MAKING MATH MEANINGFUL
Problems with traditional math Instruction:
Students memorize algorithms and only have an instrumental understanding. Instrumental understanding is having a mathematical rule and being able to use and manipulate it. Relational understanding is having a mathematical rule, knowing how to use it, and knowing why it works.
Math is typically assessed in terms of achievement, meaning a student’s ability to perform a set of increasingly sophisticated computations or word problems. However, math is made up of sub skills, and it may be a deficiency in just one of these sub skills that makes the student “underperform”.
Teach Math through strategies, not algorithms
Visualization is the key to understanding. Learn how to visualize mathematical concepts in order to perform better on all math assessments.
Increase Number sense
Learn simple techniques to understand the base ten system and part to whole relationships.
Problem Solve
Explore number relations and multiple means of problems solving. The focus is on the language of math, not the answer.
https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/54980/why-teachers-want-math-with-more-human-ties