EDUC115N Review #9

I am going to post one of my answers to a question in the course. This is about the process that students need to use when encountering math problems.

My metaphor: Brain Building Construction Zone

Students will be taught the metaphor that doing math is like building your brain, and every math problem is a brain building construction zone. 

When given a math problem you don't just jump in and start building the answer you have to slow down and read the signs. Students will be taught that in this construction project, when given math problems to solve there are important steps to follow: 1) Say it 2) Draw it 3) Estimate it. These are the pre-building steps that students need to slow down and pay attention to. If they don't understand enough to make an estimate than they need to stop and go back to the drawing board. This is like making an estimate for a customer. Before they build they need to be able to describe what their end product should look like, just like in the buildings and materials trades. 

Pre:Build = Before Solving
1) Say it 2) Draw it 3) Estimate it

Once their customer has agreed to their estimate then they can build. To build they need all their math tools, and they need the right tools for the job. Most of the explicit teacher directed math lessons will happen here. Sometimes they may not have the tools and may need to learn how to use new tools. 

Here is a math tool. 

When they have mathematized they need to test their building project and refine or revise as needed. Once done they step back and look at their project to see if it is ready to be sold. Can they describe it to a potential buyer in a way that makes sense. Has their project actually been built, or is it just a mess of math material that nobody understands?

Describe it and revise if needed.

To recap. In the math brain building construction zone, stop and read the signs, then say it, draw it, estimate it. Then build it with your math tools. Make sure it is perfect by refining and revising. Then sell it to the customer by describing it in a way that makes sense.

The process will help students see math as a creative act that they control.