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Emphasize interesting, fun, hands-on activities and manipulatives (59)
Emphasize real-world applications (26)
Emphasize connections between math and other subjects (7)
Emphasize interesting, fun, hands-on activities and manipulatives:
K Need to explore use of Hands-On Equations for pre-algebra instruction for younger students (e.g. 3rd graders)
4 KEEP Hands-On Equations -- it is terrific & kids love it.
4 More Hands-On Equations and other "real life" uses for math
5 Q8: He takes Hands-On Equations after school & enjoys it very much
4 Our principal needs to be more energetic to be better informed about math initiatives -- Hands-On Equations, etc.
2 I like hands on, but also feel students need drill sometimes so they have the facts down pat.
2 Q14: More hands-on/manipulatives. Less paper & pencil. Children learn by experiencing.
2 Use hands-on teaching methods. Allow more manipulatives.
1 More emphasis on true understanding of math concepts. More use of manipulatives and coaching/ time for kids to figure out problems on their own
3 Would like teachers to have more manipulatives to assist with math instruction
3 More manipulatives, less rote sheet-work
4 Enhanced hands-on application of the concepts.
2 Include more manipulatives in teaching math concepts a la Montessori program -- infuse math into all areas of curriculum. Do not teach math only as standalone unit, but within problem-solving, integrated, investigative curriculum. E.g. using watermelon to introduce/refine prediction, estimation, tallying, graphing, division, arithmetic processes
K More hands-on
5 More hands-on materials
2 We need more hands on activities
2 Q8: I would prefer some extra fun packets as homework
Q14: Basic and applicable math in real life.
5 Instruction that is based on building conceptual understanding, curriculum connections and spiraling back to review topics. Math should also be fun!
K New ways of teaching
2 Math curriculum to be made more exciting and interesting to catch students attention
K Update standard materials, make it more engaging, show kids how to have fun with math
1 More creative exercises
1 Finally, although I believe MCPS gives too much homework in general at the elementary school level (and that too much of it is busywork), I believe that some math homework should be given. The homework should be oriented toward fun activities, such as playing a game, building something, measuring things at home, etc. I am not and never was a math geek, but I think that math can be fun and numbers interesting to play with, in large part because my (public) elementary school gave these types of assignments.
5 Stimulate interest in what you can do with math; I did a 15 min. presentation in the 5th grade math class introducing them to different types of engineering (for Nat'ls Engineering Week Feb 18-24). After I talked about bionics, one girl volunteered that her uncle had lost a leg in a motorcycle accident. They could all relate to Gameboy & Playstation, of course, but I don't think they'd ever realized that those were the result of one person's vision implemented by a very talented team. One of my last viewgraphs was a list of skills they needed for an engineering career, including logic, algebra, calculus, communication skills, foreign language.
I only had time to present to 2 advanced math classes, but I did have some very nice brochures that I would like to have distributed to all 5th graders, but the assistant principal "didn't feel he had the authority to approve it." Judge for yourselves, but I thought that was pretty lame.
5 Better teaching through hands-on and real-life examples versus strict textbook/lecture instruction
2 Varied activities, creativity, more experiential -- as with all learning -- make it fun & interesting!
5 Make it more interesting, apply into other subjects, so it "sneaks up" on the kids
K More fun ways of introducing math concepts to children of all elementary school age.
2 Variety in ways to learn
3 More computer time.
3 More visual aids.
4 After-school program or school competition
1 Use more concrete math & less artsy stuff for math instruction.
5 Make certain there is always examples of problems.
4 Strange ways of teaching math -- dots on number figures. Blocks.
Number theory is interesting and can be fun & puzzling. Look at book, "The Number Devil" by Hans Magnus Enzenburger.
1 A variety of teaching methods used within same classrooms. (I.e., manipulatives, art . . . )
4 More exciting challenges --> projects
2 Imaginative projects involving the use of math -- too many work sheets!
3 Teach developmentally appropriate material in an encouraging way so that students will be interested in learning. Right now, the curriculum is discouraging and boring. Children are being taught materials for the grade ahead. Yes, they can learn how to do it but they are not fully grasping the concepts. Therefore, students are suddenly being labeled "learning disabled" when they get to middle school and can't apply the concepts they've supposedly learned.
1 The approach is single minded and needs to be more focused on the reasons we achieve addition or subtraction, multiplication, etc. in everyday life. Incorporating it on a daily basis, not just adding from the easiest number to the higher number. E.g. 1 + 5 = 6, the child will be taught automatically to register the #1 first then add the higher #5. Focus should be on the various ways of techniques that children learn best. What is it in their thinking ability & problem solving that they just don't get.
4 Overcoming math anxiety
4 Interest
2 More "conceptual" learning -- i.e., more hands-on or visual cues
5 Provide math with more free exploration
5 Incorporate to the curriculum more free exploration and hands on math for better understanding of mathematical concepts
K Variety
2 More creativity in teaching math and patience during that time.
5 More math activities & encouragement
K Continue to challenge students with innovative & creative classes.
1 Make it fun. Make it practical. Positive reinforcements. Avoid negative feedback.
3 Additional supplemental materials to help make math fun
3 Having teachers who enjoy & know math well teaching math. Lively, enjoying instruction.
1 Send home make 'n take games for the children to play with. I love how reading books come home!
1 More creative methods of instruction
2 More math games, homework, etc.
3 Require math projects (long-term work) in elem school,
3 Q7: This is wrong question. Needs to be more thorough, more creative, more depth. The math instruction is better than it was, but the assignments need improvement and the instruction is uninspired.
5 Supplemental demonstrations of creative math applications
7 Group activities
5 Presentation of math concepts from multiple perspectives
Don't emphasize manipulatives:
2 Forget manipulatives unless child shows need.
7 The "hands-on equations" approach of using X and * is stupid and confusing
Emphasize real-world applications:
K Need to demonstrate application of math skills, beyond exercises & formulas
3 Focus on application and problem solving
6 Purpose needs to be stressed. How will they use the math of what use will it be in their lives. Attaching a purpose to what you are learning makes it easier to learn and remember. Most kids are just studying to pass a test and get good grades. There should be more [illegible].
4 Practical application of concepts. I.e., why learn to add, multiply, etc.
K Showing practical applications to the work in class.
6 Increased emphasis on real-world application
K Better application on concepts for thorough understanding.
1 Math should be taught in a more practical manner -- more application
2 More application of info to real concrete problems
1 Apply math to real life situations -- making change, etc.
5 Teach the kids how to count money
6 More emphasis on developing math strategies, making sure the children really understand the underlying concepts instead of just memorizing the "steps" of a particular calculation. More application to real life problem-solving.
1 Increased time and direct connection to what is being taught in social studies/reading/other humanities subjects
5 Q14: Applications in all areas of instruction -- art, science -- to increase students' awareness of relevance & applications to all areas & make math more accessible
K Students need to have some exposure to real-world relevance of mathematics
4 Math application
9 I have always felt that practical math skills should be stressed (particularly in the lower grades).For example, percentages, balancing a checkbook. These are the useful aspects of math that most student will use in their lifetime.
6 Real world math i.e., personal accounting, etc.
8 Career applications of the work they do/will use each are of math study that can be done at the independent level
6 Getting the kinds interested in the math by showing real life uses for what they are learning. When a student doesn't understand a concept, it should be explained in a different manner to try to help the student "get it."
8 The curriculum should be tied into more real life situations to increase interest by the student
8 More life relevant problems
3 More interesting manipulatives perhaps 1 day per week. One assignment per week that involves math in the real world.
1 Math instruction and curriculum need to be more challenging and exciting instead of rote learning & qualitative reasoning which it is currently based on. The emphasis should be in the students' ability to actually do math, rather than explaining their work.
4 More emphasis on basics and math problems that have practical, everyday applications
6 Practical use of math to show students why they need math
Emphasize connections between math and other subjects:
3 Integrate math instruction with other disciplines
2 As with reading, math should be integrated into as many subjects as possible, or more classroom time should be devoted to learning math.
7 More time given to math, combining math with English & computer time
K More math and integrate math into the other subjects. I.e., how many words are in the sentence, how many letters are in the word, which word is the longest, etc.
4 Emphasizing & integrating math with science & social studies units.
2 More word problems. Integration of math with science.
K More emphasis on math across the curriculum