A History of My Mathematics Life.....

When asked to describe my mathematics classes from kindergarten to grade 6, my mind for the most part goes blank! I have very little memories of school during that time of my life, and even less about mathematics in particular. I have no idea what my classroom may have looked like, if it contained any mathematics posters or displayed and of the students’ mathematical work (or even of I did any type of mathematical work that would have been of the type to post on the classroom wall). I cannot remember using any sort of manipulative or whether or not I worked independently or in a small group. The only thing that I remember of mathematics in primary and elementary school was that there seemed to be quite a bit of drill and practice (addition, subtraction, etc., in workbooks) that was completed as homework. Also, I remember having to learn my multiplication tables by way of memorization without any comprehension of what exactly 4 X 6 really meant. The few memories that I do have accessible to me, seem to put mathematics in a light that was a drill, practice, and memorization topic. Not one of understanding, applying, reasoning and/or communication of the subject.

Having very few (or almost no) memory of primary and elementary mathematics has a huge implication for me!.....one that I never stopped to consider before this time......... if my early years of mathematics has so little bearing on my memory, it must have had very little impact on my life! Considering my current love and appreciation for the subject now and my post secondary education status (mathematics minor), this concept of mathematics having little or no impact on early years of my life is amazing to say the least.

When I move into my junior and senior high school mathematics memories, they start to become more prevalent. I remember enjoying mathematics very much, actually my favorite subject, until chemistry in level II. A mathematics class would consist of a chalk and talk lesson, then practice problems from the textbook to work on. In terms of assessment, all that I have a memory of completing is assignments and tests. When I think back onto my math classes, they are so different from what I do and use in my classroom now, when I teach the subject. I guess part of the reason I enjoyed math so much in high school was because I was good at it. Math was a subject that I could sit in class and listen to, understand the issues, do and finish the work that was assigned in- class (which meant no homework!! Yahoo!), and never had to study at home for the tests, yet still get an A+ in the course!

When I move into post-secondary education, in terms of mathematics, I did a minor in mathematics, so I completed the required 8 courses. I have to admit, while I found mathematics in university much harder than in high school, I still thoroughly enjoyed. It again was a subject that I could work on and understand, and I got progressively better with my results in my mathematics courses the further into my degree I went.

I understand that all of the above memories, and I’m sure even more that I can’t quite remember now, have helped shape who I am today regarding my understanding and view of mathematics. I feel that mathematics is not so much a subject or topic to be simply studied, but is a part of life. I have concerns about the current lack of motivation and interest students and parents display when talking about or referring to mathematics. This is something that I hope to change, if only for the students that I teach. I hope to impact my students’ lives in such a way, as to leave them with more memories and fonder ones than I have of mathematical education in school, in a hope to boost the attitude toward mathematics in a more positive light!

Video - Sir Ken Robinson

After viewing the video of Sir Ken Robinson giving a speech at the TED Conference in 2006, a few issues stuck with me.

Sir Ken Robinson was trying to get across the concept that we are educating children out of creativity. This is something that I tend to agree with. With the structure of the education system, the theory of curriculum, does not allow for creativity. How is it possible to have a curriculum that is so highly structured, pre-specified and numerous, and yet allow for creativity. The very aspect of creativity and originality does not lend itself to being pre-specified before the teaching. That is to say, that not all the curriculum outcomes need to be predetermined, they can be developed based on the student, the setting of the class environment and then created by the teacher. As stated by the Elliott Eisner, teaching a child should be a work of art and that a students' product should be "a surprise to the teacher and the student".

Secondly, education is often viewed as a preparation of adulthood, and again I feel that this is another factor that leads to the mis-education of children (the education out of creativeness). Education is a preparation for adulthood just as much as it is a process of current living! Sir Ken Robinson makes note that without the willingness to be wrong, or the preparation of possibly being wrong, one will be less willing to take risks and chances and thus cannot hope to be creative. This means that part of education, a process of life, is to allow children to take risks, to be wrong, to learn for their mistakes and eventually be intelligent and creative - to be able to view problems in several ways and solve them in several/differing ways!