I officially throw in the towel...and the winner is traditional math education. I've tried for the past 2 years to alter my math teaching practice to be more of a problem/inquiry/project based teacher, but it just isn't working. I don't have the skills required to facilitate the discussion and scaffold the learning to help students succeed. Therefore, "I do, we do, you do" I'm back. It sure will be easier on me, and I don't think the kids will mind a bit.
So sorry to have failed, but I just can't take the constant disappointment which has become my math instruction. The students don't seem to be learning any more than they were before, and I'm more stressed than ever. Hello page 540 #1-50 odd, I hope you help!
Monday, April 27, 2015
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Project Zoo
I'm a firm believer in the notion that traditional math instruction is not the best option. The old adage, "I do, we do, you do" just doesn't work for a majority of the kids in my class, and it does nothing to develop their problem solving skills. The only problem that they end up solving in these direct instruction lessons is: how to stay awake?
With that in mind, I try not to be that teacher, but occasionally (more often than I'd like) it happens. So, I decided to do a project based unit with my sixth graders in order to teach perimeter and area. I found the unit on TeachersPayTeachers (thank you).
Unit Resources
A couple big take-aways from the unit:
1. It was more fun than stand and deliver
2. I need to give more class time and direct instruction/intervention throughout the project
3. Sample projects would be helpful
4. Scale needs to be a multi-day lesson
5. Some kids just don't like projects
The last point was the toughest to grapple with. Here I thought that I provided an excellent opportunity for students to be engaged in their learning, and some kids just felt like the project was an extra burden to overcome.
I'll try this unit next year with a bit of tweaking. I haven't given up on project based learning, but I'm doubting whether I have the skill set to make it work.
With that in mind, I try not to be that teacher, but occasionally (more often than I'd like) it happens. So, I decided to do a project based unit with my sixth graders in order to teach perimeter and area. I found the unit on TeachersPayTeachers (thank you).
Unit Resources
A couple big take-aways from the unit:
1. It was more fun than stand and deliver
2. I need to give more class time and direct instruction/intervention throughout the project
3. Sample projects would be helpful
4. Scale needs to be a multi-day lesson
5. Some kids just don't like projects
The last point was the toughest to grapple with. Here I thought that I provided an excellent opportunity for students to be engaged in their learning, and some kids just felt like the project was an extra burden to overcome.
I'll try this unit next year with a bit of tweaking. I haven't given up on project based learning, but I'm doubting whether I have the skill set to make it work.
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