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Mathematics Statement

The University of Alaska Southeast, Alaska College of Education states its candidates

know, understand, and use major mathematical concepts. The following will demonstrate the

knowledge and use of defining numbers and operations, measurement, problem solving,

communication, connections and representation in math. Spring 2015, I wrote a newsletter that

explained my philosophy of teaching math. My philosophy incorporates art, writing, reading, and

science to teach math. Since the writing of the newsletter, a little has changed, but much is the

same. The newsletter Math is Fun! is my artifact for this framing statement.

Before I teach a lesson about numbers and operations, I want students to know what they

are learning and why. Therefore, before I teach a new concept, I show and explain the math

standards for the Anchorage School District. I have a simplified version for each math standard,

which is printed on a 3”x12” card. With each new concept, I read the standard to the students,

and I explain what they are going to practice learning. For example, at the beginning of 1st

grade, I show the students math standard 1.NBT. A.1(Alaska Department of Education & Early

Development, 2019). I then say, “In 1st grade you get to learn how to count to 120 and how to

write to 120. My job is to help. Your job is to practice.”

In Math is Fun! I state that students will be allowed to play math games after completing

an assignment. Math games are an engaging way to teach students how to define numbers and

operations. We play Guerra (war in Spanish) with addition and subtraction flashcards. The game

is played with half of the class in one line and the other half in the other line. I stand at the front

of the two lines with the flashcards. The first two students look at the flashcard I am showing.

The first to say the correct answer gets the card. After about five minutes, I have teams count up

their cards. The team with the most cards wins. Then game is played again. The students go wild
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when I bring out the flashcards. In a fun and exciting environment, the students are quickly

defining the numbers and the operation to decide whether to add or subtract.

Defining the numbers on a clock and understanding the operation of the “hands” is a

difficult concept for many students. A fun way to practice this concept is to set the teacher’s

manipulative clock to a time. The students first determine the time of the clock. Then they write

the time on their whiteboard. Lastly, students hold the board so I can check their answer. My

students love using the whiteboards, especially the free drawing at the end of the assignment.

In my artifact, I state that sketching stick figures can teach students ratio and proportion.

As I guide my students in direct drawing lessons, I am also teaching them how to measure.

Before each drawing lesson, students fold their paper in half both vertically and horizontally to

help find the placement of the drawing. Not only do my 1st graders understand vertical and

horizontal, but they also know the top, bottom left and right corners of the paper.

In these drawing lessons, students also listening to me use mathematical vocabulary. For

example, while demonstrating direct drawing on the whiteboard, I might say, “Draw a circle on

the top half of your paper. Now draw a long, thin rectangle that sits above and on the circle. Now

estimate the center of the circle…” These instructions include and demonstrate important

mathematical vocabulary for 1st graders: circle, top half, long, thin rectangle, estimate, and

center.

Math has its own explicit vocabulary instructions. As students learn new vocabulary

terms, they can, in turn, increase conceptual understanding. For example: less than, more than,

above, and below. Research says that teachers should introduce unfamiliar math words, discuss

the words, then encourage students to use the new mathematical vocabulary in their questions

and conversations to ensure understanding. (Powell & Driver, 2015). This research goes on to
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say, “…the continuous exposure and use of specific mathematical vocabulary, presented

explicitly or implicitly, may be an important component to include in any mathematics

intervention for students…” (Powell & Driver, 2015, p. 229).

One way of practicing, using, and demonstrating mathematical vocabulary is by keeping

a math journal (see artifact). Research by Kostos & Shin (2010) state that the 2nd graders who

kept a math journal 1) Improved student’s mathematical thinking through math communication,

2) Increased use of mathematical vocabulary, and 3) Math journals could be used as assessment

tools. I plan to implement journals to my math instruction this next school year.

After reading the inspiriting article by Martinez & Martinez (2000), I knew this was the

hook I needed to make the lessons more exciting and engaging—teaching math with stories. The

authors say, “Overall, math stories work against an isolated and fragmented model of math

learning and support an integrated, collaborative style. They also respond directly to teachers’

efforts to represent mathematics as communication—a system of ideas that, like spoken or

written language, can be used to communicate and interact with the real world” (p. 54). I know

plan to engage the students with a wild story that incorporates math.

Incorporating math and science helps students make connections that represent the real

world. Because my 1st graders had not learned about rulers yet, we used 1” counting blocks,

which the students are familiar with, to measure the length of animal foot prints. Then we made a

graph with the information we gathered. Math was fun with this science project.

The original plan in Math is Fun! was to have students gather small items from outside—

rocks, sticks, leaves, etc. This idea was twofold. First, I wanted students to sort what they

gathered. Secondly, the more movement in a lesson, the better students learn and participate.

Research from Miller & Lindt said, “Results from this research do offer that movement
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integrated lessons might provide students with greater engagement in the classroom and

eliminate frequent off-task behaviors” (Miller & Lindt, 2018, p. 43). Although my students are

not going outside for science, sorting experiments and other math games are set up in a way to

allow for student movement.

Lastly, math is in every part of daily life. Incorporating math ideas and concepts into

every subject helps students’ make connections that represent their world. Make math fun and

students will learn.

References

Alaska Department of Education & Early Development. (2019). Retrieved June 11,

2019, from https://education.alaska.gov/standards.

Kostos, K. & Shin, E. (2010). Using math journals to enhance second graders’ communication of

mathematical thinking. Early childhood education journal, 38(3), 223-231. https://doi-

org.ezproxy.uas.alaska.edu/10.1007/s10643-010-0390-4.

Martinez, J.R., & Martinez, N. C. (2000). Teaching math with stories. Teaching Pre K-8, 30(4),

54. Retrieved from

http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uas.alaska.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&bd=aph&AN

=2607079&login.asp&site=ehost-live.

Miller, S.C., & Lindt, S.F. (2018). Chapter 3: Engaging elementary students through movement

integration in mathematics and reading. Curriculum & teaching dialogue, 20(1/2/2018),

31-43. Retrieved from

http://search.ebscohost.com.ezprozy.uas.alaska.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN

=131343472&login.asp&site=ehost-live.

Powell, S.R., & Driver, M.K. (2015). The influence of mathematics vocabulary instruction
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embedded within addition tutoring for first-grade students with mathematics difficulty.

Learning disability quarterly, 38(4), 221-233. https://doi-

org.ezproxy.uas.alaska.edu/10.1177/0731948714564574.