What is math?
Posted by David Wees on Nov 21, 2011
This image is an attempt to capture the important stages of doing mathematics. As pointed by other people, mathematics is not a linear process, which I am attempting to share via this image. I see analytical reasoning, flashes of insight, and exploratory calculations as the glue that holds these stages of mathematical thinking together.
How do you see the process of "doing math"? Is it possible that what sets mathematics apart from other disciplines is the formalism, and the calculations involved? How does this process compare to other things that we do in life?
Share this post with:
About David
David is a mathematics teacher and a learning specialist for technology at Stratford Hall in Vancouver, BC. He has been teaching since 2002, and has worked in Brooklyn, London, and Bangkok before moving back to Canada. He has his Masters degree in Educational Technology from UBC, and is the co-author of a mathematics textbook. He has been published in ISTE's Leading and Learning, Educational Technology Solutions, The Software Developers Journal, The Bangkok Post and Edutopia. He blogs with the Cooperative Catalyst, and is the Assessment group facilitator for Edutopia. He has also helped organize the first Edcamp in Canada, and TEDxKIDS@BC.
Disclaimer: The ideas discussed on this blog are my own, and in no way represent those of my employer.
Popular content
- Creating a WiiMote interactive white board at my school for under $50. (67,635)
- For whom are Interactive White boards Interactive? (20,559)
- Eight Videos to Help Teachers Get Started Using Twitter (15,613)
- 15 things kids can do instead of homework (15,608)
- Forget the future: Here's the textbook I want now (14,759)
- Online Geogebra training (12,271)
- What is The Effect of Technology Training for Teachers on Student Achievement? (12,112)
- Reflection of our course discussion about the use of technology in the classroom (11,719)
- 20 reasons not to use a one to one laptop program in your school (and some solutions) (11,170)
- Why teachers should blog: A helpful flowchart (10,557)
- 1 of 61
- ››
Comments
"Doing Math"
I feel the process in math can often be equated to the process in how foreign language is often taught. I think many people find it to be a difficult idea that in math you may solve something in many different ways though it is common in life. Trying to teach students that it is ok to look at something from a different angle is ok. I also insist that they explain their method as well as complete it. It can also confuse other students.
Doing Math
Our math department is trialing two new ways of teaching math this year:
1) students watch teacher produced videos of math concepts for "homework" and then discuss and work their way through problems the next day in class (flipped classroom)
2) the Harkness method (oval discussion table used for inquiry and discussion) is being used so that students can work with each other and the teacher in discussing and solving problems.
The math department head says in his 20 years of teaching, this is the most rewarding and useful way of teaching he has found. The students have done far less homework and are farther ahead academically than they have ever been before.
Post new comment