Re: meeting the needs of today's students

MIKE MALLEN (mallen@SBCEO.K12.CA.US)
Mon, 3 Feb 1997 17:42:59 -0800

Jodi:
I have taught the same course (Math for Teachers) . I have also taught
elementary teachers a methods course with a lab based upon concrete
experiences (sorting, classification, measurement, Cuisenaire rods,
geoboards, etc.),
The teachers were wondeful people but fearful of math. My job was to (1)
teah them appropriate methodology (2) make them less fearful of math -
maybe even LIKE it (3) evaluate them in this course and thus decide who
would make it as a teacher.
Most students eventually relaxed and enjoyed the insights obtained during
the lab.
But some never got over being fearful, and some, though excellent in their
reading methods and other courses, were not, in my opinion, qualified to
teach math.
I quit because the decisions as to who would make it were horrible. I passed
almost everyone, knowing full well that some would be lousy math teachers.
But these were U of California graduates - a fairly select group. They had
been carefully screened for graduate school in education (all education
courses are graduate courses in Calfornia - no one teaches without a subject
matter degree). Practically all the students were from the social sciences.
I had recommended a number of students to the teacher education program.
Many were turned down because they lacked, in the interview committee's
opinion, the "social skills" (In other words, they were a little too nerdy
for the interviewers).
I could not stand the dilemma of simultaneously encouraging and filtering
possible teachers who were already poor candidates for math teaching, but
excellent in the other areas.
Until the average university teacher applicant has enough education in
mathematics to not be fearful of teaching elementary school mathematics,
the only solution at the elementary level is to have mathematics
specialists, INMHO.

At 06:43 PM 2/1/97 -0700, you wrote:
>>In a message dated 97-01-29 12:07:44 EST, dwhitfie@warrior.mgc.peachnet.edu
>>(Donna whitfield) writes:
>>
>><< if we are going to fix the problem it must be addressed at the
>> elementary level. Attitudes are developed at an early age and are very
>> difficult to change later life. >>
>>
>>I agree. I heard that the majority of students have decided whether or not
>>they are good at math by the 3rd. grade--and that this decision is very
>>unlikely to change in their later years of shool.
>>
>>Are there any elementary school teachers on this list who could share their
>>experiences with us? Thanks...
>>
>>
>>Mark Harbison
>>Whittier, CA
>
>Mark,
>
>I am not an elementary school teacher. At this time I am a graduate student
>in mathematics and I graduate teaching assistant. I have taught high
>school and community college in the past. My experience with elementary
>teachers has been from my neice. Coming home to me in the 3rd grade
>telling me that her teacher and all her classmates hated math. The teacher
>had related this to her students! I was appalled! My sister stopped me
>from calling the teacher, I wish I would have done so. The next year my
>niece came home once again from school, disgusted because her teacher could
>not tell her why she could not divide by zero. The teacher said "Just
>believe me, you can't". It took me about 2 minutes to explain it to her
>with a simple example and she understood. The next day she returned to
>school and proceeded to explain it to her teacher!
>
>I am currently teaching a class called "Mathematics for Elementary
>Teachers". I am worried about the attitudes of some of my students with
>teaching math. I would not want them teaching anyone I know math!!! They
>just want to "get through the class". My niece, now 15, still loves math.
>She will be taking AP Calculus when she is a senior in high school. I am
>glad I was able to have a positive effect on her while she was still in
>elementary school. It worries me when I think about the children that do
>not have someone at home or in school that loves (I would settle for even
>liking math or putting on a good act!) Attitude of the parents and
>teachers is so imprortant!
>
>If anyone has any ideas I can pass onto my students that are our future
>elementary teachers, I would appreciate what you have to offer. I try to
>show them all the joy and love I have for math, make it exciting and fun.
>I can only do so much, the rest is on them to change their attitude.
>
>Thanks. I am a new subsriber and am enjoying your discussions.
>
>Jodi Cotten
>
>Jodi
>jodi@primenet.com
>Galations 5:22
>
>

***********************************
Mike Mallen
Professor, Mathematics
Mathematics Department
Santa Barbara City College
721 Cliff Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93109
805-965-0581- ext 2267
mallen@dospueblos.sbceo.k12.CA.us (home)
or mallen@gate1.sbcc.cc.ca.us (school)