The Locker Problem

 

Favourite and Least Favourite Math Teachers

 My favourite Math teacher would have to be my grades 10 and 11 teacher, Mr. Singh. At a time when instruction methods were all standardized and lecture based, he was one of the only teachers in the school who would go out of their way to focus on the students and meet their individual needs. He made it so every student felt completely comfortable asking any question, with no fear of sounding dumb or redundant. Mr. Singh was one of those people who made students enjoy Math and brought out potentials in students who had given up hope in any of the Sciences, especially Math. I hope to be a similar type of teachers that will help students such that they are remembered forever.

My least favourite Math teacher would have to be from grade 3, Mme. Doré. 

 

Image generated by ChatGPT, but I swear that's her!

Since I was in French Immersion, my Math education from grade 3 until grade 9 was all in French. This being the first year learning Math in French, it was extremely difficult for most students. Still, she gave little to no care to this fact and continued teacher in French without making any attempt to simplify or translate anything. Most students who would consistently excel at Math started to do poorly in her class. Thankfully toward the second half of the year she became pregnant and left for maternity leave. Her replacement wasn't the best, but was still a much needed improvement.

The Types of Curricula

 

 

Image Generated by ChatGPT

 

While reading Eisner's paper, I realized I had read this before one in a Mathematics education class in my Bachelor's. However, I seemed to have forgotten some of the specifics. I was shocked to read these numbers, “By the time the student has graduated from secondary school, he or she has spent approximately 480 weeks, or 12,000 hours” (p. 87). The insane  amount of time that students are under the guidance of teachers makes one appreciate the immense responsibility that these teachers have, as parents are entrusting them with not only their children’s education but also their overall growth. It's clear how important it is for educators to go out of their way to care for and influence students in the best ways possible.

Another key moment was when Eisner mentioned how values are subtly communicated through textbooks and other learning materials: “These values are expressed in the kinds of illustrations that textbooks contain... subtle, and consistent” (p. 88). This made me think back to my high school textbooks, where the images and narratives often depicted only Caucasian individuals, implicitly sending a message about whose stories and perspectives were prioritized. In thinking about today’s curriculum, it's crucial to push for inclusivity and to ensure a diversity of voices and experiences are represented.

Finally, Eisner’s idea of the "null curriculum" (p. 98)—what schools leave out—was eye-opening, particularly when I thought back to my own education. The fact that I didn’t learn about something as significant as residential schools until 2019, in post-secondary education, shows how many important stories and histories were excluded from elementary and high school learning. Eisner’s ideas connect with the BC Provincial Curriculum by encouraging us to think beyond the mandated subjects and ways and focus on the deeper messages being sent. The BC curriculum does try to embrace diversity and inclusion, but Eisner’s insights push us to consider whether we’re really addressing all the gaps and making room for all stories.

Skemp's Relational vs Instrumental Mathematics

 

 A Reflection on Richard R. Skemp's "Relational Understanding and Instrumental Understanding"

While reaching the article, I came across the word “schema” which I did not fully understand. After looking it up, I found that in math, a schema is a way to understand the structure of different problems, making them easier to solve. Looking back to my education in math, I can identify what schemas were used and how effective they were. In addition, the examples Skemp gives of instrumental mathematics had me stop and think back. With the exception of an instructor or two, most of my high school Math instruction was instrumental. Because of this, when I was introduced to the concept of theories and proofs in university for the first time, I significantly struggled. This was mainly because coming up with a proof requires thinking of the concepts in their most basic elements and then to work from there. Not knowing the ideas or reasons behind most concepts was a major setback.

I would have to agree with most of the points Skemp raises. I feel that one of the strongest points he makes is that when a student gets the satisfaction that comes with a relational understanding, they are more likely to pursue the subject and learn more. In high school, I had a math teacher named Mr. Singh. It appears like he would almost always use relational instruction. Students actually enjoyed his Math class and would look forward to learning more. Though, there is no doubt that the time required for relational instruction is not always feasible.

Hello World

 

 

Hello World. 

 Welcome to my blog.