Why Is Teaching Math So Difficult?
WHY IS TEACHING MATH SO DIFFICULT?
Many teachers find that teaching math is challenging, overwhelming and confusing. Often, math is difficult to teach because it was difficult to learn when we were kids ourselves. If you struggled with math as a student in elementary, middle or high school, your attitude toward math is likely contributing to your fear of teaching it to others. Even if you have always loved math, teaching others to love it too can be a difficult task for many reasons. In this week's Saturday Share, we thought we'd share two of our favorite articles on the latest research and work around math instruction.
IDS can help you with your math instruction in your school -
check out our video to learn more!
USE THOSE FINGERS
Jo Boaler, a Mathematics Education Professor at Stanford University in the US, shares the latest research-based instructional techniques with instructors in elementary through high school settings. This article details recent findings around kids using their fingers in math calculations - you might be surprised at the findings!
NUMBER TALKS
Researchers are also touting the use of Number Talks, as outlined by Kathy Humphreys and Ruth Parker. We love the idea of helping students to trust processes over simply "right" or "wrong" answers through this 15-minute daily routine with students. This article outlines how one teacher brought this helpful strategy into her classroom.