Respondind to three classmates using a 100 words

Thornton

May 12, 2022 3:52 PM

Which of the identified qualities of best practice in teaching mathematics are represented in this lesson? How can you apply elements of this lesson in your teaching at your grade level? I believe that in Chocolate Algebra the best practice is experiential. As the teacher explains how he uses this activity each year and explains how it works and describes when the different students start to understand the objective of the activity it is clear that the students are getting hands on experience with this lesson. They are not only seeing the concept, but they are also doing hands on learning to gain the concept of the lesson. My hope is to be in a social studies class in seventh or eighth grade. With that grade level and this concept of teaching I believe I would be able to apply this type of teaching into my lessons. It may not be in the form of chocolate, but with social studies I feel like I learned so much as a student with hands on learning. You can read from a text book all day and students not grasp what they need, I feel like they needs hands on experience with what they are being taught. In my case I could have them do projects in class on what we are currently studying, if it is a moment in history it could be acted out so that they get the feel of what was happening during the time. I love this style of teaching because I learn best that way, it provides a way for the students to gain multiple perspectives of the lesson while also enjoying what they are learning. 

Ciara

When it comes to teaching mathematics, it is crucial to bear in mind that not all students learn certain concepts in the same way. Some people innately can easily solve math problems (and even enjoy solving them) whereas others struggle to solve them (thus, tend to have a strong dislike for math). For students that struggle with math, educators must teach a mathematical concept in a way that is carefully paced and facilitates precise questioning to allow students time to take in the concept without feeling pressured to understand it right off the bat (Zemelman et al., 2005). Chocolate algebra is a key example of how educators can teach a math concept that many students struggle with in a way that is not only carefully paced and facilitates precise questioning, however, is also fun, interesting, and practical (which is quite beneficial for keeping students engaged in a lesson). The more engaged students are, the more likely they are to stay focused on solving problems (including problems that may nonetheless be challenging). Since chocolate algebra can easily be modified to meet the specific learning needs of students, its flexibility in a diverse classroom setting is ideal (Zemelman et al., 2005). Following up with questions that encourage students to reflect on a lesson is also an essential aspect of the activity.

One of the best aspects of the chocolate algebra activity is its ability to bring math to life for students, which Benson-O’Connor et al. (2019) argue is necessary to ensure students understand how they can apply mathematical concepts to their everyday lives. As a 7th grade educator, it is important that my students learn about concepts that they feel are meaningful. A lack of student engagement shows that students are disinterested in concepts because they do not necessarily perceive them as meaningful, which is something educators must make the effort to avoid via the personalization of math activities. Pacing activities accordingly and encouraging reflective thought are also key strategies to deepening understanding among struggling students. 

Djuanika Brown

May 11, 2022 11:29 PM

Reading “chocolate algebra” and the full reading of Best Practices for Mathematics Instructions, gave great insight into teaching math. I have taught/tutored math for many years and understand the struggles that children and adults have when learning math. As the reading stated, as time goes on, there are fewer people who enjoy math and only take it if it is required. This is a reading that I will use to study the best practices for teaching students math so that they understand. There were so many great qualities represented in the reading but the most valuable quote, to me, is “Teachers should help all students understand that mathematics is a dynamic, coherent, interconnected set of ideas” (Zemelman, 2012). I think that “chocolate algebra” does just this. Using chocolate, or any form of candy is genius and teaches children by using something that they enjoy. “Chocolate algebra” shows students that math is coherent because it showed them that numbers and arithmetical operations are only a part of mathematics. They were able to see, in a fun way, that math includes patterns that they can decipher. While tutoring, I learned that by using real-world scenarios when possible, it was easier for students to understand and plug in the numbers in relation to the patterns. After reading this, I understand that teaching in sections so that students understand how all concepts work together and see the patterns and connections between them all. I will definitely keep this reading for future reference when putting lessons together for math.