Journal Articles
Journal Article # 1
Using Math Manipulatives
Ayisha Brailsford
EDU 307
Teaching Math in Elementary
Lecture 1300 Wednesday 5-7:30 pm
September 4, 2013
Bibliography
Tichenor, M. (2008).Math Manipulatives. New Teacher Advocate. (15)3, 4-5.
Name: Ayisha Brailsford
Title of Article: Math Manipulatives
Author and Brief background:
Mercedes Tichenor
Mercedes Tichenor is an Associate Professor of Mathematics Education at the Stetson University. She matriculated to several universities including Peabody College of Vanderbilt University, where she received a Doctoral of Education. Mercedes Tichenor is a pioneer for mathematic education and her research focuses on the Competence of developing teachers, and continuous parent and teacher involvement.
Journal Title and Volume Number: New Teacher Advocate. Spring2008, Vol. 15 Issue 3, p4-5. 2p. 1 Color Photograph.
Date of submission: September 4, 2013
Math Manipulatives
An effective classroom teacher should “be confident in selecting, using, and managing math manipulative in the classroom environment.” In this article the author specifically explains how to effectively incorporate manipulatives in mathematic curriculum. The article insist that teachers use a variety of math manipulatives in the curriculum that appeals to a diverse classroom. According to the article, using math manipulatives in the classroom, is an excellent tool that fosters knowledge and comprehension. Furthermore, in order to ensure comprehension of the content, the instructor must know when, where, and how to utilize these special materials.
This article conveys several main points throughout this article first, how to manage manipulatives in the classroom setting. The second main point she provided is a detailed explanation of when, where, and how manipulatives should be utilize in mathematic instruction. In spite of the positive effects of using manipulatives, they are not magic. Manipulatives by themselves are not as effective as when coupled with other classroom techniques. In fact just using manipulatives during math lessons is merely enough to guarantee comprehension. On the other hand, teachers must be able to make connections between the message and materials used. In similarity, teachers must also model to students how to properly use manipulatives, to eliminate any confusion or misunderstandings.
The ideas provided in this article are relevant to my role as a future teacher. The articles explains that in order to be an effective teacher, you must have the ability to learn and the humility be taught. Learning how to effectively manage and utilize manipulatives is very vital when teaching students math concepts. I agree with the basis of this article which suggest that math manipulatives can be helpful to a student’s learning gain. “By providing various manipulatives, teachers encourage students to think about math concepts in multiple ways (Heddens 2009).” Math manipulatives used correctly by educators have the ability students to encourage to broaden their idea of math concepts, and it allow students to be able solve math equations in multiple ways. This article influenced me in thinking deeply about my assumptions that all teachers are proficient in the skills that are needed in the integration of manipulatives in the math curriculum. The knowledge gained from this article will improve my teaching by ensuring that I incorporate manipulatives in mathematics instruction that will enhance the students learning.
In conclusion, as a future educator. I will make learning interactive and innovative to many students. Being a teacher candidate I will make use of this new knowledge provided by this article by creating a learning environment that ensures that students are actively involved in the lesson. I will actively incorporate the use of math manipulatives in my classroom to ensure the potential learning gain of my students. . The information from this article has influenced me to expand my knowledge of manipulatives by learning how confidently manage, and select math manipulatives in my classroom.
Journal Article # 2
Technology
Ayisha Brailsford
EDU 307
Teaching Math in Elementary
Lecture 1300 Wednesday 5-7:30 pm
September 11, 2013
Bibliography
Drickey, N. 2008. Learning Technologies for Enhancing Student Understanding of Mathematics. International Journal of Learning. Volume 13 Issue (5), 109-116, 2006
Heddens, J., Speer, W. R., Brahier. J. 2009. Today’s Mathematics. River Street, NJ: John Wiley & Sons
Article Review # 2
Name: Ayisha Brailsford
Title of Article: Learning Technologies for Enhancing Student Understanding of Mathematics
Author and Brief background:
Nancy Drickey
Nancy Drickey is an Associate Dean of faculty at Linfield College. She graduated from the illustrious Utah State University where she received Ph.D. in Research and Evaluation Methodology with a specialization in Math and Science Education. Nancy Drickey is a pioneer for mathematic education and her research focuses on methods of teaching mathematics.
Journal Title and Volume Number: International Journal of Learning. 2006, Vol. 13 Issue 5, p109-116. 8p.
Date of submission: September 11, 2013
Learning Technologies for Enhancing Student Understanding of Mathematics.
During the past 50 years, substantial changes have occurred in both teaching strategies and in the mathematics curriculum. Textbooks and teachers are no longer the primary source for material, instead technology has become the focal point of the curriculum used in the classroom. This author investigates computer-based manipulative, and how effective they are to a students’ understanding of math concepts. Although these computer-based manipulative have positive aspects, implementing these devices may become difficult.
The author investigates two key points in this article. First, she writes on how computer-based manipulative can enhance a students’ understanding of math concepts. The author identifies the outcome on how the emergence of technological advances have caused a shift in curriculum development across the nation. Furthermore, the integration of technology in classroom curriculum, has allowed students of the 21st century to explore the world using a vast array of online resources and digital media devices such as virtual manipulative. Then the author shifts gears and focuses on several issues that may make the implementation of technology in mathematics curriculum difficult. These issues include, the lack of professional development for teachers and technical staff, financial cost of purchasing and continually updating equipment, and Negative attitudes of students, teachers, administrators, who see technology use as presenting a threat to education.
This article explains the importance society plays in the learning of mathematics. The ideas discussed in this article are relevant to my role as a future educator, in a variety of ways because it explains the significance professional development. Professional development in the area of technology is important because it allows teachers to become more efficient and effective when utilizing technological tools in the classroom. As a future teacher I agree with the ideas expressed in this article, that the use of technology in mathematics instruction can improve a students’ understanding. This article has influenced me in thinking deeply about the value of technology and its advances on mathematics curriculum. I will utilize the research gathered from this article to provide students with an interactive classroom environment that effectively uses technology to enhance knowledge and understanding.
In conclusion, the 21st century learner should expect to have hands-on experience, through the use of virtual manipulative, Smart Boards, computer and other multimedia formats. As a future teacher, I will utilize this investigation to research more efficiently to incorporate all aspects of technology. I will make use of the knowledge obtained from this passage by integrating technological devices in my future classroom that will help students not only achieve in the classroom, but also globally.
Journal Article # 3
Mathematics with another subject area.
Ayisha Brailsford
EDU 307
Teaching Math in Elementary
Lecture 1300 Wednesday 5-7:30 pm
October 2, 2013
Bibliography
Weisman, K. 2013. Rekenrek: Count on it! Math Across the Curriculum. School Library Monthly Volume 29 Issue (4), 42-44.
McCallum, A. (2011). Eat your Math Homework: Recipes for Hungry Minds . Watertown, MA : Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc.
Title of Article: Count on it! Math Across the Curriculum
Author and Brief background:
Kay Weisman
Kay Weisman was a school librarian at Willowbrook Elementary school in Glenview, Illinois. She is a pioneer for reading and literature and her research focuses how to incorporate reading skills across the curriculum.
Journal Title and Volume Number:
School Library Monthly. Jan2013, Vol. 29 Issue 4, p42-44. 3p. 2 Color Photographs
Date of submission: October 2, 2013
Count on it! Math Across the Curriculum
Reading is an essential part of life, no matter what subject reading is the fundamental piece for education. This article examines the benefits of using literature to introduce key math concepts. Through several children’s books the author gives explicit details on activities that can help develop a students’ reading and math skills.
To begin with, the author investigates how teachers can integrate math across curricular subjects such as reading, science, language arts, and history. In the book Eat Your Math Homework by Ann McCallum, the author conveys several key activities that can be utilized to explain math concepts such as fractions, tessellations, and probability. “Eat Your Math Homework” provides several innovative, and interactive activities that can make the learning math concepts fun and exciting. The book includes step-by-step recipes for many math related foods such as the “pizza pi “, which can help students learn how to calculate the circumference and diameter of a circle (McCallum, 2011). Incorporating this book into the curriculum not only helps to ensure mathematics comprehension, but it can also develop a student’s reading and writing skills through guided reading, and independent reading activities. Reinforcing reading strategies into mathematics instruction is a very effective strategy that can develop competency skills for struggling readers, and English language learners. As a future mathematics instructor, I found it very interesting in how incorporating literature in the curriculum can be used as an advantage for teaching math concepts.
Furthermore, the ideas provided in this article are relevant to my role as a future teacher, because it explains how math can be simultaneously connected to several curriculum areas. This article influenced me in thinking deeply about value of utilizing reading materials across the entire instructional curriculum. The knowledge gained from this article will improve my teaching by ensuring that I incorporate innovative classroom activities as well as literature books, to enhance the students learning.
In conclusion, as a future educator. I will make learning interactive and innovative to many students by connection mathematics across curricular subjects. As a teacher candidate, I will make use of the new knowledge provided by this article by creating a learning environment that ensures that students acquire comprehension of the curriculum by making reading the primary component of learning. I will actively incorporate the use of literature books to ensure the potential learning gains of my students. All in all, the information from this article has influenced me to expand my knowledge of the many different literature aspects that can be integrated into the teaching mathematics.
Article # 4
Journal Article
Math: Learning Disabilities
Ayisha Brailsford
EDU 307
Teaching Math in Elementary
Lecture 1300 Wednesday 5-7:30 pm
August 28, 2013
Bibliography
Barbara Blanke. (2008). The Math Learning Center. Using the Rekenrek as a Visual Model for Strategic Reasoning in Mathematics. Retrieved August 24, 2013, from http://bridges1.mathlearningcenter.org/media/Rekenrek_0308.pdf.
Tournaki, N., Young B. S., Kerekes. J. 2008. Rekenrek: A Manipulative Used to Teach Addition and Subtraction to Students with Learning Disabilities. Learning Disabilities: A Contemporary Journal Volume 6 Issue (2), 41-59, 2008
Name: Ayisha Brailsford
Title of Article: Attitudes of Mathematics Teachers Toward Using Smart Board In Teaching Mathematics
Author and Brief background:
Wafa Muhanna
Nelly Tournaki is an Associate Professor of Mathematics Education at the College of Staten Island. She graduated from the illustrious New York University where she received Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, and Special Education. Nelly Tournaki is a pioneer for mathematic education and her research focuses math manipulative that can improve progress for students that may or may not suffer from a disability.
Journal Title and Volume Number: Contemporary Issues in Education Research. 4th Quarter, Vol. 6 Issue 4, p373-379. 7p.
Date of submission: August 28, 2013
Rekenrek: A Manipulative Used to Teach Addition and Subtraction to Students with Learning Disabilities
Students bring a wealth of different characteristics to the classroom, whether disability, race, culture, or socioeconomic background the teacher must create an inclusive classroom environment that adheres to every student. In this article the author specifically speaks about The “Rekenrek” which is a math manipulative. It is used primarily to assist students with learning disabilities, who may have difficulty comprehending math. Results have shown that most students have difficulties learning math due to the lack of prerequisites for number sense. As a result, Adrian Treffers, a mathematics curriculum researcher created the “Rekenrek” to teach addition and subtraction to students with learning disabilities. The “Rekenrek” encourages student to use multiple learning strategies such as doubles plus or minus, using compensation, and making tens to develop automaticity of math concepts and relationships.
According to the article the author states that “Using manipulatives that support automaticity, subitization, and flexibility helps children learn number sense effectively by making connections in mathematics based on experiences with concrete objects and pictorial representation.” To illustrate, when teaching mathematics to students with learning disabilities it may be wise to utilize math manipulatives during instruction to ensure comprehension of the subject. It is from my perspective that Mathematic manipulative materials can help enhance a students’ learning by allowing students to gain understanding of through hands on experience. In a similar article, Using the Rekenrek as a Visual Model for Strategic Reasoning in Mathematics, it is suggested that “Unlike drill and practice worksheets and flashcards, the “Rekenrek” supports even the youngest learners with the visual models they need to discover number relationships and develop automaticity.” In other words, the “Rekenrek” coupled with visual aids allows young learners to grasp a better understanding numbers and math concepts. With the discovery of numerical relationships it was recorded that students achieved an increase in their response time.
The author focused on two main point throughout the article. First, students need to experience in order for learning to occur. The author then focus on the notion that it is imperative for teachers to finds ways to develop automaticity of basic math, while utilizing math manipulatives such as the “Rekenrek”. After doing adequate research, results showed that students who utilized the “Rekenrek” not only showed significant learning gains, but also score higher on math test. The main points introduced in this article are very relevant to my role as a future teacher because it shows that students have different learning abilities. As a future educator it my responsibility to research and discover new interactive and innovative ways to appeal to a diverse classroom. It is my opinion that students learn more through application and experience, rather than handouts and worksheets. The facts revealed in this article has influenced my values, beliefs and assumptions about students with learning disabilities. No matter the circumstance all students can learn with the right instruction and direction from a teacher. With the knowledge gained from this article, I will be able to affectively use the “Rekenrek” method to create a healthy and positive learning environment to my future students by affectively using math manipulatives to ensure comprehension.