Using real world data to build procedural fluency and
conceptual understanding appears to be a highly efficient math practice. After
analyzing the reading and viewing the videos, I began to reflect on my own
strategic math practices as a teacher and analyzed the way I learn math concepts
best. When analyzing both, a dominate factor was making real world connections
while using manipulatives and or technology. I remember learning how to add and
subtract by using what I called, “the grocery store” method. As a child in 1st
grade, playing grocery store (pretend play) was very popular. Using pretend
play money to purchase items was a great and easy way for me to learn how to
add and subtract. Similar to the bank method described in the video. For many
of the students in my 1st grade class, using real world connections
with something they are familiar with, is the most effective way to lean how to
build procedural fluency and conceptual understanding of mathematical concepts.
Using real world data and technology as mentioned in the
readings and videos, allows students to build procedural fluency by learning
hands on when and how to use various mathematical skills. As teachers, we also
need to build conceptual understanding by scaffolding and establishing
connections between topics.
The video article Real World Math fits nicely into your memory of being a first grader at the grocery store. The idea of allowing children to "own" these numbers as theirs or as a prop in their game is an excellent way of making math meaningful and comprehensible. I liked the Real World math video's explanation of how addition and subtraction could be related to a bank (and banking vocabulary) which could then extend this play into the later grades. What a fun activity for students to have pretend bank accounts where they are able to 'withdraw' and 'deposit' funds into their class bank account. This could be an entire unit intended to build proficiency in students' math skills and understanding. Very fun!
ReplyDeleteI agree! Playing store was my favorite thing to do with friends and I loved doing similar activities as a student in my math classes in school. When I taught 3rd grade years ago, I had my students keep fake money in a wallet at their desk, use the money in a weekly auction, and record all transactions in their checkbooks. The auction items were homework passes, erasers, pencils and even little toys the kids would bring in from home that they didn't want anymore. They could earn money throughout the week in place of participation points, bonuses for doing all their homework, and each week everyone got paid a certain amount just for coming to school. Every week, they had to pay rent for their desk and extra bathroom breaks cost a dollar, talking in class, etc. so there were ways to lose money too. It was a lot of work, but it paid off as the students had fun with it and learned about using money in the real world.
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