Re: [MOSAIC] philosophical wonderings

[Renee]

Right!

And actually, this happened to me during graduate school, regarding 
what it means to multiply one fraction by another fraction. This is a 
concept that I never understood until Dr. Evelyn Neufeld walked my 
class through doing it with base ten blocks. I was sold.

Renee

On Nov 11, 2009, at 12:26 PM, Beverlee Paul wrote:

I've taught 8 or 9 classes in using manipulatives when teaching math, 
and it
would amaze you the number of teachers who were finally able to put 
their
own math anxiety to rest.  The first thing they realize is that it 
might not
have been their fault that they didn't grasp mathematics, or even
computation.  When they see and use the manipulatives that are 
available
today, including manipulatives for algebra, they say "if only someone 
could
have shown me that it's all supposed to make sense!"  I'm sure there 
are
many other adults (although probably not many elementary teachers who 
tend
to be verbally proficient more often than mathematically proficient) 
who
would say, "Well, why didn't anyone tell me that geography textbooks 
(...)
were supposed to make sense!"  Brilliant thinkers such as Ellin Keene 
and
Marilyn Burns and Bill Martin and many, many others have teased out 
common
strategies which will help us learn; it's up to us to use them in a 
sensible
way.  We don't get to leave our brains at the door.  Right, Renee?


"He who dares not offend cannot be honest". ~ Thomas Paine



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