I read the article titled, “Count on it- Congruent
Manipulative Displays” by Joe Morin and Vicki Samelson because I am such an
advocate for the use of manipulatives both in and out of the classroom. The National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics encourages the use of manipulatives and recognizes how most
children flourish from the interaction but if the connection and concept aren’t
made clear, then confusion can result. I
am aware of the many benefits of incorporating manipulatives, especially for
the purpose of teaching new mathematical concepts and showing students new ways
to comprehend and view existing knowledge. I also think manipulatives are key with
English Language Learners! I am vaguely unaware of the detriments of using
manipulatives because I have never had a student not somewhat grasp the
concept.
Has anyone experienced any significant problems when using manipulatives to facilitate and foster a students understanding and growth with a certain concept?
Has anyone experienced any significant problems when using manipulatives to facilitate and foster a students understanding and growth with a certain concept?
Distraction is a caution to be aware of but more importantly, improperly displayed manipulatives can threaten the conceptual continuity of
the materials. For students to use manipulatives productively, they must be
able to make a symbolic connection as a quantity (blocks) and an individual
connection (many blocks can build a tower). Conceptual congruence is also very
important for teachers to be aware of because if you are asking students to
compare two groups and the manipulatives in each group are different in size or
shape, then visually the student lacks clarity and may focus his or her
attention on the objects themselves rather than on the attribute of
cardinality. Congruency between
numerical concepts and manipulative displays is highly important for all
students and if not properly introduced, it can lower the level of their
potential! If congruency exists then it will
help facilitate student’s transition from concrete to formal abstract
mathematical knowledge and help them relate to real world problems! :)
I agree on most of what you post, Jackie! I, too, find manipulatives to be so useful in most subjects (finger puppets to retell a story, etc.). I have jumped-in in kindergarten and passed out manipulatives without having discussed with the kids how to use the manipulatives. It was a learning curve for me. I liked how the article discusses the management of using manipulatives. It is important to introduce the use of manipulatives in a small group with a grown-up monitoring how to use the manipulatives. The students have to be taught how to be respectful off the manipulatives (they are not toys; they can't be thrown; they can't use rubber bands like slingshots), and how to put them away. I have learned from my mistakes!
ReplyDeleteI also agree that manipulatives provide many benefits in the classroom. They allow students to learn kinetically and visually and remain engaged in the lesson. I have definitely experienced obstacles to using manipulatives in the classroom, mostly students becoming distracted. However, I've found that allowing students a few minutes to play and explore with new manipulatives before the lesson really helps to cut down on the distractions. And of course, it is vital to repeatedly go over procedures in how to use manipulatives.
ReplyDeleteLaura: I couldn't even imagine passing out a bunch of manipulatives to kindergarten without first explaining their purpose. Kids just have a way of getting so carried away, especially if they have something in their hands! haha. It would have been interesting to ask your students what they think these objects are used for in relation to mathematics and hear their response! I bet you would hear some creative answers! For me, learning things the hard way is always the route I tend to take. But in the end, the easy way is so much easier!
ReplyDeleteAndrea: That is such a great idea to let students explore the manipulatives before they are put to work! Yes, repetition is key. Its funny, no matter how many times you go over something (the listening rules for example), students still don't understand how to listen! :)