My students are required at least once a week to write a response to a math question. Then respond to one of their classmate (something I learned in my online classes :). The one thing that I had to remind my students while responding was to use complete sentences and coherent thought. At first there was some resistance to this idea because they felt it wasn't an English class but math, so they just didn't understand. However in the end I explained that there can be quite a bit of writing in math and their ideas needed to be clearly explained. Watching this unfold, not only have I seen their writing improve, I have heard their speaking improve. When I first started teaching, I remember reading a book called "I Learn to Read and Write the Way I Learn to Talk: A Very First Book about Whole Language" by Marlene Barron. One thing I remember from the book is the thought a person will speak the way that they write, so I wondered if I could get my students to write correctly would they then speak that way. In this case it happened. Yes I do still find myself correcting certain word usage errors, however because of these assignment they think a lot more now before they speak.
So, blogging does work! Now I would be remiss to leave out the fact that blogging in the math classroom ties directly into our math practices, more specifically Math Practice #3 Construct Viable Arguments and Critique the Reasoning of others. In a math class this piece is crucial. This is the piece that gets students to question each other. They have to prove their answers or disprove someone else's answer using logic, reasoning, and proof. This also helps students when they are checking their answers as well.
One thing that I can say with certainty is that education is "Evolving!" As educators we must keep up!
Here are some links that you may find useful when incorporating blogging/technology into your classroom.
| Using Blogs to Integrate Technology in the Classroom |
To blog, or not to blog (in the classroom)
http://edublognology.wordpress.com/2009/03/31/to-blog-or-not-to-blog-in-the-classroom/Technology in the Classroom: The Benefits of Blended Learning
http://www.nms.org/Blog/TabId/58/PostId/188/technology-in-the-classroom-the-benefits-of-blended-learning.aspx(I included this link because it really just brings it all into perspective)
So with that said..........
ENJOY THE RIDE!!!!!
I'm doing my scholarly paper for this class on the use of Blogging in Math Instruction. I've always loved Math, but have rarely found math classes to be interesting because of the plodding way they are taught.
ReplyDeleteWriting about math helps the students explore and explain their knowledge more deeply. They might come up with an illuminating turn of phrase that the teacher can borrow for future instruction.
Of course, I think one of the best ways to teach math is in the kitchen. It's fun and you get to eat your solutions and your mistakes.
Scholastic and Learning Zone agree with me!
I love that you're incorporating having students justify and defend their answers in math! This is a practice that the new Common Core standards want the kindergartners (yes, I said KINDERGARTEN) to do when explaining their answers. Of course, they do not expect this age level to write long drawn out explanations, but they do expect them to be able to justify their answers. At first, I was extremely resistant to having my students do this because I felt that it was not developmentally appropriate, but the students have, slowly but surely, been able to explain their ideas and answers. Sometimes they draw diagrams instead of talking to explain their answers and this gives students more confidence and the ability to provide their classmates and myself with a visual explanation.
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