Math Blog Final Reflection

All quarter we have learned about different manipulatives to use in our classroom.  Though intended for upper grades (5-8), these ideas for teaching math can be used in any grades (or variations of the ones shown during class).  Using these tools in the classroom will help students understand the “why” and “how” of concepts, which will help them find the importance, remember, and use them.  If not using manipulatives for whole class discussion, they can easily be used to differentiate instruction for students that are need additional practice, or for enhancement for students that need additional challenge.

I have already begun to use random manipulates in the classroom to demonstrate concepts, specifically on the lesson about fractions of different sized wholes.  In this lesson, I wanted students to understand that having the same fraction size, but a different sized whole, will not be equal.  To demonstrate this to my third grade class, I used two methods to demonstrate this concept, first with three different sized bowls and told two people they could each have half a bowl of pretend ice cream.  I then posed the question of if that was fair, in which students replied no.  Then, I said, “but they each get half a bowl” and students showed, using the bowl, how the halves of different sized bowls didn’t mean the same amount.  In the second situation, I used clear Starbucks cups and filled each size half way.  I then had students pour their halves into clear measuring cups to see that the halves were definitely different amounts.  Though this was not a manipulative like the ones that Robin had shown us, it was an object that students could use to see the concept and find understanding with (opposed to the books demonstrations).  I followed up with having the students create their own problems to assess their understanding and application of this concept.

Now having used manipulatives myself and seeing them used in the classroom, I can see that the use of manipulatives is helpful in teaching math concepts. They can teach the same concepts that the curriculum book wants them to learn, but even in less time and with more impact on overall learning.  Knowing this, I will be more aware of how I will teach math in the future.