Finish the article
Comment on the following:
1. What are your overall thoughts, comments, concerns on the issues discussed in this article and what you have read?
2. Engage in meaningful conversation by posting on others comments about this article.
The ending of the article really made some valid points. One of the major differences with Japanese educating in mathematics vs. Americans educating is the belief in patience. In America, a lot of our students want the answers, and they want them now. We live in a world where most answers are at the tips of our fingers via our cell phones, and students do not want to take the time to self-discover mathematical concepts. This needs to become a change in American education of mathematics in order to see a shift towards student centered learning and discovery.
ReplyDeleteWhile any new math strategy is going receive opposition, the Japanese teacher in the article had a great idea about ensuring parents were involved in the change. By keeping in constant contact with parents when you are trying to make changes in how mathematics is taught, people will be more open to accept that change and see the good in it. If as a whole country we want to shift our teaching of mathematics from memorization to exploration, we need to be open and communicate about why these are positive changes and how they will help Americans grow in essential mathematical abilities.
I also liked the idea of sending home an explicit news article on the math taking place in the classroom. Parents start to hate the math reforms because they don't understand it themselves. I know some schools are holding sessions that parents can come to to help them learn what their students are learning but very few ever attend those sessions. A newsletter is convenient and at the fingertips of the parents. Even if they are uninterested they will most likely take a look at some point just because it is sitting in front of them.
DeleteI couldn't agree more, it is such a frustration of my how quick people are to bash common core but MOST are uneducated on it and really make no valid points. I think they just find it easier to be negative :-(
DeleteOne thought that came to my mind while finishing this article is that I would like to save it and have it to send to the next person that talks about hating the new math or "why can't we go back to the way I learned it." I think students as well as adults have become mathematical robots that relied on memorization and procedural techniques to get them through the math that they needed. Now when asked to think about something mathematically they struggle with the basics because they never learned the "why" behind the procedure or the flash card or the calculation they were typing in to their calculators.
ReplyDeleteI also hope that Americans start teaching the teacher the new way and do so knowing that they will forever need resources, professional development and help from where ever they can get it throughout their careers.
Every idea brought up in the article was what I have always believed in myself or thought about myself and they summed it up beautifully. It also really hit me when they addressed the issue of the schooling the teachers' receive in Japan vs. America. I can't tell you how frustrated I was that I paid thousands of dollars and was never taught how to teach. I mean when a welder goes to school they learn to weld, when someone goes for Culinary they learn to work with food but when a teacher goes to school they learn just more of what they were taught in high school.
I totally agree Sarah!! I am hopeful that college professors will adjust their methods of teaching to reflect the changes in education. On another note, I was truly a "mathematical robot", a master of the "tricks" Since working with the modules, I have learned many helpful models and strategies. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks! LOL!
DeleteAwesome idea Sarah!! I need to give it to some administrators!!
DeleteDo college professors even realize that changes need to be made in the way they teach?
DeleteAfter finishing the article, I actually feel pretty good about where we are as a district. As difficult as it was to make the transition to the math modules, I am starting to see children become math thinkers instead of just calculators. As with anything new, teachers need support, time to learn, time to practice, and time to reflect. Transitions such as these certainly don’t take place over night. Even though I have developed a comfort level with the modules, I find that I continue to learn new things each day. I am hopeful that more parents will also begin to see a difference with their children as well. We need to show them that math is more than simply memorizing steps. I loved the quote at the end of the article, “The moment a child changes, the moment he understands something, is amazing, and this transition happens right before your eyes.” I am seeing changes in children, and it is exciting.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Kelly. Our teaching methods have changed since the implementation of the modules, and I see that change reflected in the way students approach math. I do think our students are becoming better problem solvers and can apply their understanding of concepts in various situations, not just in isolation within an individual lesson.
Delete
ReplyDelete1. What are your overall thoughts, comments, concerns on the issues discussed in this article and what you have read?
I think it's interesting to see how education outside the USA is being taught. The fact that the ownership of learning is placed on the student. Most students never see how the subjects being taught can impact them later in life. It's more of that millennial stuff.
But dont you think that would need a tremendous mindset shift in the U.S. to happen? I see parents really needing to assist if this was ever going to be the case here. Right now all the pressure is on the teacher...
DeleteJessi, you are absolutely right. All of the pressure is on us, but that has been the case for a long time. The students/parents are never held accountable.
DeleteWhen I step back and look at this article, it comes from a reputable source, but I wonder if some thoughts are left out…not purposely. The article energizes me because it makes me think about my practices in the classroom and fuels my desire to be a better/different teacher. My confusion comes from the idea of…are we comparing apples to apples? As I mentioned in an earlier post, I read a book titled, The Smartest Kids in the World and How They Got That Way, a book talk facilitated by Heidi Toploski. In that book, we learned about a handful of countries and some of their educational practices. I specifically recall reading about Korea. In Korea, the amount of time students spend in school was astronomical, but their PISA scores were some of the best. Some of the students in Korea went to school almost twice a day, one of the schools called a hagwon where they could stay until nearly 11:00 at night. My questions is…are there other educational practices happening in Japan that just weren’t mentioned in Elizabeth Green’s article? I think Green’s article was a lot about teachers and standards and their impact on students, but when do we talk about student/societal differences? I am thinking that I will gain more insight about my question…as I now see the titles of the next two articles. Please understand, I am not against change, and I have a desire to be a life-long learner, but I want to be able to make equal comparisons.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was discussing this article with my coworkers, there was a lot of question over whether we can really compare ourselves to the educational practices in Japan. It is realistic to compare American progress in math education to Japanese progress? While I am not sure about this, I do know that there were some great points about how to change American ways to doing mathematics to help gain an appreciation for mathematics and all of its benefits.
DeleteI agree Lori< i think its ok to compare slightly but not make changes in the U.S. based on what another country is doing. Every country is unique and i think we do have a lot of good going on here in education.
Delete
ReplyDeleteI found it very interesting to compare the way Americans teach and learn as compared to the Japanese. There are many differences that I am not sure we can change. While I would like to see college professors prepare new teachers with a deeper level of math understanding and better ways to actually teach, who will train the college professors? Do they even realize what needs to be done?
That is something that will take time to change.
Another thing that we really need is consistent parent involvement. I understand that some parents don't have the background knowledge to necessarily help with homework the way some do, but teachers need parental support that I feel is missing. Even if we were given adequate class time to allow students the opportunity to make discoveries, the majority of American students lack the patience that is required to do this successfully. Truth be told, many students are just too lazy to put forth the effort. While some students thrive on self-discovery in the classroom, others can’t be bothered. I think that if the CCSS were implemented in a better way, we might be seeing a greater amount of change in this area.
I agree, I doubt colleges even know... Wonder who tells them?
DeleteWouldn't parent involvement just be awesome if only... My students have so little patience for classwork, i wonder if their ability to have an answer in an instant from Siri is causing them to not want to try to find an answer on their own...
You can't begin to fully understand the instructional changes with Common Core math unless you are in the classroom living it. So I struggle to believe that college professors can clearly present the changes to their students.
DeleteKaren, I agree that consistent parent involvement is a huge piece of the puzzle. It is pretty easy to tell which students have strong support at home. That is where it needs to start. Parents also to set an example that education is so important and valued.
DeleteI also wondered about how connected college professors are to the Common Core math curriculum, or any Common Core changes. I remember doing a lot of work with the New York State standards as an undergrad, and I am curious how the teacher education curriculum has changed to reflect the change in standards.
DeleteI also wondered about how connected college professors are to the Common Core math curriculum, or any Common Core changes. I remember doing a lot of work with the New York State standards as an undergrad, and I am curious how the teacher education curriculum has changed to reflect the change in standards.
DeleteAfter finishing this article, a few things come to mind...
ReplyDeleteObviously the model Japan uses is awesome, however there seems to be a momentum change happening here. For what I'm seeing teachers were pushed back but we didn't sit back... We are all looking to find ways to be more effective with our students. Some of the things this article talked about including the "old" I,we,you approach and the "new" you,y'all,we way certainly made me want to explore more of that. But one of the advantages I have in my program is the ability to teach math applied.. My whole approach to teaching started with my love for math. So I love making math relevant. But more importantly, I think the subject needs to be taught to all 3 types of learners. (Auditory/Visual/Kinesthetic) all too often I think we are teaching to the visual/auditory....
The article speaks to how math is respected as a discipline in Japan. I think that the Common Core is moving us in that direction. When I think back ten years, it seemed that we were lost in textbook programs and the lesson routines they presented. Now the focus is the actual math skills.
ReplyDeleteHeidi,
DeleteI like how you reference math as a "discipline". maybe that is what we should call it!
ReplyDeleteThis was an eye-opening article, yet I wasn’t really surprised by the differences in American and Japanese teaching. I think the fact that they are doing better than us, not only in math, is not a surprise to me. I have noticed many differences between the two. Japanese teachers use a process called “bansho”, which is a blackboard art where students can visualize the flow of ideas from problem to solution to broader math principles. Japanese teachers go to study sessions with other teachers, watch public lessons and pick the brains of their old professors. When do we do that? Americans also tend to be impulsive and impatient. Japanese teachers knew the change would be slow, but stayed the course and believed in patience and the possibility of change, no matter how long it took. The other piece we need to keep in mind is the impact these changes has on parents. I feel it is commonplace for American parents to be frustrated with the NYS math modules, because they were just plopped on us as teachers. That frustration rolls down hill! Communication with parents during these transitions is key.
Choosing your teaching style should not be based on what is comfortable and familiar. That’s why it doesn’t work here. We have to get out of our comfort zones! That is where real change begins. We also have to communicate to students that math is real world, not just a 60 minute class in school. American teachers also need time to better prepare and get the support and tools that they need. How can we possibly be competitive without changing what we a currently doing? One comment on page 17 that rang true for me was where they talk about not being surprised when students don’t do well because we are forced to just adopt standards and mandates. No wonder we are behind……………………..
Great statement Audrey! Its not always comfortable to change and i wish more would embrace it!
DeleteI definitely agree that we are not giving changes in the curriculum enough time. Many political and educational leaders wanted to see quick turn around and immediately higher results from Common Core changes, but without the proper training or time for students to adjust and learn. We are definitely a culture that lacks the patience to see these types of initiatives through.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe first thought that came to mind was that good teaching takes time. Time for preparation, time for collaboration and time for reflection. Meaningful professional development is important and this also requires time. Teacher preparation is also something that might need to be reviewed. I remember a psychology course that I enrolled in and eventually switched out of in my early college years. The “professor” was about 70 years old and stuck in her ways. The first day she distributed the syllabus and asked us to take out our books. She asked for a volunteer to start reading the first chapter. Occasionally, she would make a comment such as “That is pretty important and might be on the test, you might want to highlight that”. This was how she taught the first two classes. I never made it to another class because I dropped her class and enrolled with another teacher. When I asked how a college professor could possibly read to students and called it teaching it was explained to me that she was an adjunct professor and at that college they were not observed and didn’t have evaluations completed. I hope that has changed! A last thought was changing the public’s perception on “new math”. I like the idea of newsletters but I would like to see more parents at the schools for seminars or other informational meetings regarding change.
ReplyDeleteYou got it Justin!! Now tell that to every administrator you meet ;-)
DeleteI thought this article was very interesting and offered a lot of evidence as to why we are not succeeding at teaching students math. Many teachers do not feel comfortable changing their methods themselves or feel that the old way is the best way, even if it is not getting the desired results. More inquiry and exploration would be a huge benefit to our students in the area of math, especially to those that don't see the purpose or meaning behind the instruction. I thought it was interesting how much professional development each of the Japanese teachers interviewed were getting, from attending classes to staying in touch with old professors. Once teachers here graduate from their respective colleges, they almost never keep contact with their professors in this manner. I often feel that people take professional development without really implementing what they are learning in the way it is intended sometimes. Lastly, it seems that the Japanese teachers have decided to change their practice slowly, over time, with training, where as in the US educational system, we often try something for a few years and give up on it when it doesn't result in an immediate turn around. We need patience!
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article, I can't help but become a little bit frustrated with the American educational system. We are trying to keep a competitive edge with other countries around the world. I have noticed that many of our teachers are not open minded and resist change. I liked how the article states that teachers need patience and need to be open to change. There should ALWAYS be a commitment to improvement. The article notes that training teachers takes time, and we should not expect teachers to grasp big concepts immediately. I also thought it was noteworthy that Japan helps parents get involved with the learning process so that they can help their children at home. I honestly do not see this transition happening in America. The change will be too overwhelming for parents and teachers unless there are mandates from the federal government. Even with these mandates, there will be too much resistance for there to be effective change in America. I am all for it, and hope to see the culture change in America. Kyle H
ReplyDeleteThanks for this and all the best. Keep it up,I will definitely implement it on my life. I need your more suggestions.
ReplyDeleteคาสิโน
ร้อยไหม
ReplyDeleteร้อยไหมปรับรูปหน้า ปรับรูปหน้าที่ไหไนดี ร้อยไหมตรงไหน
ดี? กังนัมสถานพยาบาล
เป็น
คำตอบไม่ว่าจะเป็น ร้อยไหมหน้าเรียว เป็นวีไลน์แบบประเทศเกาหลี
ด้วยไหมก้าง
ให้ท่าน
งาม
แบบประเทศเกาหลี
ลดอายุ หน้าเด็ก ไม่เจ็บ ไม่บอบช้ำ
ไม่บวม หน้าเป็นวีเชฟ ลดเหนียง เหนียงกระชับสมปรารถนา
ร้อยไหม วีเชฟ
ร้อยไหมก้างปลา