Making Over Math

Watch this TED Video, that Free Technology for Teachers posted earlier today:



Dan Meyer brings up some great points about how to get kids more engaged in the problem solving process.  He talks about how textbooks help us (teachers) give kids the easy answers when it comes to word problems and problem solving and how that is making kids impatient in the math classroom.  Instead of making a straight line from point A to point B, we should be helping to build student's critical thinking skills by giving them visual keys and discussion points to be asking the right questions when it comes to solving mathematical problems.

From a technology viewpoint, I agree with Meyer's ideas about using multimedia examples and practical (real world) examples to teach.  I wholeheartedly believe that every time students learn something there needs to be something visual to represent it for them-that's simply how they learn now.  It has to be engaging, interesting, and able to grab their attention and make them think. I also think it's important, especially in math, that students realize how a certain formula can be used to calculate something that will use later in life.  They need to see that not just careers such as engineering or science are the only careers that use math.

Websites and resources such as flickr.com are great ways to incorporate pictures of real world examples and grab their attention.  Then back it up with videos from DE Streaming or BrainPop that give more information or as Meyer states help the discussion along.