Curriculum Corner: The Mathematics Revolution

 

Dr. Jo Boaler, during her SPEAK Parent Education night, spent the evening dispelling the myth that there are math brains and non-math brains by citing research, telling stories, sharing resources and even asking the audience to solve a problem and share their solutions. The rich presentation included a focus on brain plasticity and how the brain is the most changeable organ, citing ideas and research from Carol Dweck’s growth mindset theory. Ms. Dweck suggests there are fixed mindsets and growth mindsets, with the latter being preferred. Dr. Boaler explained the importance of struggling with material and making mistakes, and cited brain research to support this claim. Some of this research suggests that the firing of synapses is an important part of brain growth as synapses fire twice while making a mistake, and only once when a problem is solved correctly. According to Dr. Boaler, there is no such thing as a "math wall" (e.g. the most difficult math concept/class that one’s brain just can’t get past). She also suggests that self-belief and the understanding that brains change and grow are both essential to making gains in mathematical understanding. Dr. Boaler’s talk had other points relevant to both families and educators, which are listed below in subtopics.

 

•    Math anxiety is a real thing and can pass from adults to children while working on homework.

•    “Smart” is a dangerous word to use for children as it leads to fixed mindsets.

•    Students who memorize facts are lower achievers in mathematical testing.

•    Speed and time pressure can negatively impact one's active working memory (e.g. the ability to hold information in the brain and manipulate it).

•    Being stressed and anxious blocks one's active working memory.

•    Thinking visually is important to math achievement.

 

•    Parents with math anxiety who do not help their children with math homework, do not pass on their math anxiety.

•    Praise working hard not being “smart."

•    Do not practice mathematics with flash cards (visit youcubed.org for practice alternatives and other math resources or click here for a youcubed handout)

•    Finger perception is important to mathematics and is the main reason why musicians often have strong math skills.

 

•    Calling on the first hand raised in class may imply that speedy calculations are better than taking time to solve problems.

•    Bridges, CSB’s Kindergarten through fifth-grade math program, develops number fluency and doesn’t support memorization over fluency.

•    The most valuable problems to solve include open questions with space inside them to learn (e.g. not fixed questions with single answers).

•    Open questions are a big part of both Bridges and the sixth through eighth-grade program.

•    Using visual representations to solve problems/concepts are a major component of CSB’s math program.

•    Fingers are the most important manipulatives students can use to solve problems.

 

Dr. Boaler emphasized the importance of students solving problems in multiple ways and also sharing their solutions with each other (a major component of the Bridges program). Not only did she cite research, but she also illustrated what this looks like by having the audience solve a problem together.

 

I thought it might be fun to solve the same problem within our CSB community. Click here to review the math problem. Then tell us how you solved it by tweeting your answer to the Cathedral School for Boys' Twitter account, @CSBsf. I will review the tweets and comment at @CSBsf.