Math literacy is about being able to explore mathematical concepts, such as fractions or multiplication. I intend to create a constructivist math classroom, where students are able to explore concepts together, in a safe environment. Literacy is not only about reading and writing, it is about communicating, understanding, and comprehension. Through math talks and making mistakes together, it is my hope that my students will not hate math. I hope they see the value of it and the relevance of math in the world around us. A math talk is a discussion about math concepts that breaks down and relates the ideas to non-math related concepts. This helps students understand that it is okay to make mistakes, as those are opportunities to try again. Although math literacy is not about reading and writing, it kind of is. Math is a language that uses symbols to convey meanings (addition +, multiplication x, etc). It is not as scary and abstract and we may think it is. We can decode it together in a fun and meaningful way, through literature, manipulatives, exploration, mistakes and collaboration in a safe community.
I remember being in math class and struggling silently. My belief was you are either good at math or you are bad at math, this is a fixed mindset and it kept me stuck for years. It was not until I started teaching math, that I realized how relevant math is to the world around us, and how fun it can be.
Check out this short reflection from a workshop I attended about the bonuses of Math Talks:
A Reflection on my Mathematics courses in my BeD Program: Through these courses my relationship to mathematics changed drastically for the better. The materials, discussion posts and collaborative assignments allowed me to work through some problem areas I had in math; such as a fixed mindset teetering on a growth mindset. Now, it is a fully growth mindset. As well as my processing numbers problem; undiagnosed Dyscalculia. I know that math is not something you are either good or bad at, it is a language that may take different tactics and varying lengths of time to excel at, or at least grasp.
Teaching math in my placement also really helped me understand the concepts and interweave what we have discussed in lectures into actual practice. For example, using children’s literature in mathematics was a game changer! The students were so engaged and the concepts seemed more tangible for them to explore and work on. This is something I will definitely continue to use as I develop my teaching skills and progress in my profession.
Using differentiated styled cross curricular lesson plans in math has also been a game changer for me, as testing and standardized learning creates far too much trauma or boredom in the math class. Students either regurgitate what they see the teacher model and learn nothing about the “why” of the concept, or they become so lost and left behind. In my math class, nobody will be left behind. Math will not be a course where you make it or you don’t. Math will be a combination with another curriculum and students will explore the concepts with meaningful materials, in engaging ways!
