Math Blog Year 2 Week 3

I found that I could really relate to the information in the videoclip on Math and Speed. As I mentioned
in an earlier blog post, I do have a Learning Disability which doesn’t usually impact Math except when
something is timed. I always found that extremely frustrating, that I couldn’t finish all the work even
though I knew the answers. Or worse, that the pressure on time made it so that I couldn’t think
properly, and wouldn’t finish the work.


I wish that I would have known that good Mathematicians take a long time to answer or respond, not
because they need the extra time but they know that deeper thinking is what it takes to fully understand
a mathematical concept. It was once believed that if you did math quickly you were smarter; however,
the Math and Speed video (Lesson+3b 360p) clearly sends a message that most mathematicians are
actually slow thinkers. “Rapidity doesn’t have a precise relation to intelligence”.....love this quote!
When speed is valued, then understanding doesn’t necessarily follow. It is better to deeply understand
things and the way they relate to each other. To have this, it is important to ask questions that lead to
more depth in thinking about connections. However, I think that my own personal experience will help
me in teaching and make me more aware of differences in student learning.
The Mistakes and Success video (Lesson+3b 360p)  hat is part of this module talks about the research
on making mistakes, which suggests that errors actually create brain growth while correct answers do
not have any influence on brain growth. It is really important to look at specific mistakes that are made
in math. By looking at it, you can see what needs to be done. Allowing for failure encourages
creativity and learning. It is important to see that mistakes happen everyday. Part of learning and
understanding math is about making mistakes. Not only is it necessary for brain growth when you
struggle and think about problems but it does encourage students to keep trying and developing the
mindset that you are able to learn and grow. There is much satisfaction and confidence in working
through a problem and coming to an understanding. This is also when your brain fires synapses and
produces brain growth. Teachers need to encourage students that they are allowed to be wrong and to
learn from their mistakes. This gives them an opportunity to try the question in different ways to
achieve the answer. They will learn that it is ok to make mistakes and that when they do make
mistakes, it gives them an opportunity to learn more. I think that a message for students to understand
is that it’s not failure when things go wrong, it’s only feedback to make you strong. They will then
learn that it is okay to make mistakes and that when they makes mistakes, it gives them an opportunity
to learn more.
 Jo Boaler also talked about how the math curriculum has changed to include longer problems that are
open-ended. This will be difficult if approaching with a fixed mindset but very beneficial for students
who are developing a growth mindset. More information for us as become become math teachers.

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