One very important suggestion that was made in the video with regard to the Tower of Hanoi Problem was to try a simpler problem. This is a very important strategy to teach students because often problems in mathematics look very difficult. Trying to solve what appears to be a very difficult problem can quickly become frustrating. However, if students can simplify a problem, learn something new from the simpler problem, and then apply what they learned to the original more difficult problem then the problem becomes easier to solve. The nice thing about having students use a strategy like this is that it forces them to look for patterns in simplified problems that can be applied to more challenging problems. Thus, this strategy encourages students to think creatively because it requires students to create new simplified problems that they can solve to determine if there is a pattern that can be applied to a more difficult problem. It also encourages students to think critically because students need to determine what the pattern is.
The narrator of the video points out that the thought process that the students were using is much like the thought process of a mathematician. This is because mathematicians typically analyze simpler problems in order to develop a pattern that can be applied to more complex problems. Since this is what “real world” mathematicians do, I feel that this is the type of mathematical thinking that students really need to learn in school. Thus, it is important that videos like this one exist to show prospective teachers how they should teach mathematics to meet the needs of twenty-first century learners.
I particularly liked the teaching strategies that Janet Walter employs. This is because I believe that it is important to encourage students to become active learners. When students become active learners they rarely become distracted. Also, by becoming a part of the learning experience, students generally develop a deeper understanding of the material. Unfortunately, I have experienced many mathematics courses that are not engaging. In the type of mathematics class that I am describing, the teacher typically acts like a “sage on a stage”. He or she gives students the information necessary to solve problems, and then the students are asked to take notes and solve problems using those notes. In this type of mathematics courses, classroom discussions about mathematics questions and problems are a rarity. In essence, students are not asked to think deeply about problems in this type of class. They are simply asked to do a process that was clearly mapped out by the teacher. Since this style of teaching simplifies the job of a student, it is not common to hear of a student who complains about this method of instruction. However, this style of teaching is not the most effective way to get youngsters to learn mathematics. Thus, I am glad to see that this video encourages new teachers to break this mold and get students to think about mathematical problems.
Lastly, I think the most important thing that this video demonstrates is that if teachers give students the opportunity to become active learners then there is a good chance that the students will have fun. I have heard many students tell me that math is boring, math is hard, and math is inapplicable to their daily lives. This is likely because students are often not asked to participate in mathematics lessons in ways that encourage them to think deeply about a problem. I think the strategies presented in this video have the potential to change this type of reaction to mathematics. By employing the strategies demonstrated in the video, teachers can get students to think like mathematicians, develop a deep understanding of the material, and enjoy what they are learning.
No comments:
Post a Comment