As a student with a math learning disability, there are a lot of difficulties I experience in the classroom that get in the way of my learning, including “memory, language, attention, temporal-sequential ordering, higher order cognition, and spatial ordering” (WGBH Educational Foundation, 2002). Many times, as I sit in the classroom, I feel like I […]
mathematics
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Math Standards in Middle School
I taught middle school math for 30 years. During my career I used many different types of math standards. These standards included school district standards, NCTM standards, a new set of district standards, textbook “programs,” and finally the Pennsylvania state standards. The PA standards very closely resemble the current Common Core standards with one exception. […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Mathematics and the Fallacies of Political Propaganda
During any election year, Americans can expect to be inundated with political propaganda on the television, radio, and social media . One characteristic of any campaign is the use of statistics about almost everything that is used as a political strategy to win votes. [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Math Disorders – More Than Dyscalculia
Math disorders used to be lumped together under the term dyscalculia. As advancements are made in both educational research and brain science we now know that dyscalculia is just one of many math disorders. By definition someone with dyscalculia has difficulty doing calculations and remembering basic math facts. If you are looking for information specific […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Facilitating vs. Teaching
Facilitating in the classroom is a different bird than teaching in front of the class. When most people think of teaching, they picture an adult standing in front of a classroom giving information to students. That is exactly the picture that I have from my K-12 school days. For many decades, when public education was […]
Posted inFeatured, How to Fix Education, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Mathematics
What is Complex Math Instruction?
I teach 5th grade Math at an elementary school, and I have noticed that many elementary teachers and instructional support personnel have not yet made the shift to more complex math instruction. The school in which I work is still trying to push small group instruction, where the teacher teaches a small group and the other […]
Posted inFeatured
It’s Pi Day!
Pi Day comes once a year on March 14. It is a special day for a few reasons. The day itself can be written as the abbreviation for the number pi: 3.14. It also happens to be Albert Einstein’s birthday. I used to love pi day with my students because it gave me a day […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, Instructional Strategies
It’s Pi Day: A Day to Exercise Your Inner Mathematician!
Pi Day comes once a year on March 14. It is a special day for a few reasons. The day itself can be written as the abbreviation for the number pi: 3.14. It also happens to be Albert Einstein’s birthday. I used to love pi day with my students because it gave me a day […]