Learning Through Math Episode 154: Pam!
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Mar 30, 2025 
Pam Harris, a former high school teacher and an innovative university lecturer, dives deep into reshaping mathematics education. She discusses her new book, focusing on enhancing understanding over rote memorization. Pam shares insights on transitioning students from traditional methods to more dynamic strategies that foster deeper learning. The conversation also highlights the importance of making math thinking visible and embracing collaborative approaches across grade levels. Tune in for engaging anecdotes and practical tips to revolutionize math teaching!
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Son's Strategies Inspire Math Teaching
- Pam Harris shares how her son created his own mathematical strategies, inspiring her approach to math teaching.
- She realized math learning should focus on understanding relationships, not rote memorization of algorithms.
Clarifying 'Avoiding Algorithms'
- Many misunderstand that avoiding algorithms means letting kids discover math unaided, but guided reasoning is essential.
- Pam advocates for helping students reason logically about math content, not just memorizing procedures.
Mathematicians Rarely Use Algorithms
- Professional mathematicians use traditional algorithms only about 4% of the time on typical problems.
- Instead, they rely heavily on reasoning, relationships, and connections to solve problems.
