I have also had some students that are very fearful of math, bt are also
willing to WORK! I love to teach math, I try to empart this onto my
students. I have seen those that want to work and try turn their attitudes
around! This is so exciting! It makes the entire semester worthwhile if
ONE person is willing to work on how they feel about math. For some I have
said "The statement 'I hate/can't do math' is not allowed in this
classroom". I have even shared with them my experiences of being in the
8th grade and being told I would never be any good at math, so take the
lowest class possible to just graduate from high school and college! This
is a difficult course to teach, not because of the content, but the
attitudes can really play on how I feel about the class. Some days I have
had to be a good actress! I have decided that I have to keep in mind that
even if I can change ONE persons attitude about math, then I have
succeeded.
Thank you for your input. I agree, we need mathematics specialist in
elementary school, as with other subjects too. It is important that people
LIKE and UNDERSTAND what they teach.
Thanks to everyone for their input, it is helpful!!!!!
Jodi
>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)
>teach 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 Caifornia 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 school.
>>>
>>>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 reated 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 subscriber 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)
Jodi Cotten
Northern Arizona University
jodi@primenet.com