Sensible math teaching

[nancylebov]

http://crookedtimber.org/2008/05/12/civilising-the-rug-rats/#comment-239760

Later on, I was lucky enough to attend a very good private girl’s school and had the most wonderful math teacher. She had a very simple method which worked really well for students of various levels of competence. She would give an explanation of the mathematical principle and illustrate it on the blackboard. She then gave us a series of problems to solve. Anyone who didn’t understand, would go to her desk for tutoring. Those who got it, solved the problems on their own and, if they finished them all, would go to her desk for more difficult ones. Even the most mathematically challenged eventually mastered the basics, and those of us who needed more stimulation, were taken care of too. She also encouraged us to think for ourselves and rote learning of geometry theorems was not followed.

Comments

[demonspawnmom.livejournal.com]

I was fine with math until second grade. My teacher died from cancer, and in those days nobody talked about that, and I never knew what happened to my teacher until much later in my life. My teacher's replacement was a very impatient lady with a horrific Oklahoman accent who decided that the best way for me to learn was to ridicule my behaviors in front of the class. I fell way behind in math; my parents couldn't understand what was wrong with me.

The second time came when I was in 5th grade, and we had self-paced learning and new math. Some kids did well with the combination, but I was so overwhelmed by the material (and underwhelmed by the help from the teachers and student teachers) I fell even further behind.

The method your teacher used is really practical and effective. I only wish it had been in the public schools in the late 60's - early 70's.

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

That wasn't my teacher-- just something good I saw at Crooked Timber.