April Journals

Math Club starting in Kindergarten
This article is about the implementation and reasons behind hosting a math club for students from grades kindergarten through eighth. The purpose of starting so young is to "enrich the classroom mathematics curriculum with hands-on activities and to have members participate in age-appropriate contests" (Perry, 2011). By engaging students with a variety of activities and opportunities to work with students, younger students practice math while getting attention from older students and older students practice math while sharing leadership and mathematic skills. Younger students are paired with older students during at least three out of the four meetings per semester. Those three meetings are after school. The fourth is a parent-involved night meeting. This promotes collaboration among parents and students as well as with the school and education in general. After describing the math club author Ann M. Perry talks about her experience setting up the club. The children are asked to provide supplies needed for the activity along with a snack for afterschool hunger. She found that encouraging children to bring a snack helped them focus throughout the hour. She also mentioned the importance of getting permission from administration and support from teachers so that the program is seen in a positive and empowering effort.

Through my own participation in educational extra-curricular activities and through learning about the benefits, I think starting a math club at an early age is a great idea. It is a way for students to have a different math experience then they do normally. I am not sure if it this article or just a culmination of this class but I am starting to become more confident in incorporating math into my lessons. If I can make it fun for me to incorporate it, hopefully it will be for the students too. There are many students who need a place to go after school and why not do something education four times a semester after school. The commitment for this is appropriate for the age range because they are balancing other activities and for some four time a semester is all the extra math they want to participate in. For students who want more activities on a regular basis I would provide some they could do at home, independently or with parents. I have also experienced and observed pairing younger students with older “study buddies” and I have always heard good things from both perspectives (younger and older) and I would like to find ways to incorporate this.

Perry, A. (2011, April). Math club starting in kindergarten. Teaching Children Mathematics, 17(8),
Retrieved from http://www.nctm.org/eresources/view_media.asp?article_id=9698

Addressing Cultural Bias
This article discusses the various ways to tackle the barriers ELL students face. Students who do not speak English as their first language or have not lived in the United States for a long period of time may be unaware of certain vocabulary specific to American culture. If used in word problems or educational materials, learning can become frustrated and stopped not because they do not understand how to do the math/work but because they do not understand the context. Twenty public school teachers were asked to find five examples from the educational materials they use that are culturally bias. They were asked why they picked those and how they could help students work through them. Teachers responded that they picked those examples because there were areas of potential confusion such as measurement and money terminology, places and certain material objects. When asked how to help students through this frustration, these teachers said to focus on understanding the mathematical concept and defining vocabulary. These techniques were discussed: provide diagrams, pictures, manipulatives, help to revise or rewrite problem using more familiar words, turning everything into a teachable moment, promoting conversation and intentional dialogue. Intentional dialogue is speaking with those familiar with the same cultural context.
These strategies and awareness of cultural barriers is important to all teachers and especially me since I am not sure where I would like to teach yet. There is already a large prominence of culturally diverse students in classrooms and there will continue to be more. I think this goes along with the idea that a teacher cannot assume students are familiar with all contexts and words, culturally diverse or not. It is great to have an ELL program in schools, but if there is not one present I want the best strategies to make learner enjoyable and without extra/unneeded struggles for all children.

Marinak, B, Strickland, M, & Wilburne, J. (2011, April). Addressing cultural bias.
Mathematics in the Middle School, 16(8), Retrieved from http://nctm.org/eresources/view_media.asp?article_id=9683