You may have noticed a new bulletin board in the math wing at Medfield High School.
Although it’s content is short and sweet...and the papers are somewhat crooked...
the message behind it is hopefully powerful.
Although it’s content is short and sweet...and the papers are somewhat crooked...
the message behind it is hopefully powerful.
In math, we aim to provide students with a framework as they explore and make sense of
the world around them. Teachers ask students to look at relationships through 4 lenses:
Numerical Verbal Visual Algebraic
the world around them. Teachers ask students to look at relationships through 4 lenses:
Numerical Verbal Visual Algebraic
Although the level of abstractness, complexity and scope varies as students move up in grades,
this framework never changes. In essences this a framework to be considered when choosing
learning strategies. My students and I discuss this often in Algebra II as we look to try out new
strategies for learning math. One of my favorite learning strategy is referred to as Dual Coding.
I have included an article by Jennifer Gonzalez,
6 Powerful Learning Strategies You MUST Share with Students in Cult of Pedagogy.
She concisely explains...
learning strategies. My students and I discuss this often in Algebra II as we look to try out new
strategies for learning math. One of my favorite learning strategy is referred to as Dual Coding.
I have included an article by Jennifer Gonzalez,
6 Powerful Learning Strategies You MUST Share with Students in Cult of Pedagogy.
She concisely explains...
“The idea (of dual coding) is that by combining a visual representation of an idea
with a verbal representation of an idea, we will be able to learn the idea better.”
with a verbal representation of an idea, we will be able to learn the idea better.”
True to the strategy, there are many pictures available in this post to help students and teachers
understand Dual Coding as a learning strategy.
understand Dual Coding as a learning strategy.
Weekly Digest #67: Dual Coding in the Classroom from the Learning Scientists
So why have a picture book at the center of our math bulletin board? Not only does it provide
a great story of diverse mathematicians, but it is a reminder of the value of pictures in math.
In Algebra II we settled on this notion: if mathematicians were authors, they would be authors
of picture books or graphic novels. We would never want to explain the patterns we come upon
with only words and numbers. We always want pictures to help us illustrate everything we see.
What better way than to celebrate some fabulous books of our childhood?
a great story of diverse mathematicians, but it is a reminder of the value of pictures in math.
In Algebra II we settled on this notion: if mathematicians were authors, they would be authors
of picture books or graphic novels. We would never want to explain the patterns we come upon
with only words and numbers. We always want pictures to help us illustrate everything we see.
What better way than to celebrate some fabulous books of our childhood?
My hope is this bulletin board can travel to your school. (Link included here for content.)
We are even happy to mail you our copy of the book, Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four
Black Women and the Space Race, by Margot Lee Shetterly (Author), Laura Freeman (Illustrator),
as long as you are willing to ‘pay it forward’ and send it to another school:-) Thank you!
We are even happy to mail you our copy of the book, Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four
Black Women and the Space Race, by Margot Lee Shetterly (Author), Laura Freeman (Illustrator),
as long as you are willing to ‘pay it forward’ and send it to another school:-) Thank you!
