Making it OK to be Good at Math

Final Research Report: Making it OK to be Good at Math

Greg Willmott (EDU-660511-04-11FA1) Child & Adolescent Development Empire State College December 18, 2011

Making it OK to be Good at Math Introduction Making it OK to be good at math may, I think, become my personal mantra. One of the reasons for my decision to go into the education field, with Math as my content area, is the significant need for more students with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) as their area of interest. Obviously, to pursue these areas one must have an aptitude and general liking for math. So, to me, it is imperative that students in the 6th 12th grades have an expectation to, and be encouraged to, excel in mathematics. The genesis of my research is that there seems to be a general understanding or acceptance that it is OK to not be good in math. My unscientific observation is that more

people, both young and old alike, will readily admit that I am/was not good in math as opposed to the number of people who would disclose I am/was not good at social studies/English/etc.. In fact, on at least three occasions during our on-line discussions in the MAT program my peers have made similar comments. Review of Literature My research focuses on the factors and teaching methods that are deterministic to a students performance in math. My research uncovered a fair number of published peer reviewed papers that addressed the question of effective strategies for teaching math (Abbasi and Iqbal 2008; Bellamy and Mative 2010; Cotic and Zuljan 2009; Farren 2008; Gerstein and Clarke 2007; Jacobs 2005; Rapp 2009; Richards 2005; Vasquez 2004). There were far more papers that dealt with teaching math strategies specifically to special needs students, but as that was not the focus for my research they were not included. From the research, several topics appear to be prominent.

Making it OK to be Good at Math Early Experiences and Self-concepts. Because mathematic topics tend to build upon

themselves, early experiences, both positive and negative, have a strong predictive influence and can even dictate the future achievement and interest of students in mathematics. As Farren states, if students fail to experience success; their negative belief about their own ability in mathematics is hard to change. (p.8, 2008) These early self-concepts are more predictive in math education than other subjects and have a two-fold impact. First they exert an influence on the actual math achievement. And second, these self-concepts have a greater impact on future course selections than on the actual math grades achieved. (Steffen, p. 955, 2010) Thus it is important that we as math teachers give our students every opportunity to succeed, especially early on. Even if the success is relatively minor, it is important nonetheless. It is also imperative that any failures are seen as temporary. Learning Styles and Rates. Math achievement tends to come more easily to students who think in a linear and sequential process. These types of individuals then tend to be the ones who continue with higher level math concepts and many end up as math educators. The challenge is that students learn differently and at different rates. Mathematics concepts are most often taught using auditory, sequential methods. Not only are these methods ineffective when used with visual-spatial learners, they may be detrimental to both academic and emotional progress (Rapp, 2009) Teachers of the elementary levels are beginning to understand that their students develop at different rates, so best practices in education should differ as well. (Norfleet James, 2007) All teachers need to be reminded that every student is unique, meaning they may learn differently and at different rates. Thus it is our job to make sure we treat every student as an individual and constantly challenge ourselves to come up with new and different strategies to teach a given topic. As mentioned earlier, this is especially true in math where concepts tend to

Making it OK to be Good at Math build upon each other. So if the student does not grasp a fundamental concept early on, it makes it that much harder for that student to stay with the pace of the instruction and thus that much easier for them to give up. Make Math Relevant. Many students who struggle with math skills report that the skills that they are trying to learn have no relevance to the real-world. As one student stated, (In) grade 10 I began to think that what they were teaching wasnt important and a majority of what

we were learning was not going to be used in the real world so I became bored in class. (Farren, p. 6, 2008) It is proven that providing multiple real-world examples, as part of the lesson plan, has a positive effect on math understanding and achievement. Real life situations are the key to learning; thats why it is important to remember the importance of communication in our classrooms. (Bellamy and Mativo, 2010 p. 27) Too many students give up trying to achieve in math because they do not see benefit to understanding advanced math concepts. Though a challenge, mathematics educators need to do a better job of incorporating real world examples into their lesson plans. Ability, Motivation and Attitude. "Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it." This quote, attributed to former football coach Lou Holtz, may be clich but it is one that resonates with me. As teachers, we may not be able to control our students ability but I believe we have the responsibility to affect their motivation and attitude and the research agrees. The teachers attitude (as perceived by the students) and their ability to make the course interesting by student interaction was cited as determining factors in student achievement in mathematics. (Abbasi, S. J., & Iqbal, K. 2009). As Farren states, In my experience, attitudes, beliefs and emotions of the student play an integral role in the learning of mathematics. I believe

Making it OK to be Good at Math that a students attitudes, beliefs and emotions are an underestimated domain that often goes unchallenged in the classroom. (2008, p. 7). Weiss & Pasley (2004) further this idea, They concluded that effective mathematics and science instruction invited students to interact purposefully with the content and included various strategies to involve students and build on previous knowledge. (p.25) Effect of Gender. Another area where considerable research has been done on factors affecting math achievement is the topic of gender differences. Primarily these studies approach the issue from the question why arent more women pursuing math intensive fields? Steffens, Jelenec and Moack state that During the last decades, women have caught up with men on postsecondary education, outnumbering male students by the turn of the millennium. However, fewer women than men enter math-intensive fields such as engineering or computer science, with percentages ranging below one third in the United States and one sixth in Germany. (2010, p.947) Reading this research I found one very interesting fact - individual and social expectations have a large impact on the gender differences in math. These studies found that boys have a higher self-expectation or self-concept for math ability than girls, and this can be attributed to several factors including socialization processes linked to gender play (OShea). As Steffen et al discuss, boys have higher math self-concepts relative to girls, particularly in adolescence, and they exceed by far the actual performance differences.

Making it OK to be Good at Math My Observations My observations have consisted of approximately 32 hours of classroom observation at the High School level. My main observations have been in classes with lower achieving math students. In particular, I am observed two different Integrated Algebra classes where students in the 9th and 10th grade are given two years to prepare for the Regents Exam. This differs from the traditional track where 9th graders sit for the Regents exam after 1 year of instruction, and from

the advanced track, where students will sit for the exam at the end of the 8th grade after 1 year of instruction. During my observations, I have focused on these areas: 1) Types of instructional methods and styles used 2) Strategies employed to make math relevant and interesting 3) Teacher attitude toward their students and the subject itself and 4) Student involvement and social interaction as part of the lesson plan. Two areas noted in the research were omitted in my observation discussion. Due to the limited observation period of 32 hours in one semester, it was not practical to observe early experiences and self-concepts and be able to relate them to achievement. A much longer term and longitudinal study would be necessary. I also choose not to include gender differences in this report, as that topic is broad and deep enough that it requires a full report unto itself. The limited discussion I could provide here would be a disservice to the topic. Instructional methods. The expectation is that because students learn differently and at different rates, the more the teacher varies their instruction the more successful they and their students will be. The two teachers I observed followed different approaches. The main teacher I observed, my host teacher, employs what Santrock would describe as authoritarian style restrictive, focusing on keeping order. (2010, p. 359) The other teacher followed the preferred

Making it OK to be Good at Math authoritative style, where she engaged students in considerable verbal give-and-take and show(ed) a caring attitude toward them. (Santrock, 2010) Clearly, the second example I cited, where the teacher followed the authoritative style

and was more engaged verbally with the students, was a much more comfortable and welcoming atmosphere. It is easy to understand why the research indicates that this is the preferred teaching style. It would be interesting to see how their respective class test scores compare to see if there is a significant difference that could be attributed to one style vs. the other. An area where both were similar was the teaching method used. They both followed what Rapp refers to as the Auditory, sequential instructional method. This is probably what most of us remember from our math classes. This is the traditional teacher-led method where first the teacher explains the steps as the student follow along on the worksheet. Next the students, under the teachers direction, fill in the worksheet as they complete a couple of sample problems together. Then the students, based on memorizing the steps, work on the problem set in the worksheet. Rapp makes a compelling argument for alternative approaches for those who are more visual-spatial learners as he states math is not about memorization or drill or speed. Its about patterns: seeing interesting relationships about numbers (2009). Rapp and others suggest alternative approaches to the auditory, sequential method. These approaches include using more creative and holistic thinking rather than the traditional logical, step-by-step process. These methods would incorporate the creation of math games, use of physical movement in the lesson plan; include art as part of the math curriculum (depth of field etc.) as well as some other ideas as simple as allowing for extra processing time to help those students who may benefit from alternative teaching methods.

Making it OK to be Good at Math As the research states, having negative experiences has a long and profound impact. I would encourage all math educators to think outside the box and be inclusive in their teaching methods. As the saying attributed to Albert Eistein goes, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, so we know what doesnt work

for many students lets be brave and try something new. Let it not be acceptable for students to become frustrated based on a one-dimensional teaching strategy. Strategies employed to make math relevant and interesting. My purpose for this observation is to see how the instructors make the subject of math come alive for their students. As noted earlier, many students who struggle with math feel alienated to the whole subject as it is not interesting to them and they do not feel a connection to maths role in the real world. Sadly, this continues to be a challenge for the teachers I observed. Clearly passing the Regents exam is the primary goal for these teachers, so only problems similar to what the students will see on this standardized test are included in their lesson plans. Again, this is not good enough. As educators, we must continue to work to reach ALL of our students. Simply relying on standardized test examples is not satisfactory. In my estimation, providing real world examples will probably always be a challenge for math educators; some of the concepts that need to be covered especially at the higher levels are very theoretical. For example, trying to give a real world example of deriving the inverse to logarithm is a tough assignment. Some ideas presented include the following by Rapp, Give math problems a real world application; many students who are gifted and/or visual-spatial learners have a raised awareness of and sensitivity to global issues. By teaching math concepts in the context of social justice, more than one need is being met. (2009) In addition, I found a reference to the following book Rethinking Mathematics: Teaching Social Justice by the

Making it OK to be Good at Math Numbers, by Eric Gutstein and Bob Peterson. This may be a great way to introduce some social awareness into math lessons and make it interesting as well. Math instructors should continue to seek to add interest in their lesson plans, if for nothing else, that the subject continues to be of interest to themselves. Teacher Attitude. William James said "It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome." The same holds true in the classroom.

My expectation is that the more the teachers interact with the students on a personal level and show a positive attitude toward the overall subject of math the better the students experience and attitude will be toward math. Thus, the greater the likelihood that the students will be engaged in actively learning math and more motivated to achieve. My observation so far has shown that the teachers both display a relatively neutral to positive attitude. However, neither has displayed a great affinity toward the overall topic of math, which I just dont get. How can you do something without enthusiasm? While it may sound nave and sophomoric to expect that teachers demonstrate enthusiasm in the classroom, I take great comfort knowing that there are teachers in this world like MIT Professor Walter Lewin. His lectures are legendary at MIT and were so well known that even students who are not registered for his class regularly attend. Lewin says, in discussing his first job as a high school physics teacher, My goal was to impart enthusiasm to my students, to help them see the beauty of the world around them in a new way, to change them so that they would see the world of physics as beautiful, and would understand that physics is everywhere, that it permeates our lives. (Lewin and Goldstein, 2011) His lectures are so popular that there is standing room only in the 400-seat lecture hall. In 2007 Lewin went viral when MIT posted

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videos of his lectures online. He was featured on the first page of the New York Times and today his on-line lectures gather over 3,000 views a day, over one million a year. In addition, he has also become a best-selling author. All based on his charismatic and enthusiastic approach to teaching physics. My belief (hope) is that all teachers have some aspect of enthusiasm for the subject they teach and that they should use that enthusiasm in the classroom every day.

Student involvement and social interaction as part of the lesson plan. My observation concurs with the research that the more students are involved in the instructional discussion, the more opportunities for scaffolding are presented to all students for enriched learning. Social interaction in the classroom is important especially with new or difficult concepts. Students given the ability to work with a more skilled peer or teacher figure, as described by Vygotskys with his zone of proximal development are then able to solve a range of tasks that are too difficult for an individual to master alone, but that can be mastered with the guidance and assistance of adults or more-skilled peers" (Santrock, 2010, p.101).

Thus my expectation is that the more students can interact, the more learning will occur and thus enhance their experience and increase their achievement. My observation has shown that one teacher uses considerably more social interaction time than the other. Both have allowed for time to work on problems but one has them work alone and the other encourages them to break into teams to work on the problems (or as Weis and Pasley would say to interact purposefully with the content) and then each team is then tasked with answering the question on the chalkboard.

This teacher also included an interesting body movement aspect to her class. Here, she integrated the different characteristics of slope into a Simon Sez game. The students stand and

Making it OK to be Good at Math they use their arms to represent the line of a graph. So when asked to show a line with positive slope the students would hold their arms out straight but with their right hand higher than their left. Conversely, when asked to show negative slope they would raise their left arm and lower their right and so on to show zero slope (arms at same level) and no slope (one arm straight-up and the other straight-down). The students loved the game and it also incorporates other movements and of course the need to listen to the vital words of Simon Sez before each command. The goal of course is to last as long as possible without a mistake. No prizes are

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given, just the satisfaction of being the last one still going. I thought this was genius, as not only did it add physical movement (a great addition for visual-spatial learners), it added social interaction, as the students would cheer for their friends etc. Plus, during an 80 minute block it provided the students with a natural break where they could move about. I commented to the teacher afterwards indicating what a great concept. She said that there are always 4 points on the Regents exam regarding slope. In the 6 years she has been incorporating this game into her lesson plan, she said that none of her students had erred on those problems; small, yet convincing, evidence that adding this approach is effective on a number of levels not the least is that it adds 4 points onto her students test scores each year.

Math can be seen as a boring and stale subject to many. As math educators, it is our job to change that perception. We should be encouraging our students to socially interact as part of the curriculum. Not only will this make the class more interesting but it will also give students the ability to learn from each other, which sometimes proves more beneficial than the best laid lesson plan.

Making it OK to be Good at Math Reflection

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Having the opportunity to observe these classes and teachers, then comparing that with the research, has further strengthened my original perceptions on the teaching profession. The teaching profession is similar to other professions in that the people who are the most successful are the ones that go above and beyond the basics of their job description and look to incorporate enthusiasm, innovation and fun into what they do. Having spent 23+ years in the corporate world and 15+ years coaching, I conclude that classrooms are no different than the boardrooms, the offices or the athletic fields. With the right leadership and motivation great things can happen in those places. Conversely, poor leadership, lack of inspiration and other forms of incompetence will lead to dissatisfaction, poor results and general unhappiness in those same environments.

Likewise, just because someone has an aptitude for something does not mean that they will succeed in that area. For example, just because someone is strong in math does not mean that they will be a good teacher, nor will a successful salesperson be an effective sales manager, or a great athlete become a great coach. In many cases, the opposite is true. (In fact, in the NFL 40% of the current head coaches never played a down of professional football.)

Teaching is more than just being smart in your given subject area. To be an effective teacher requires one to be multi-faceted. True, proficiency in your content area is important, but you also must be a good communicator, enjoy being with people, and be well-organized. Math educators have additional challenges, in that this subject does not come naturally for many students. However, we must not let that fact discourage us or them from believing that they can achieve at the highest levels of mathematics.

Making it OK to be Good at Math The research, supported by my observation, shows that math achievement can be positively affected by incorporating several different teaching strategies and methods - namely adding different teaching techniques beyond the classic audio-sequential instruction method, make mathematics come to life for your students by using interesting and real world examples for the different math concepts, encourage your students to socially interact with you their teacher and their classmates in the classroom and lastly to be genuinely interested and

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enthusiastic in your own personal teaching of mathematics. We, as math educators, must make it OK to be good at math. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Making it OK to be Good at Math References Abbasi, S. J., & Iqbal, K. (2009). How Learning and Teaching of Mathematics Can Be Made Interesting: A Study Based on Statistical Analysis. International Journal Of Mathematical Education In Science And Technology, 40(4), 505-515. Bellamy, J. S., & Mativo, J. M. (2010). A Different Angle for Teaching Math. Technology Teacher, 69(7), 26-28.

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Bleeker, M. M., & Jacobs, J. E. (2004). Achievement in Math and Science: Do Mothers' Beliefs Matter 12 Years Later?. Journal Of Educational Psychology, 96(1), 97-109. Cotic, M., & Zuljan, M. (2009). Problem-Based Instruction in Mathematics and Its Impact on the Cognitive Results of the Students and on Affective-Motivational Aspects. Educational Studies, 35(3), 297-310. Eggen and Kauchak. (2010) Educational Psychology: Windows on Classrooms (8th Edition). Merrill. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey and Columbus, OH. Farren, V. (2008). A Reflection on My Teaching Practices Using Students' Math Moments. College Quarterly, 11(4), Jacobs, J. E. (2005), Twenty-five years of research on gender and ethnic differences in math and science career choices: What have we learned?. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2005: 8594. doi: 10.1002/cd.151 Lewin, W. & Goldstein, W. (2011) For the Love of Physics: From the End of the Rainbow to the Edge of Time A Journey Through the Wonders of Physics. Free Press. New York, NY. Rapp,W.H., (2009). Avoiding Math Taboos: Effective Math Strategies for Visual Spatial Learners. TEACHING Exceptional Children Plus, 6(2) Article 4. Retrieved 11/07/2011 from http://escholarship.bc.edu/education/tecplus/vol6/iss2/art4

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Santrock, John W. (2010) Adolescence (13th Edition). McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. New York, NY.

Steffens, M. C., Jelenec, P., & Noack, P. (2010). On the Leaky Math Pipeline: Comparing Implicit Math-Gender Stereotypes and Math Withdrawal in Female and Male Children and Adolescents. Journal Of Educational Psychology, 102(4), 947-963. Vasquez, S. (2004). A Report on the Effectiveness of the Developmental Mathematics Program M.Y. Math Project--Making Your Mathematics: Knowing When and How to Use It. Mathematics And Computer Education, 38(2), 190-199. Weiss, I., & Pasley, J. (2004). What is high-quality instruction? Educational Leadership, 61(5), 24-28.