Math Thoughts Week 5
What did I learn (this week)?
From my placement classroom I learned that multiplying decimals is harder to understand these days. I remember the moment in 5th grade when my teacher told me, "Student, if I give you a tenth of a tenth of a piece of Little Caesar's pizza...would you want it?" "Heck yeah" I said. Then he gave me a bit the size of my thumb and the class laughed. I looked the teacher directly in the eye and said "Now you listen here. You WILL divide this piece by .01 and you WILL give me 1 WHOLE piece of pizza!!" He smiled back at me, took the piece from off my desk and ate it himself. To this day I'm waiting for my piece of pizza....but I remember the math!!
My point? I taught this lesson last week to my class and they had a LOT of trouble with it. This doesn't sit well with me because I'm not sure if it is the way I'm teaching it or if it is just something that takes some time. Half the class has it, the other half is confused even more than when I started. The good news is they are all asking questions, and THAT is something I can work with!
What questions do I have?
We are creating a lesson plan involving probability that will be interlaced with science. What's wrong with me? (At this point I really don't have any pending questions).
Implications for the classroom?
For me if I can find a way to mix this interdisciplinary lesson together and make it a success, the implication will be a huge confidence boost for my abilities in the classroom. My nerves fray thinking about mixing an English/Art class.....yikes. But Math and Science I think I can get a handle on.
What did I learn (this week)?
From my placement classroom I learned that multiplying decimals is harder to understand these days. I remember the moment in 5th grade when my teacher told me, "Student, if I give you a tenth of a tenth of a piece of Little Caesar's pizza...would you want it?" "Heck yeah" I said. Then he gave me a bit the size of my thumb and the class laughed. I looked the teacher directly in the eye and said "Now you listen here. You WILL divide this piece by .01 and you WILL give me 1 WHOLE piece of pizza!!" He smiled back at me, took the piece from off my desk and ate it himself. To this day I'm waiting for my piece of pizza....but I remember the math!!
My point? I taught this lesson last week to my class and they had a LOT of trouble with it. This doesn't sit well with me because I'm not sure if it is the way I'm teaching it or if it is just something that takes some time. Half the class has it, the other half is confused even more than when I started. The good news is they are all asking questions, and THAT is something I can work with!
What questions do I have?
We are creating a lesson plan involving probability that will be interlaced with science. What's wrong with me? (At this point I really don't have any pending questions).
Implications for the classroom?
For me if I can find a way to mix this interdisciplinary lesson together and make it a success, the implication will be a huge confidence boost for my abilities in the classroom. My nerves fray thinking about mixing an English/Art class.....yikes. But Math and Science I think I can get a handle on.
Wow..."what's wrong with you?"...I can't answer that question :). I saw nothing wrong with probability interlaced with science!
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