The more I think about Studio Day, the more I appreciate it. I had wondered why we couldn't simply perform this assignment in our main placements, but of course a) we're essentially seeing only one grade level there; and b) rarely do we--or at least I--have time devoted solely to one child's thoughts about math. We weren't there to teach, reteach, or grade; we were there simply to talk and observe.
I may have had one of the more reticent second-graders in the room, and as she proceeded to solve every problem with the standard algorithm, I wasn't sure how much I'd have to work with. She wasn't interested in manipulatives, didn't draw a picture, and didn't mention anything about the proofs that other students were offering up. But I tried to pull a few ideas out of her, and when I sat down in the library to write about it, I realized I had plenty to say for my assignment, likely even more than I would with my fifth-grader. That standard algorithm may seem boring in light of the other strategies we've been learning about, but unlike the way I learned at her age, this 8-year-old knows why she's carrying and borrowing, and can articulate it. I flip through my notebook and see words and sentences that characterize a second-grader's understanding the way a second-grader would explain it--not in the language of our textbooks. I don't know that I gained a great insight into how to teach math, but I do feel like I had an opportunity even a teacher doesn't have every day.
Kim, this really reminds me of when my son first started public school in fourth grade. He had learned long division using the standard algorithm. In this "discovery math"-based classroom, he was told that he could no longer use that method, even though he could thoughtfully explain each step of the process to his teacher. My son did not understand why the teacher seemed to infer that his method was wrong.
ReplyDeleteI truly hope that as we teach and encourage multiple ways of thinking about math, that we do not shy away from allowing our students to use algorithms. For many kids, it is a logical and meaningful method!