Sunday, June 16, 2013
My thoughts on teaching math, and teaching to teach!
When I was in elementary school I always struggled with math. I always felt like my teachers would go over it one way in class, then it would seem different on the tests. I think I just memorized the information then repeated it on the tests. Once I got older and the problems became more complicated and I was required put everything I had learned together in one problem which really challenged me. I never learned how to apply what I was learning to other math problems. It is like the information never "clicked" in my head. As I have taken math courses in the past two years along side education classes, everything is "clicking". What I feel has helped me the most is learning how I learn best. I have learned what skills work best for me, for instance, I learn best through actions. When I physically do something I remember so much more with a deeper understanding. Students should be encouraged to try different methods of learning if they are not understanding the information. I hope as a future educator I can teach my students how to learn so that math will make sense and they can use these techniques in all their other classes!
Useful links!
This video is great for young elementary students learning about mean, median, mode or range who are just being introduced these topics
Frog video
This video would be better for older more serious students so it would make a great video for students who do not understand the ideas and need it to be re explained for them at home!
Mean, median and mode mini lesson
Frog video
This video would be better for older more serious students so it would make a great video for students who do not understand the ideas and need it to be re explained for them at home!
Mean, median and mode mini lesson
Mean, Median, Mode and Range!
MEAN, MEDIAN, MODE and RANGE!!!
To teach these skills start with definitions!
Mean- When you add all the numbers together and divide by the total!
Median- Line up the numbers from largest to smallest and the median is the number in the middle!
Mode- Most often occurring number!
Range- The smallest number subtracted from the largest number!
IN CLASS ACTIVITIES!
Students love to look at information about themselves and their classmates! You could show their test scores (depending on how well the test went and how comfortable the class is), their height, their number of siblings, anything that fits your class!!
In our class we did an activity with paper clips!
We all had a different number of paperclips and then found the mean, median and mode while being up and moving which helps kids learn and remember!
To find the MEDIAN you would have the class line up in order of how many paper clips each student has! Then one by one have the lowest number student and the highest number student go back to their seat until one or two students is left! That number is the MEDIAN
To find the MODE you would have the students line up again and see which number has the most students!
To find the MEAN you would have the students go around and meet with other students and equal out their paperclips until all the students have the same number of paperclips!
The RANGE would just be found by taking the highest number and subtracting the lowest number!
This activity is great for students because it gets them out of their seat, talking to each other and learning through motion!!!
To teach these skills start with definitions!
Mean- When you add all the numbers together and divide by the total!
Median- Line up the numbers from largest to smallest and the median is the number in the middle!
Mode- Most often occurring number!
Range- The smallest number subtracted from the largest number!
IN CLASS ACTIVITIES!
Students love to look at information about themselves and their classmates! You could show their test scores (depending on how well the test went and how comfortable the class is), their height, their number of siblings, anything that fits your class!!
In our class we did an activity with paper clips!
We all had a different number of paperclips and then found the mean, median and mode while being up and moving which helps kids learn and remember!
To find the MEDIAN you would have the class line up in order of how many paper clips each student has! Then one by one have the lowest number student and the highest number student go back to their seat until one or two students is left! That number is the MEDIAN
To find the MODE you would have the students line up again and see which number has the most students!
To find the MEAN you would have the students go around and meet with other students and equal out their paperclips until all the students have the same number of paperclips!
The RANGE would just be found by taking the highest number and subtracting the lowest number!
This activity is great for students because it gets them out of their seat, talking to each other and learning through motion!!!
Introducing graphs!
When teaching students about graphs it can be introduced as Statistics!
To start you can show the students different graphs and talk about what the data represents. Choose topics they will be interested in.
Now it is time to introduce the types of graphs!
First have the students gather the information for their "Data Analysis"
Then have them decide which graph works best!!
Bar Graph! A bar graph is best for comparing data in categories. Order is not required here. Spaces between the bars are required .
EXAMPLE:
Histogram graph! Best for comparing data ranges in order. NO SPACES between the bars and the intervals much be the same.
Line Graph! Show information over time. The data is continuous. Shows trends!
Circle Graph/Pie Chart! Represents parts of a whole to compare the parts that make up 100%
Scatter Plots! Show relationship between two sets of data!
Stem and Leaf! Shows the values of each interval!
Double Bar graph!! Comparing data in categories showing two sets of data!
Pictograph! Using pictures to represent the data. Often the pictures represent a value.
Dot Plot! Shows information in clusters!
It is really important that your students always have a TITLE and make sure they read ALL LABLES when answering questions about graphs (This will help with standardized tests). The descriptions of each graph should help the students know which graph to use!!!
Once the student has all their data, they will select a graph and add their data!! In our class we did pie charts of our day here is mine!!!
When teaching students about graphs it can be introduced as Statistics!
To start you can show the students different graphs and talk about what the data represents. Choose topics they will be interested in.
Now it is time to introduce the types of graphs!
First have the students gather the information for their "Data Analysis"
Then have them decide which graph works best!!
Bar Graph! A bar graph is best for comparing data in categories. Order is not required here. Spaces between the bars are required .
EXAMPLE:
Histogram graph! Best for comparing data ranges in order. NO SPACES between the bars and the intervals much be the same.
Line Graph! Show information over time. The data is continuous. Shows trends!
Circle Graph/Pie Chart! Represents parts of a whole to compare the parts that make up 100%
Scatter Plots! Show relationship between two sets of data!
Stem and Leaf! Shows the values of each interval!
Double Bar graph!! Comparing data in categories showing two sets of data!
It is really important that your students always have a TITLE and make sure they read ALL LABLES when answering questions about graphs (This will help with standardized tests). The descriptions of each graph should help the students know which graph to use!!!
Once the student has all their data, they will select a graph and add their data!! In our class we did pie charts of our day here is mine!!!
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