Math is Figure-Out-Able!

We've made it to our last (and maybe favorite) perspective that impacts pedagogy. The Y perspective describes those who struggle with fake math because they deeply desire to know "why". Pam and Kim describe people in their lives who grew up with the Y perspective and discuss their great value to the mathematics community.Talking Points:What describes the Y perspective?Pam and Kim's personal experiences with the Y perspectiveHow adults and learners with the Y perspective feel about mathematicsTwo things that people with the Y perspective need to understandWhy teaching Real Math is so important Take the XYZ quiz here! mathisfigureoutable.com/XYZ

This episode is all about the Z perspective. Listen in to hear about the perspective that This episode is all about the Z perspective. Listen in to hear about the perspective that Pam estimates influences the majority of math educators. It was Pam's perspective too! Pam and Kim parse out the characteristics of the Z perspective and the huge impact it has on teaching today. Talking Points:Pam forgot how to subtractWhat is the Z perspective?How do Z-perspective students think?Pam's first experience with Math ClubWhat people with the Z perspective need to understandHow can understanding the Z perspective empower teachers?Take the new XYZ Quiz!

Continuing in the Perspectives Impacting Pedagogy Series, Pam and Kim discuss the X perspective. Did you play with numbers as a kid? Did math make natural sense to you, regardless of how your teacher taught it? You might relate to the X perspective. Listen in to learn how the X perspective influences teachers and students in mathematics.  Talking Points:What is the X perspective?Why X-perspective teachers teach with algorithmsKim's experience growing up with the X perspectivePam's experiences with her son and collegues with the X perspectiveThe 'math-gene' myth held by the X perspective3 things teachers and students with the X perspective need to understand.Take the new XYZ Quiz!

This episode is part one to a new five part series! Pam and Kim introduce the three main perspectives that influence the way we teach math. Understanding these perspectives helps teachers analyze their past perspective so they can make choices and have productive conversations regarding changing and improving math education for all students. Talking Points:The three perspectives impacting our pedagogyIs there one perspective that is the best? How our perspective affects conversations about math teachingTake the new XYZ QUIZ!

How can we help students feel comfortable with using the commutative property? In this episode Pam and Kim go through some addition and multiplication problems to demonstrate how they think and reason using the the commutative property. Talking Points:The commutative property when a student is counting on to addThe commutative property in addition of larger numbersUsing models to represent the commutative propertyUsing the commutative property for percentagesIt's not just about naming the property

Pam went most of her life not knowing about this really cool thing! Listen in as Kim relates a great math experience she had with her son, Luke, while they were messing around with addition. Pam and Kim discuss the importance and kinds of place value experiences we provide for students as we mentor them as mathematicians.Talking Points:Introducing the Swapping strategyWhat problems fit nicely with the Swapping strategy?Place labeling vs. Place valueNecessary but not sufficientTweet us (@pwharris, @kimmontague) your slick swapping strategy solutions to gnarly looking problems! 

Are percents truly figure-out-able? You bet! Grab a pen and paper for this one as Pam and Kim discuss the 3 types of percent problems and how they solve them using relations, not with algorithms.   Talking Points:What Journey members are emailing aboutThe three types of percent problemsPam and Kim share their thinking as they solve all three types of percent problemsTwo traditional ways of teaching percents and how they rob students of resoning fluentlyMath is fun when it's figure-out-able!

So are percents really figure-out-able too? In this episode Pam and Kim do a Problem String and share their strategies to solve some percent problems. Listen in as they play with percents!Talking Points:Can we make math fun?Benchmarks that kids need to know around percentsPercent Problem String

Pam and Kim explore what it means to be flexible with fractions, decimals, and percents. They discuss how we can become more flexible as we deal with rational numbers to help us be more judicious problem solvers.Talking Points:Why kids of today are more familiar with percentagesUsing benchmark fractions, decimals and percentagesHow students might mess with gnarly fractions, decimals and percentsWhy flexibility mattersHow to become more flexible using different representations of rational numbers

You might want your magnifying glass for this one, because in this episode we're getting a little nitpicky. Pam and Kim discuss common and often traditional nomenclature/math-slang that can take the reasoning out of mathematics. They offer useful alternatives and illustrate the importance of using clear mathematical language so students have less opportunites for misunderstaning the mathematics.Talking Points:Adding a zeroNo 'Butt-Cheeks' in math'Canceling' can means many different thingsWill reducing 6/8ths to 3/4s give me more pie...?Three-point-two or three and 2 tentsh or $3 and 20 cents?'Over' is a positional word, not a mathematical relationship'And' in bigger numbersSee Episode 140 for further discussion of more unhelpful words we use in math class.