On the Radio, Linked to Chapter 9!

As I was driving to work this morning I heard something interesting on the radio, the news brocaster was on talking about the capabilities of male and female students in Ontario. I can not recall all the details, I'm trying to see if I can find more information on the internet, but it caught my attention because it was talking about how females are doing as well and sometimes even better than male students in the sciences and that they are doing equally well in the math areas. I thought this was interesting since we were only just discussing this in the last chapter. I think this is very important knowlegde to know that females are moving up the spectrum and ARE as capable as male students in whatever they choose to do. Just thought I would share.. if I find any more information I'll post the link.

Melissa

Gender Differences...is it limited to just mathematics?

After reading Boalers Chapter 9 on learning styles and gender differences it got me thinking back to my school years and my experiences in mathematics.

I have to admit I never felt at a disadvantage in mathematics because I was female. I never thought I couldn't become a mathematican because of my gender. I don't know if it was becuase I was so determined or perhaps it was the support of my parents, or maybe my math teachers were really good at finding the balance in helping all their students to do the best they could.

The only thing related to gender I can recall is that some of the boys did not have to work nearly as hard as the girls to get high marks but yet the girls always did better. I remember some of the girls getting mad cause the boys would do thier assignments at the last minute and still do fairly well and they would have been working at it for hours. That is all I can really recall when it comes to gender difference within my experiences.

I also recall that most of my math teachers were male... but again I never once thought that I couldn't be a mathematican or engineer or whatever because I was female. I think the gender difference was more linked towards the trades (welder, electrican, carpenter,etc) and I think there is still a major gender gap in this area. With working in the College we offer all these trades programs and do whatever we can to encourse females to join. Also, I know the government is also doing their part to try and encourage females in these areas of careers with advertisements in which the ollege will show females in the shop classes so that young woman can see they can do this even though they are female.

With all that being said, I do agree that there are some differences with learning between females and males, thats just the way we are made up.. we are different. With that being said I think this will always be the case and that teachers need to try their very best to accomidate to both learning styles, to try and find what I always say "the happy medium"

Too many teachers can't do math, let alone teach it?

 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/opinion/too-many-teachers-cant-do-math-let-alone-teach-it/article2183700/

A co-worker of mine came across this article in the globe and mail (link posted above). I thought it was interesting the perspective it takes.  In summary it is talking about how alot of elementary school teachers avoid teaching certain math topics to their students because they themselves do not understand it. The reporter Margaret Wente goes on to comment on how many universities in Canada do not require more than a basic level math course to become an elementary school teacher. She continues to state how math seems to no longer be a focus of importance for the school system, and that it has turned to social justice and inequality issues. She even quotes the dean of education at the University of Saskatchewan as they are considering making the math course an elective for those wanting to Primary/Elementary teaching.

In the last paragraph Wente states "...the current math curriculum is no help, either. It's long on "discovery" and short on practice and problem-solving. 'They don't seem to want the kids to practice anymore,' says prof. Stokke" (globe & Mail, 2011)


This got me thinking about what we are reading in our text and wondering how connected this could be to the methods of the teachers at Phoenix park, with the "discovery" of open-ended questions.

The final thing that I would like to mention about this article was the very last statement Wente writes in her article, she quotes Prof. Stokke stating " You wouldn't send your child for piano lessons to somebody who can't play the piano. It's so obvious to everyone but the people who educate the educators."
This is definately a strong and to the point statement. It really got me thinking, how true is that though? Wouldn't you want your child to be taught by someone who knew the subject area? Elementary and primary school teachers definately have a task on their hands because they dont have a specific subject area, they need to know all subject areas, since it is my understanding that especially in primary they teach all subjects.  So I have to say Hats off to all those primary-elementary school teachers out there. However, with that being said, I also strongly believe in the final statement maid in the article. How can you teach someone something you do not know yourself. What happens then? the students gets pushed through the system and is no better off cause they then do not know the basics they need to know to get through.

What would happen to the process of mathematics if it is kept being pushed to the wayside as it is being done in this article?

 Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

Chatting with a co-worker...

SO i thought that i would share this... As I have been moving through this course I have been having several chats with a fellow math instructor. He finds the topic of reformed and traditional teaching very interesting and its really great to have someone to bounce ideas off of. Anyway, I was telling him about the difference schools we were reading about and how they have two completely different teaching methods and we got to chatting about how these methods may or may not work in the Post-secondary system. From his perspective he instructs the courses which are transferable to MUN thus he has to insure the students are prepared for the MUN exam and has very little time to cover the materials required. Thus, he (by the way he has been instructing now for over 20 years) finds that the traditional method is the way he has to instruct for the most part. But after we had some discussion he had decided to try the reform method someone of open-ended questioning with one of his classes (in which only had one student, both the advantage and disadvantage of teaching in Labrador), and he found that this was quite insightful but again time consuming. However, he did mention that he feels that this students will remember this concept better because she "developed" it herself. He wishes there was more time for this type of instruction but unfortuneatly that is not the case. 

I thought this was very insightful. Hearing what another instructor has tried. Anyway, I just wanted to share this.

My rant on Openended Mathematics.

I have to admit, as I started reading the text I saw myself as a teacher much like those at Amber Hill, teaching to the materials and writing on the board and getting the students to copy the materials down. I always find that in the High school system with publics its fine and dandy to ask opened ended questions but at the end of the day, there was a standardized test which students needed to write and they had to know the material. I always wanted to have more of an open-ended approach but felt like there was never enough time, even though I am a strong believer in the idea that students will always remember better what they discover themselves. But how are we able to find the happy medium? I'm hoping that the more we dig into the text that this may become clearer. I think the idea of standardized testing has a grip on alot of teachers who want to branch out, but like i said earlier its so hard to do when outcomes need to be met!....