Thanks for the two websites. I especially like the Singapore math
one. I did an online workshop on Singapore math and really liked it.
My 5th graders and 7th graders lack problem solving skills and I think
this will help them. I plan to start implementing a "problem solving
day" once a week and use some of these strategies. Time is always a
factor though and I feel stressed to meet all the state standards in
addition.
I also liked DSF/NJ's idea of the tool table. I'm going to try that
also.
I've found that most of my students really don't want to think, they
just want to know how to do the problem to get the right answer. Even
by 5th grade they are already doing this. I tend to want to do it
too, that's how I was taught. I want to change things, but it's hard
to break the habit. Sometimes they wear me down with their whining
about "it's too hard", "I can't do it", "We don't know what to do", "I
don't understand what it's asking", "Is this right?", etc. I try to
play dumb, but I get frustrated.

Oh well, anyway, thanks for the ideas and websites.

On 11/07/09, Burt wrote:
> On 11/06/09, DSF/NJ wrote:
>>
>> Singapore math is VERY big on visual representations of all
>> problems. I actually went to two workshops on this, recently.
>> For example, a vendor has 16 balloons and he sells 7. How many
>> are left? 1st graders would be encouraged to draw all of the
>> balloons and cross off 7.
>> As students advance, and numbers become greater, they are
>> encouraged NOT to draw each of the elements of the problem but to
>> represent them with a 'tape' or 'bar' that is simply labeled with
>> the amount it represents.
>> I still think that making a visual is the strongest strategy that
>> a student has in his arsenal of problem-solving weapons.
>>
> I agree that the block models help students see the math
> relationships and make it easier for them to solve problems
> logically.
>
> To learn how Singapore Math does problem solving, try these sites:
> thesingaporemaths.com/index.html
> www.thinkingblocks.com/TryIt.html

Share This Post | Report This Post

Next Post >>

Posts on this thread, including this one