Building Confidence in Primary Mathematics with Amy How
Nov 23, 2024
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Amy How, a dedicated Canadian primary teacher with nearly 20 years of experience, shares her passion for mathematics education. She discusses the importance of building confidence in both students and teachers to enhance learning. The conversation highlights the foundational concepts critical for long-term success and explores the Rekenrek as a dynamic tool for improving mathematical sense-making. Amy emphasizes innovative teaching strategies that engage students while addressing the challenges faced by those aged 10 to 12, promoting a love for math through interactive methods.
Building teachers' confidence in mathematics is essential for fostering a positive learning environment and enhancing student understanding.
The Rekenrek serves as a valuable manipulative that supports visualizing concepts and encourages collaborative learning among students.
Deep dives
The Importance of Mathematics Education
Mathematics education is fundamental for daily life, affecting everything from time management to financial transactions. The speaker emphasizes that mastering basic math skills is essential, as they are used routinely in various real-life scenarios. This foundational knowledge is crucial not just for students, but also for teachers, who must be proficient in math to effectively impart knowledge. Improving teachers' mathematical understanding fosters a more positive learning environment, benefitting both educators and students alike.
Building Teacher Confidence
The discussion highlights the need to improve teachers' confidence in teaching mathematics, stating that many teachers feel overwhelmed when required to cover multiple subjects, including math. The speaker aims to build educators' confidence through effective tools like the Rek' n Rek, which allows for a hands-on approach to teaching mathematical concepts. By encouraging teachers to embrace innovative teaching techniques, they can inspire a more positive attitude towards math in their students. This shift is vital for changing the narrative around mathematics education and alleviating the stigma associated with it.
Focus on Mental Math Strategies
Emphasizing the importance of mental math strategies, the speaker believes they form the foundation for higher-level mathematical concepts. Skills such as number bonds, counting on, and utilizing doubles empower students to understand and manipulate numbers effectively. By integrating these strategies into math education, educators can enhance students' problem-solving abilities and foster greater confidence in their skills. The speaker also notes that modern curricula sometimes overlook these essential mental math practices, resulting in gaps in students' understanding.
Utilizing the Rek' n Rek as a Teaching Tool
The Rek' n Rek serves as an innovative manipulative that helps visualize mathematical concepts and reinforces number sense. It allows students to build numbers and explore various strategies for addition and subtraction using a physical, hands-on approach. This tool also supports teachers in assessing students' understanding quickly and efficiently within a classroom setting. The conversational aspect of using the Rek' n Rek fosters collaboration among students and encourages them to share different methods for arriving at the same answer.
Episode 204: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I’m joined by Amy How to explore primary mathematics and how teachers can build their confidence in delivering impactful lessons. We discuss the essential areas of mathematics that help pupils develop a deep understanding, and Amy shares insights into how the Rekenrek can be used as a powerful tool to support mathematical thinking.
In this episode, we cover:
Why mathematics education is critical for pupils' long-term success.
Key mathematical concepts that form the foundation of strong understanding.
How the Rekenrek can enhance pupils’ mathematical sense-making.
Practical advice for teachers new to using the Rekenrek, including resources and starting points.
Whether you’re new to teaching mathematics or looking to strengthen your confidence, this episode is packed with insights to help you and your pupils succeed.
If you enjoy this episode, please support us by subscribing on YouTube, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, or making a donation at www.ko-fi.com/tdape. Join our Discord community to continue the conversation!
Join Amy live at TDaPELondon: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-thinking-deeply-about-primary-education-conference-tickets-1033614898987?aff=oddtdtcreator
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