples of strategies I would love to incorporate in my future math class: 

  • My math instruction will be differentiated based on my students’ needs. I will monitor their progress through various assessments and observations to modify or individualize my instruction when needed.
  • Hands-on learning will be included to increase the engagement and participation of my students. I want to make math fun and exciting!!
  • Class discussions will be a huge part of my mathematics instruction. Discussions in math class promote a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts in children.  
  • I would love to try to use interactive notebooks to organize my students’ learning and create engaging experiences. I had not heard of these notebooks until this year and I love them!
  • Technology , manipulatives , and children’s literature are just a few tools I plan on using to enhance mathematics instruction for my students. 
  • Parent involvement is very important for a child’s education and I will consistently keep in contact with families to increase this involvement. 
  • I am very passionate about modeling a growth mindset for my students. I want my students to believe in themselves and in their ability to grow.
  • I will strive to create a safe and welcoming environment for my students. I want them to be comfortable with sharing their ideas and to not fear making mistakes. To do this, I will value effort just as much as accuracy. 

Mistakes Are Learning Opportunities!

One of the biggest lessons I have learned throughout my time at Millersville is that making mistakes is okay. I used to put so much pressure on myself to be perfect and know everything, but that is not healthy. Teachers are not robots made to feed information to students. Instead, we have a purpose to learn alongside our students and to welcome mistakes as learning opportunities.

I am much more comfortable now being honest with my students in moments of uncertainty. I would rather figure something out with them than provide them with the wrong information. It’s really fun to explore ideas with students and work together toward a common goal. These experiences with students are valuable and strengthen the student-teacher relationship. When children trust their teachers, they are more engaged, motivated, and feel an increased amount of comfort when reaching out for help and sharing their thoughts with others. 

Check out my blog post about growth mindset to learn more about the importance of making mistakes and the value of having a positive mindset in math class!

Thank you so much for reading!

I had a blast sharing my mathematical experiences with you all! I have grown so much through the years and I can’t wait to keep growing as I gain more experience. I hope you learned about some ways you can teach mathematics in your own classroom! Thank you for reading. I sincerely appreciate it!

Published by

Hi! I am Julia Park and I'm a junior at Millersville University. I am currently studying Early Childhood Education. I am so excited to share my journey through my new blog! View all posts by Julia Park

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21 Essential Strategies in Teaching Math

Even veteran teachers need to read these.

Examples of math strategies such as playing addition tic tac toe and emphasizing hands-on learning with manipulatives like dice, play money, dominoes and base ten blocks.

We all want our kids to succeed in math. In most districts, standardized tests measure students’ understanding, yet nobody wants to teach to the test. Over-reliance on test prep materials and “drill and kill” worksheets steal instructional time while also harming learning and motivation. But sound instruction and good test scores aren’t mutually exclusive. Being intentional and using creative approaches to your instruction can get students excited about math. These essential strategies in teaching mathematics can make this your class’s best math year ever!

1. Raise the bar for all

Growth mindset posters

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For math strategies to be effective, teachers must first get students to believe that they can be great mathematicians. Holding high expectations for all students encourages growth. As early as second grade, girls have internalized the idea that math is not for them . It can be a challenge to overcome the socially acceptable thought, I’m not good at math , says Sarah Bax, a math teacher at Hardy Middle School in Washington, D.C.

Rather than success being a function of how much math talent they’re born with, kids need to hear from teachers that anyone who works hard can succeed. “It’s about helping kids have a growth mindset ,” says Bax. “Practice and persistence make you good at math.” Build math equity and tell students about the power and importance of math with enthusiasm and high expectations.

(Psst … you can snag our growth mindset posters for your math classroom here. )

2. Don’t wait—act now!

Look ahead to the specific concepts students need to master for annual end-of-year tests, and pace instruction accordingly. Think about foundational skills they will need in the year ahead.

“You don’t want to be caught off guard come March thinking that students need to know X for the tests the next month,” says Skip Fennell, project director of Elementary Mathematics Specialists and Teacher Leaders Project and professor emeritus at McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland. Know the specific standards and back-map your teaching from the fall so students are ready, and plan to use effective math strategies accordingly.

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3. Create a testing pathway

You may not even see the results of standardized tests until next school year, but you have to prepare students for it now. Use formative assessments to ensure that students understand the concepts. What you learn can guide your instruction and determine the next steps, says Fennell. “I changed the wording because I didn’t want to suggest that we are in favor of ‘teaching to the test.'”

Testing is not something separate from your instruction. It should be integrated into your planning. Instead of a quick exit question or card, give a five-minute quiz, an open-ended question, or a meaningful homework assignment to confirm students have mastered the math skill covered in the day’s lesson. Additionally, asking students to explain their thinking orally or in writing is a great way to determine their level of understanding. A capable digital resource, designed to monitor your students in real-time, can also be an invaluable tool, providing actionable data to inform your instruction along the way.

4. Observe, modify, and reevaluate

Sometimes we get stuck in a mindset of “a lesson a day” in order to get through the content. However, we should keep our pacing flexible, or kids can fall behind. Walk through your classroom as students work on problems and observe the dynamics. Talk with students individually and include “hinge questions” in your lesson plans to gauge understanding before continuing, suggests Fennell. In response, make decisions to go faster or slower or put students in groups.

5. Read, read, read!

Cover of Pitter Pattern and Equal Shmequal books for teaching 2nd grade as example of strategies in teaching mathematics

Although we don’t often think of reading as a math strategy, there’s almost nothing better to get students ready to learn a new concept than a great read-aloud. Kids love to be read to, and the more we show students how math is connected to the world around us, the more invested they become. Reading books with math connections helps children see how abstract concepts connect to their lives.

6. Personalize and offer choice

When students are given the opportunity to choose how they learn and demonstrate their understanding of a concept, their buy-in and motivation increase. It gives them the chance to understand their preferred learning style, provides agency over their own learning, and allows for the space to practice different strategies to solve math problems. Give students a variety of options, such as timed exercises, projects, or different materials , to show that they’ve mastered foundational skills. As students show what they’ve learned, teachers can track understanding, figure out where students need additional scaffolding or other assistance, and tailor lessons accordingly.

7. Plant the seeds!

Leave no child inside! A school garden is a great way to apply math concepts in a fun way while instilling a sense of purpose in your students. Measurement, geometry, and data analysis are obvious topics that can be addressed through garden activities, but also consider using the garden to teach operations, fractions, and decimals. Additionally, garden activities can help promote character education goals like cooperation, respect for the earth, and, if the crops are donated to organizations that serve those in need, the value of giving to others.

8. Add apps appropriately

The number of apps (interactive software used on touch-screen devices) available to support math instruction has increased rapidly in recent years. Kids who are reluctant to practice math facts with traditional pencil-and-paper resources will gladly do essentially the same work as long as it’s done on a touch screen. Many apps focus on practice via games, but there are some that encourage children to explore the content at a conceptual level.

9. Encourage math talk

Lets Talk Math poster on wall next to backpack.

Communicating about math helps students process new learning and build on their thinking. Engage students during conversations and have them describe why they solved a problem in a certain way. “My goal is to get information about what students are thinking and use that to guide my instruction, as opposed to just telling them information and asking them to parrot things back,” says Delise Andrews, who taught math (K–8) and is now a grade 3–5 math coordinator in the Lincoln Public Schools in Nebraska.

Instead of seeking a specific answer, Andrews wants to have deeper discussions to figure out what a student knows and understands. “True learning happens a lot around talking and doing math—not just drilling,” she says. Of course, this math strategy not only requires students to feel comfortable expressing their mathematical thinking, but also assumes that they have been trained to listen respectfully to the reasoning of their classmates.

Learn more: Free Let’s Talk Math Poster

10. The art of math

Almost all kids love art, and visual learners need a math strategy that works for them too, so consider integrating art and math instruction for one of the easiest strategies in teaching mathematics. Many concepts in geometry, such as shapes, symmetry, and transformations (slides, flips, and turns), can be applied in a fun art project. Also consider using art projects to teach concepts like measurement, ratios, and arrays (multiplication/division).

11. Seek to develop understanding

Meaningful math education goes beyond memorizing formulas and procedures. Memorization does not foster understanding. Set high goals, create space for exploration, and work with the students to develop a strong foundation. “Treat the kids like mathematicians,” says Andrews. Present a broad topic, review various strategies for solving a problem, and then elicit a formula or idea from the kids rather than starting with the formula. This creates a stronger conceptual understanding and mental connections with the material for the student.

12. Give students time to reflect

Sometimes teachers get so caught up in meeting the demands of the curriculum and the pressure to “get it all done” that they don’t give students the time to reflect on their learning. Students can be asked to reflect in writing at the end of an assignment or lesson, via class or small group discussion, or in interviews with the teacher. It’s important to give students the time to think about and articulate the meaning of what they’ve learned, what they still don’t understand, and what they want to learn more about. This provides useful information for the teacher and helps the student monitor their own progress and think strategically about how they approach mathematics.

13. Allow for productive struggle

When giving students an authentic problem, ask a big question and let them struggle to figure out several ways to solve it, suggests Andrews. “Your job as a teacher is to make it engaging by asking the right questions at the right time. So you don’t take away their thinking, but you help them move forward to a solution,” she says.

Provide as little information as possible but enough so students can be productive. Effective math teaching supports students as they grapple with mathematical ideas and relationships. Allow them to discover what works and experience setbacks along the way as they adopt a growth mindset about mathematics.

14. Emphasize hands-on learning

Different types of math manipulatives like blocks, play money, and dice.

WeAreTeachers; Teacher Created Resources

In math, there’s so much that’s abstract. Hands-on learning is a strategy that helps make the conceptual concrete. Consider incorporating math manipulatives whenever possible. For example, you can use LEGO bricks to teach a variety of math skills, including finding area and perimeter and understanding multiplication.

15. Build excitement by rewarding progress

Students—especially those who haven’t experienced success—can have negative attitudes about math. Consider having students earn points and receive certificates, stickers, badges, or trophies as they progress. Weekly announcements and assemblies that celebrate the top players and teams can be really inspiring for students. “Having that recognition and moment is powerful,” says Bax. “Through repeated practice, they get better, and they are motivated.” Through building excitement, this allows for one of the best strategies in teaching mathematics to come to fruition.

16. Choose meaningful tasks

Kids get excited about math when they have to  solve real-life problems. For instance, when teaching sixth graders how to determine area, present tasks related to a house redesign, suggests Fennell. Provide them with the dimensions of the walls and the size of the windows and have them determine how much space is left for the wallpaper. Or ask them to consider how many tiles they would need to fill a deck. You can absolutely introduce problem-based learning, even in a virtual world.

17. Play math games

Collage of First Grade Math Games, including Shape Guess Who? and Addition Tic-Tac-Toe

Life Between Summers/Shape Guess Who via lifebetweensummers.com; 123 Homeschool 4 Me/Tic-Tac-Toe Math Game via 123homeschool4me.com; WeAreTeachers

Student engagement and participation can be a challenge, especially if you’re relying heavily on worksheets. Games, like these first grade math games , are an excellent way to make the learning more fun while simultaneously promoting strategic mathematical thinking, computational fluency , and understanding of operations. Games are especially good for kinesthetic learners and foster a home-school connection when they’re sent home for extra practice.

18. Set up effective math routines

Students generally feel confident and competent in the classroom when they know what to do and why they’re doing it. Establishing routines in your math class and training kids to use them can make math class efficient, effective, and fun! For example, consider starting your class with a number sense routine . Rich, productive small group math discussions don’t happen by themselves, so make sure your students know the “rules of the road” for contributing their ideas and respectfully critiquing the ideas of others.

19. Encourage teacher teamwork and reflection

You can’t teach in a vacuum. Collaborate with other teachers to improve your math instruction skills. Start by discussing the goal for the math lesson and what it will look like, and plan as a team to use the most effective math strategies. “Together, think through the tasks and possible student responses you might encounter,” says Andrews. Reflect on what did and didn’t work to improve your practice.

Collage of Active Math Games as example of strategies in teaching mathematics

Learn With Play at Home/Plastic Bottle Number Bowling via learnwithplayathome.com; Math Geek Mama/Skip-Counting Hopscotch via mathgeekmama.com; WeAreTeachers

Adding movement and physical activity to your instruction might seem counterintuitive as a math strategy, but asking kids to get out of their seats can increase their motivation and interest. For example, you could ask students to:

  • Make angles with their arms
  • Create a square dance that demonstrates different types of patterns
  • Complete a shape scavenger hunt in the classroom
  • Run or complete other exercises periodically and graph the results

The possibilities of these strategies in teaching mathematics are limited only by your imagination and the math concepts you need to cover. Check out these active math games .

21. Be a lifelong learner

Generally, students will become excited about a subject if their teacher is excited about it. However, it’s hard to be excited about teaching math if your understanding hasn’t changed since you learned it in elementary school. For example, if you teach how to divide fractions by fractions and your understanding is limited to following the “invert and multiply” rule, take the time to understand why the rule works and how it applies to the real world. When you have confidence in your own mathematical expertise, then you can teach math confidently and joyfully to best apply strategies in teaching mathematics.

What do you feel are the most important strategies in teaching mathematics? Share in the comments below.

Want more articles like this be sure to subscribe to our newsletters ., learn why it’s important to honor all math strategies in teaching math . plus, check out the best math websites for teachers ..

We all want our students to be successful in math. These essential strategies in teaching mathematics can help.

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Teacher Group Wants a Focus on Low Math Performance, Too

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New York took steps to move toward the “science of reading” in early January. And New York City’s NYC Reads initiative, which has required classrooms in the Big Apple to select from three curricula that are purportedly closer to the evidence base on how children read, is now well underway.

Now, those actions have motivated some educators in New York City to call on state and local leaders to revisit the way math is taught in public schools in the nation’s largest school district.

Educators For Excellence, a national nonprofit that advocates for more teacher representation in education policy, has released a set of three recommendations to address the “math achievement crisis” in New York City.

The recommendations call for selecting evidence-based curriculum, bolstering professional development for math educators, and focusing on math proficiency in middle school for all students.

“The state administration took bold and decisive actions to improve reading literacy. We need to do the same with math,” said Marielys Divanne, the executive director of the New York chapter of E4E.

Divanne points to last year’s scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress’ gauge of urban school districts as a “concerning reality”—only 18 percent of 4th grade students in the city were proficient in math, with even lower scores for Black and Hispanic students.

The recommendations home in on middle school as an intervention point to prepare students with the foundational skills they need for 9th grade algebra, a critical course for high school success.

Studies show that students of color and those from low-income backgrounds are less likely than their peers to be given a chance to take advanced math classes in higher grades, in part because of problems completing algebra and access to high-level course sequences.

Fewer states , meanwhile, have taken steps to plug the gaps in math proficiency as they’ve worked to do the same in literacy. Studies show that early math skills are a key predicator of later academic success, but states have tended toward literacy interventions in elementary grades over math proficiency in middle school.

Divanne believes there’s no need to choose.

“We understand that NYC Reads is being implemented at the elementary school level. Some may suggest prioritizing literacy before tackling math, but we believe in simultaneous reform,” she said. “It’s crucial at this point to address the foundational subjects together.”

E4E’s recommendations hinge on making the curriculum and classrooms for advanced math more inclusive. They draw on insights gleaned from interviews and focus groups with math educators and experts from across the country.

Divanne spoke to Education Week about how these recommendations will help the city tackle its low math proficiency rates, and why professional development is crucial to inclusivity.

The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Why is this the right time to release these recommendations? What is the gap they’re trying to address?

We can’t wait another two decades. In New York City, we’ve seen the NEAP scores on math, which are even lower for Black and Hispanic students. These scores worsened during the pandemic and they haven’t recovered. That decline will only continue.

Our educators are telling us that 9th graders are not fully ready for algebra. We are calling for a focus on middle school because high school is too late to intervene. We need to narrow the set of curricular options to high-quality ones, and we need to do that through deep engagement and feedback from educators so that they don’t feel that this was done to them, but with them.

What role should teachers play in selecting curriculum?

They should play a key role in assessing curricular options and combining their expertise with existing frameworks. The city should publicly release the metrics used to pick curricula, ensuring that there’s transparency in the process.

There are many curricular options out there, so it would be ideal if the city can identify the criteria of selection with educators before implementation. This curriculum should be culturally responsive.

We are encouraged by what we’re seeing with NYC Reads, which calls for a shift to a narrow set of evidence-based curricula. The city has shared that it will extend professional learning for the literacy approach. We believe that that needs to happen with math, too.

What should this professional development look like?

To effectively support teachers in implementing high-quality math curriculum, the most important thing we need is sustained, long-term investments in ongoing professional learning. Just doing it occasionally won’t help. It should be aligned [to the curriculum], and it should be long-term. We need to ensure that teachers have access to instructional coaches.

Some of these recommendations also include peer-to-peer coaching and mentorship and time in the school’s schedule for observations and embedded peer classroom visits. The training should also help teachers think about pacing, and how their math lessons connect with real-world scenarios. All this works when there’s ongoing coaching.

The recommendations say implicit bias in math education should be a focus. Why?

We need to work with our students to ensure that they feel that they can be good in math. Our educators should also feel that their students can achieve in math.

For that to happen, adults need support in the classroom to understand their own biases and views of math education and numeracy when it comes to expanding access to all students [to higher-level, more rigorous courses].

The recommendations call for implicit bias training for math educators and academic placement counselors. We need investments [to hire] social workers, counselors, and others who can support instructional time [in dealing with behavioral and absenteeism challenges]. We need to create the right conditions for success for all students to tap into that advanced coursework.

What impact do you hope to achieve?

We envision that every student in the city has access to high-quality math education that’s reflective of their cultural backgrounds. We live in a rapidly changing world. This is about more than just improving test scores. It’s about preparing our students for real-world challenges.

Students should have the option to take high-level college courses. When schools don’t teach algebra, [they] don’t get them ready for calculus. When they graduate, students should have a wider set of potential careers to choose from.

As a society, we often hear, “I’m not good at math.” We don’t hear that about reading. Shifting that mindset across the board is essential.

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Math Teacher, Essay Example

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At the beginning of the school year I received student achievement records. During the first, week faculty and administration met to detail our plans for the coming months. The plans are required to contain goals for the three month mark, the six month mark, and year-end goals. As a math teacher, I must understand how well my students can apply what we learn directly to assignments, quizzes and homework. What follows are some relevant questions and my answers to them.

What will you prepare for the meeting?

Goal Setting

  • Sort students in order of high to low in terms of achievement.
  • Quiz students to know what they remember from last year.
  • Formulate methods for bringing the lowest performing students up to speed.
  • Formulate methods to keep the best performing students engaged in learning.
  • Interpolate methods to keep learning from becoming too boring for everyone.

To the principal, I would report my goal setting method as well as specific strategies. Having evaluated how well my students understand concepts from last year and judging from their previous performance, I formulate a system by which better students are challenged but those less so are not frightened off by failure. Futheremore, I plan to include ways of teaching math that will keep everyone engaged in learning. The most difficult challenge a math teacher must contend with is students becoming bored with the material.

What kinds of goals might you prepare for each timeframe regardless of the student data?

Here I specify goals according to timeframes. In the first 3 moths, I expect to bring all students up to speed from last year. By the 6 th month, I expect to have a significant portion of new material covered. By the end of the year, I expect all students to pass with a sufficient understanding of the new material. By this time, last year’s material will be less important because students must sufficiently understand the concepts in order to perform at the next level.

How will you measure your goals? I will measure my goals by quizzing students on a regular basis – say, once a week, on Friday. By 3 months, I expect 90% of the students to sufficiently understand the material from last year. By 6, I expect all of the students to sufficiently understand the material from last year and 80% the students to sufficiently understand at least 60% of the new material from this year. By year’s end, I expect all students to understand at least 60% of the new material.

Imagine a scenario where at the end of the three-month period, you have met less than 50% of the goals you have set for your students. What would your two immediate next steps be? Why? My plan includes a contignecny for this secenario. If it is shown that less than 50% of the goals I have set have not been accomplished. I will set aside time to work specifically with students who are missing the mark. My reasoning is that on average a majority of students will sufficiently achive the goals I have set. If we fall below the 50% mark, it will most likely be because there are a few students who are not effectively learning the concepts. Thus, to bring them up to speed will mean reaching our year-end goal. As a math teacher, I must understand how well my students can apply what we learn directly from assignments, quizzes and homework. At the beginning of the school year I received student achievement records. During the first, week faculty and administration met to detail our plans for the coming months. Here, I have iterated my plan as mandated by the administration

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Essay on My Teacher

List of essays on my teacher in english, essay on my teacher – essay 1 (300 words), essay on my teacher – essay 2 (400 words), essay on my teacher – essay 3 (500 words), essay on my teacher – essay 4 (750 words), essay on my teacher – essay 5 (1000 words).

Introduction:

Teachers are the ones who play a very vital role in shaping our future. From the Pre-Kinder Garden to your Post-Doctoral fellowships, they teach, impart knowledge, share ethical values, and imbibe morality, thereby shaping our personality as a strong one.

My Teacher:

Throughout our lives, we will be having many kith and kins who will hold a special place in our hearts. For me, one such person is my teacher. All of us, for sure, will definitely agree to the fact that the kinship between us and our kinder garden teachers could not be well-defined. I like my nursery teacher, so much. There is something very magical about her. Maybe, she was the first teacher in my life or maybe, she was very sweet in talking to all of us, I am unable to portray why she is always my favourite. I relied on her blindly.

Unforgettable Memories:

I have some cherished memories with my teacher. Whenever I think of those memories, it makes me blissful. On the last day of my nursery school, I started crying at the very thought of leaving her and having a new teacher. I had fallen sick due to crying for hours together. I skipped my food. My parents were not able to do anything. They called for her to make me feel better. My teacher travelled a few miles across the city and reached the hospital. She, then, said that she would never forget any of her students and asked me to write to her. I started writing to her every week from then on and she replied to every letter of mine. Till date, I look at my teacher as my second mother and she guides me in all my difficult situations.

Conclusion:

Having a good teacher who can share an amalgamated relationship with the students is a boon. A good teacher should be a good mentor, a philosopher, a guide, a friend and above all a surrogate parent to the children. I am lucky that I had gotten one in my lifetime.

My favorite subject is English and my most favorite teacher is Chitra Ma’am. She teaches us English. She likes me a lot and appreciates my hard work. She joined our school one year ago. Before that, I was not so good at English. But after attending her classes, we have all become much better at this subject.

I like her for many reasons. First of all, she teaches the lessons in a very interesting way. Even when we have doubts or questions, she never gets upset with us. Her best quality is her loving nature. She would come to school daily without missing a day.

Her dressing sense is nice. She wears simple salwar suits. She always speaks to her students softly and respectfully. I eagerly wait for her class and do my English homework on time. Chitra Ma’am puts a lot of effort in explaining every chapter.

There are many activities given at the end of every lesson and she makes us participate in all of them. Not only that, but she also encourages us to take part in drama and poem competitions. Since her first day, she made a rule for us.

All of us has to speak in English during the English period. Every student tries to talk in English even if the sentence sounds improper. She has taught us to never laugh at each other’s mistakes. This has improved our spoken English in a great way. Now, we are able to talk in English with more confidence.

Another great quality of hers is that she treats every child equally. After explaining the lesson to us, she asks each one of us different questions about the chapter. Sometimes, we also love to talk about our personal lives, like what do we like about our lives, how our parents work hard for us, and things like that.

When we get confused or need an emotional support, she is the best person to talk to. Her advice and suggestions are always positive. Last month, on teacher’s day, all the students wished her and brought presents for her. We also sang a song to her.

I made a beautiful greeting card for her and a red rose with it. She accepted it with a smile and thanked us for everything. I feel grateful to have such a gentle and great teacher in my life who supports me in every way.

In school, you tend to interact with a lot of people who can either impact your life positively or negatively. A teacher is one neutral person who will manage to strike a balance between the positive and the negative. Teachers have a huge responsibility that we students may not understand. All in all our teachers try their best to provide an education, guidance and discipline despite the challenges we might impose on them. The life of a student is entirely dependent on a teacher because most of their time is spent in school rather than with parents that is why teachers play a major role in shaping the lives of young children through school.

Who Is my favourite Teacher?

I have several teachers now that I am in high school but there is only one whom I can relate to as “the teacher” because of the impact he has made in my life. The teacher is male, of Indian origin and has a funny accent when he speaks. He is married and has three children. Actually, one of his children is my age and I know him through tennis practice because he comes to train with us sometimes. I like him because his sense of humor gives a good learning experience for the students. He is a math teacher and he is very good at what he does. Students tend to make fun of him because of his accent but he make fun of it himself, which gets even funnier. This teacher has been a great mentor to me and other student ever since we joined high school. I met him on a personal level one day after class when I needed clarification on a topic I had not quite understood. The teacher was kind to me and guided me through it. Since then, he took his own initiative to do follow-ups on me and I became really good in math due to his efforts.

Coincidentally, he also coaches my tennis team and we meet out on the field. We have won several awards as a tennis team under him. I feel connected to the teacher through his mentorship and he has become like a school parent to me because whenever I have an issue, he is free to help me out.

How the teacher has impacted my life in school .

Mentorship goes along way depending on the approach used. When I first joined high school, I did not have much confidence in myself. This teacher mentored me and made me believe in myself. The good thing is the attention he gives t is students because most of the times, he follows up on the performances and ensures that he does everything he can to help students improve academically. He has also been a role model to me through his way of doing things. He is dedicated to his work and he is an achiever. Through following his footsteps, I have been able to dedicate myself into studies and sports, which has helped me to achieve my goals.

In conclusion, good teachers are hard to find but when you find one, make the most out of them.

The word “teacher” depicts a person that teaches. English dictionary defines teacher as “a person who teaches, especially one employed in a school”. A more recent definition of teacher in the linguistics field is “a tutor that interacts with the learners in order to facilitate good learning”.

Types of Teachers

Old method teachers: the teachers found under this method adopt the rigid mode of impartation of knowledge. They control the class the way a king would rule over his subjects. Old method teachers are less concerned about the welfare of their learners, they are syllabus-oriented.

New method teachers: the tutors under this model are student-oriented. They are more concerned about their learners and their various levels of understanding. They accept and promote contributions in class unlike the old method teachers. New method teachers encourage the inquisitiveness of their students.

Attributes of a Teacher:

A standard teacher has all or most of the various characters imbedded in them:

  • Compassionate
  • Open-minded
  • A good counselor
  • Friendly and most importantly
  • Approachable.

Attributes of My Favorite Teacher:

Personally, I see my teacher as a mini-god because he leaves his mark on me. He influences my life in ways that enables me affect changes wherever I find myself.

He is a perfect example of the new model teachers. Basically, he is student-oriented. In the classroom, he employs the Eclectic mode of teaching (this is the combination of all the modes of teaching “discussion mode, play way mode, role play mode, question mode” so as to facilitate standard learning).

He comes into the classroom; starts the lecture with a recap of what was discussed in the previous class, gives room for the students to ask questions that arose from the last class, answers them and then starts a new topic.

To start a new topic, he starts with a mind-capturing introduction that attracts the attention of all students. Once he is through with introducing the topic, he gauges our reaction in order for him to know if his students are on the same page with him or left behind.

Then, he moves on to the discussion mode of teaching, whereby he throws questions to his students and accommodates both relevant and irrelevant answers, at the end of this model, he sieves through the answers provided, pick the relevant ones and add his own iota to it, he also always applaud the courage of all who answers his questions.

He moves either into the role play method or the play way method, here he selects students to either act out the lessons from the day’s topic or summarizes what he has taught for the day. The use of this particular mode enlightens the students more on the topic being discussed.

Finally, he moves over to the questions and revision mode, where he personally go through all he has taught over the course of the period. During this mode, he entertains questions from students on their personal areas of difficulties. Occasionally, he gives assignments to back up his teachings.

During his teachings, he pays close attention to the expression, mood, sitting posture and carriage of his students. This tells him when his students are lost, sad, worried, hungry, sick, away in dream land or simply tired.

Once he is done processing the information gotten from our faces, he either finds a way of brightening the mood of his students, bringing them back from the dream world, or ending his class without breaking his stride or alerting the whole population of students to what is currently going on.

It is only normal for a human being to reflect his mood whenever he is talking or interacting, but my teacher hardly ever allow his bad, horrible moods interfere with his teachings.

Outside the classroom, my teacher is approachable, fatherly, and jovial. He entertains all and no one is excluded from his open arms, smiles and affections.

He is a good counselor who is always ready to help me out of my tight corners. He gives twenty first century advises in a fatherly way.

Although, due to my teachers lenient ways with students, some students tend to be lazy, disrespectful, stubborn or rude. He has a way of being firm, maintaining class control while teaching.

In conclusion, my teacher has all the attributes and more of a new method teachers. He is capable of combining all modes of teaching, he is compassionate, passionate, and friendly. From my interactions with him, I can confidently say that he is one of the best teachers around.

A teacher plays a very important life in shaping your life as well as career. A good teacher is a blessing for the students in their early years and helps them understand the world; learn moral values along with education. Most importantly, a teacher helps you the art of survival and brings out the best of you.

Why a teacher is so important in a student’s life?

Teachers assume the essential job in our life to end up fruitful invocation and business. A decent teacher encourages us to end up great individual in the general public and great nation of the nation.

Teachers realize that students are the eventual fate of any country. So the future advancement of any country is in the hands of teachers. What we move toward becoming in life is relies upon teachers. Teachers confer the information and data in the mind of understudies to dissect. Investigating in the circumstance what is conceivable is the most essential thing that we gain from teachers. Energy about teachers is imperative since they are the most essential individuals in the nation. What we’re seeing today in business, legislative issues, and society all influenced by teachers. In this way, in India, we commend teacher’s day consistently on 5 September on the event of the birth Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

My Teachers, My Role Models

During my formative years, I have come across many teachers who have influenced my life for the better. Having being studies in a convent school, I got to face a much-disciplined environment during my school years. The teachers, although were very polite in their behaviour, at the same time ensuring that we all followed a disciplined life. We were taught how to inculcate these values in our daily life so as to be better human beings when we grow up and face the world. Although all the teachers were good, there is one teacher whose teachings I just cannot forget. She is Ms Kirti Bhushan. Her teachings have been so powerful and impactful that I can still feel them during my day to day decisions even today.

My Best Teacher

Ms Kirti was my class educator as well and took participation in the daily activities with us as well. She was a strict instructor anyway extremely amusing and mind in nature. At the same time, she was extremely restrained and dependable. She did her work perfectly with the class at a perfect time without getting late. I liked her, particularly as she attempted simple approaches to show us beneficial things. We made the most of her class. She taught us English subject as well. She even made us giggle by telling heaps of jokes in the middle of when she taught. She likewise managed us exceptionally well amid any school or between school rivalry of the move, sports, scholastic, and so on. She instructed us to share things in class among our associates, for example, lunch or other required things.

Her Background

She was from Varanasi and completed her initial studies there itself. She took her higher education degrees from the Banaras Hindu University. She was extremely friendly and kind in nature. She realized well about how to deal with little youngsters in the class. Her one of a kind style of educating is perhaps what I mostly recall her for. I even meet her at times at whatever point I have to explain some intense inquiries of my day to day issues, she advises me so easily and comfortably. She looks extremely savvy with shimmer eyes and fair hair.

Her Smiling Attitude

She generally smiled when she entered the classroom and first got some information about our prosperity. She additionally helped us in the games at whatever point our games instructor was missing. She had a smiling face even during the strict environment during the examination times. She constantly rebuffed to the students who were with fragmented home works. She was acclaimed for making loads of fun amid the class time and ensure there was a positive ambience all around.

She was an instructor with great aptitudes of educating, well-disposed nature, great comical inclination, understanding and nice. I am proud to be one of her favourite students, as she always said good things about me to other teachers. At times she gave us chocolates on doing great in the class tests and exams. She never gave us heaps of assignments at home. She was exceptionally eager and constantly spurred us for doing our best in the examination.

Teacher’s In Today’s Scenario

Today the general population are changing and their reasoning and advancement thoughts are more against nature. Presently for the world, a teacher is only a teacher. Various offices and departments only tend to remember them on teachers day during various events and usually do not remember them otherwise. Individuals also share few posts via web-based networking media with respect to teachers and after that just forget them. Individuals overlook a bigger number of things that they are gaining from teachers. Schools and students also praise the teacher’s day event and value the endeavours teachers are doing. This is incredible if individuals ought to pursue the exercises of teachers also.

The genuine present for teachers is when students turn into a decent individual, effective in their vocation and business. Not all teacher are great in instructing and comparatively, not all students resemble “Shishya and Guru” particularly in the advanced period. A few teachers are incredible and they are dependable in heart of students all life along.

Students admire teachers for counsel and direction. Students are inspired by scholastic exercises as well as they are intrigued to pursue their life exercises. That is the reason it’s exceedingly essential for teachers to motivate students to pursue great propensities not terrible by their own precedent. An instruction is critical in everybody’s life and assumes different jobs in various phases of life. It’s imperative that individuals understand the significance of teachers and pursue their teachers in the right spirit.

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Objects of study in research on mathematics teacher education

  • Published: 06 May 2024

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It has been more than a quarter century since the Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education (JMTE) first appeared in 1998. Unlike the broader field of mathematics education research, studies focusing on mathematics teacher education are somewhat circumscribed due to their primary emphasis on mathematics teachers. Despite the passage of time, the scope of research themes appears not to be diminishing but rather expanding.

Confronted with the nine papers included in this current issue and reflecting on the historical trajectory of this journal, I am compelled to revisit the diversity of research on mathematics teacher education (Miyakawa, 2022 ), particularly in terms of the objects of study. The research showcased in JMTE is dedicated to enhancing our understanding of various aspects related to mathematics teacher education, such as teacher knowledge, professional development, and university training courses. This leads me to ponder the various objects of study within our field and whether it is feasible to encapsulate the diversity of our research by explicitly delineating them.

An insight that emerged from reviewing the papers in this issue is the relevance of the concept of relation proposed within the Anthropological Theory of the Didactic (ATD) (Chevallard, 2019 ; Chevallard & Bosch, 2020 ). The concept of relation serves as a modeling tool for analyzing individual or societal knowledge, cognitions, attitudes, etc., toward various objects. I observed that each paper, to some degree, investigates a relation that can be found in the context of mathematics teacher education. In this editorial, I briefly examine the objects of study in our field with these papers.

Let us first describe the concept of relation (for the details, see Chevallard & Bosch, 2020 , p. 54). This concept involves several interconnected notions: person , institution , position , and object. A person is defined as any human being, and an institution is anything instituted. The notion of institution should be understood in a broader sense. It may be a class, a family, a government, a school, and so forth. The relationship between a person and an institution is characterized by the notion of position . A person occupies a position (e.g., student, teacher) in an institution (e.g., classroom) . An object is anything that is recognized as existing. Footnote 1 Therefore, “[g]iven an object o and a person x , the relation of x to o , denoted by R ( x , o ), is all that x can do with and about o ” (ibid., p. 54). R ( x , o ) is “the set of links of any kind between x and o ” (Chevallard & Bosch, 2019 , p. xix). This formalization also applies to the position when replacing person x with an institutional position. The relation of p to o is denoted by R I ( p , o ).

In the realm of research on mathematics teacher education, the object of study is often the relation R between an institutional position p (e.g., teacher, teacher educator) occupied by a person or some persons (of collected data) and an object o (e.g., mathematical concepts, tasks, students’ thinking) in an institution I (e.g., primary school, secondary school, university course). This relation could be thinking and feeling about o , envisioning o , using o , handling o , etc. These four elements— R , I , p , and o —thus define the object of study in our scientific field.

I have identified these four elements in each paper of this issue. For instance, Jacobs et al. (this issue) explored the professional noticing of children’s mathematical thinking. The position p under discussion is that of practicing elementary school teachers, and the object o is children’s mathematical thinking about fractions. The primary object of study in this paper is the relation R between p and o in terms of noticing within a specific institution I of professional development in the US. Accordingly, these four elements identified across the nine papers are compiled in Table  1 , which contrasts the differences and commonalities of the objects of study among them. One may find some positions that vary from preservice to inservice teachers, from elementary to secondary, and from teacher to teacher educator, and their various ways of relating to different objects in mathematics education.

One interesting characteristic is the nested nature that can be found in the formalization of relations. In the case of Jacobs et al. (this issue), children’s mathematical thinking can be modeled as a relation R ( X , fractions) modeling how children X handle the fractions. Therefore, the object of the study investigated in this paper can be described as R I ( p , R ( X , fractions)). This nested nature is also evident in other contributions. Lai & Ahrens (this issue) and Hoffmann & Even (this issue) investigate how mathematicians—teacher educators of mathematical content—in the university ( p ) perceive ( R ) secondary teachers’ content knowledge ( o ) in two distinct institutions ( I )—university in the US for the former and university in Germany in the latter. This object o is often investigated as an object of study in our field, as in the study by Yudt et al. (this issue). It can be described as the relation R I’ ( p’ , math) modeling how the secondary teacher p’ knows or perceives mathematics in the institution I’ of secondary school in the US or Germany. Therefore, the object of study for these papers can be described as R I ( p , R I’ ( p’ , math)).

As such, the concept of relation in the ATD allows us to delineate our object of study. This is especially useful in the case of the nine papers in this issue, because they focus on the aspect of knowledge, cognition, or attitude of a person/position in mathematics teacher education. However, the object of study in our field may be the systems of professional development or classroom teaching in their own right without focusing much on the specific relation of a person toward a specific object. In such a case, it would require other perspectives for a comprehensive characterization of the object of study and the diversity of research in our field.

The use of the term “object” as an element related to the notion of relation is confusing because it is also used for the expression “the object of study” in this editorial. The former “object” should be understood as a theoretical contract, while the latter is a general term denoting the system the researchers are trying to understand.

Chevallard, Y. (2019). Introducing the anthropological theory of the didactic: an attempt at a principled approach. Hiroshima Journal of Mathematics Education, 12 , 71–114. https://doi.org/10.24529/hjme.1205

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Chevallard, Y., & Bosch, M. (2019). A short (and somewhat subjective) glossary of the ATD. In M. Bosch, Y. Chevallard, F. J. García, & J. Monaghan (Eds.), Working with the anthropological theory of the didactic in mathematics education. A comprehensive casebook (pp. xviii–xxx). Routledge.

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Chevallard, Y., & Bosch, M. (2020). Anthropological Theory of the Didactic (ATD). In S. Lerman (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Mathematics Education (pp. 53–61). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15789-0_100034

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Miyakawa, T. (2022). Handling the diversity of research on mathematics teacher education. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 25 (6), 633–636. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10857-022-09559-y

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Former Worthington teacher hosts PBS show teaching kids math using central Ohio locations

A former Worthington City Schools teacher is making a national splash on PBS with her new educational television show that teaches children about math in the real world using central Ohio businesses and other places.

"How It's Math" is a new show airing for children on PBS created by Caroline Farkas, a former Worthington City Schools teacher and educational video producer, through her educational company Doodles & Digits, according to a release.

The PBS show follows Farkas and her animated "math chicken" as they explore how various real-world careers and industries use math, according to the release. Geared toward upper elementary students, the show covers learning standards for grades 3, 4 and 5.

Farkas said she hopes to change people's perceptions of math with the show.

"Math is everywhere, and I aim to highlight its relevance in our daily lives," Farkas said.

The program also features interviews with local places like Westerville's Asterik Supper Club, Bake Me Happy on Columbus' South Side and the Worthington Public Library — all to highlight how math is used every day for things from baking to pricing to organizing.

Farkas attended undergraduate school at Miami University and graduate school at Clemson University, and was a Worthington City Schools teacher for more than seven years until 2021, when she decided to start Doodles & Digits during the pandemic after seeing the challenges of distance learning.

"I struggled to find resources that my students enjoyed and could comprehend during distance learning," Farkas said. "I realized there weren't many resources available to assist parents with math education, especially for upper elementary grades. So, I decided to create them myself."

Three episodes of the show have already aired and are available for viewing on the PBS app, PBS.org , the Doodles & Digits' YouTube channel or on broadcast slots on PBS channels nationwide. The show is sponsored in part by Scotts’ Miracle-Gro Foundation.

Filming for season two of "How It's Math" is scheduled for the summer, according to the release.

@Colebehr_report

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Teens surprise math world with Pythagorean Theorem trigonometry proof | 60 Minutes

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  15. Reflecting on My Own Math Experiences

    What I Have Learned From Past Teachers. Through my time as a student in math class, I have had many different experiences with a variety of teachers. I want to share the good and the bad of what I have gone through because I think it is beneficial for teachers to reflect on all experiences related to learning. We can take what we learn to ...

  16. 21 Strategies in Teaching Mathematics

    These essential strategies in teaching mathematics can make this your class's best math year ever! 1. Raise the bar for all. WeAreTeachers. For math strategies to be effective, teachers must first get students to believe that they can be great mathematicians. Holding high expectations for all students encourages growth.

  17. Teacher Group Wants a Focus on Low Math Performance, Too

    To effectively support teachers in implementing high-quality math curriculum, the most important thing we need is sustained, long-term investments in ongoing professional learning. Just doing it ...

  18. Math Teacher, Essay Example

    Math Teacher, Essay Example. HIRE A WRITER! You are free to use it as an inspiration or a source for your own work. At the beginning of the school year I received student achievement records. During the first, week faculty and administration met to detail our plans for the coming months. The plans are required to contain goals for the three ...

  19. Math Essay Ideas for Students: Exploring Mathematical Concepts

    Discuss in your essay classic games like The Prisoner's Dilemma and examine how mathematical models can shed light on complex social interactions. Explore the cutting-edge applications of game theory in diverse fields, such as cybersecurity and evolutionary biology. If you still have difficulties choosing an idea for a math essay, find a ...

  20. Amazing Memories of My Mathematics Teacher

    My mathematics teacher about whom I will be going to illustrate in this article was like that. I still remember him and all his gestures and behavioral patterns even today when I am crossing the age of 70. Teacher. "A good teacher is like a candle—it consumes itself to light the way for others." -- Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

  21. Essay about My Math Teacher, Mrs. Ladd

    Better Essays. 1882 Words. 8 Pages. Open Document. My Math Teacher, Mrs. Ladd. When thinking back and remembering all of the teachers that I have had in the past, there is one in particular that comes to mind. Her name was Mrs. Ladd. She taught math at the junior high school. Mrs.

  22. Essay on My Teacher: Top 5 Essays on My Teacher

    Based on your requirements, you can select an essay, written both in long and short form. Contents. List of Essays on My Teacher in English. Essay on My Teacher - Essay 1 (300 Words) Essay on My Teacher - Essay 2 (400 Words) Essay on My Teacher - Essay 3 (500 Words) Essay on My Teacher - Essay 4 (750 Words)

  23. Maths Personal Statement Examples

    Maths Personal Statement Example 16. The study of mathematics and the challenges that it presents arouse equal measures of both frustration and enjoyment. It is the moment of enlightenment arrived at through differing proportions of determination and experimentation that is the appeal of the subject...

  24. Objects of study in research on mathematics teacher education

    Confronted with the nine papers included in this current issue and reflecting on the historical trajectory of this journal, I am compelled to revisit the diversity of research on mathematics teacher education (Miyakawa, 2022), particularly in terms of the objects of study.The research showcased in JMTE is dedicated to enhancing our understanding of various aspects related to mathematics ...

  25. How two high school students solved a 2,000-year-old math puzzle

    A high school math teacher at St. Mary's Academy in New Orleans, Michelle Blouin Williams, was looking for ingenuity when she and her colleagues set a school-wide math contest with a challenging ...

  26. Home

    Show colleges you're ready. Learn about the SAT Suite of Assessments, which includes the SAT, PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, and PSAT 8/9.

  27. Data Science

    Data science bridges disciplines and thus should be introduced and taught across the curriculum in K-12 schools to help develop informed users of data. Data science captures the complexity of data and data methods that have arisen with advances in technology, including breakthroughs in artificial intelligence. It is a collaborative science that uses complex data and methods to explain trends ...

  28. Former Worthington teacher Caroline Farkas lands PBS show about math

    A former Worthington City Schools teacher is making a national splash on PBS with her new educational television show that teaches children about math in the real world using central Ohio ...

  29. Teens come up with trigonometry proof for Pythagorean Theorem, a

    A high school teacher didn't expect a solution when she set a 2,000-year-old Pythagorean Theorem problem in front of her students. Then Calcea Johnson and Ne'Kiya Jackson stepped up to the challenge.

  30. Teens surprise math world with Pythagorean Theorem ...

    A high school teacher didn't expect a solution when she set a 2,000-year-old Pythagorean Theorem problem in front of her students. Then Calcea Johnson and Ne'Kiya Jackson stepped up to the ...