Leslie's Books Reading Response 2.

I liked Chapter 10 a lot. I agree with the author 100% percent that practicing cooperative learning through listening and speaking in mathematics promotes learning in a math classroom. I believe cooperative learning is key in student literacy learning of mathematics because through students working with another peer or in small groups are allowed to get a different perspective on a problem or part of a lesson from a another student than just the teacher. Students can come up with different approaches to solving a problem and having students exposed to these possibilities enhances their learning and understanding of mathematics.

Cooperative learning allows students to express their thinking orally; they practice their listening skills, and also learn how to question other students about their ideas to help them clarify information. I have seen the “make my day” cooperative learning activity done at my CPD slightly different. My mentor calls it “Raise to the top”, she uses the word banks of mathematical terms they have learned throughout the year. Students all start at the back of the classroom, and teacher puts up the word, the student who raised his/her hand first and answers the correctly moves up one desk until they reach the from desk just one question away from reaching the board and winning the game. I enjoy seeing the students play this especially when they come into school looking very tired, this game gets them moving. The second thing I like about this game is that since the desks are lines up a student from the back can actually hop over the students if the desks are taken given them the chance to get back into the game and building their confidence to wanting to try. Lastly, what I also like about this game is that students do not only recite back just the definition they also give you a sentence or an example of how the term is used.

I have never heard of the silent teacher cooperative strategy. This strategy I founded to be very powerful in helping students understand literacy in mathematics. Often time as teachers, we do not allow time for students to question or explain problems. We always explain to students how to perform a task and solve problems in math. We need to take a step back and allow students time to take the role of the teacher by allowing them to explain problems to the class. From just listening to the students reading out-loud mathematical expression and explaining how to solve problems, we can learn if they understand mathematical symbols and if they are using them correctly. Allowing them to take the role of the teacher from time to time allows students the opportunity to verbalize mathematical symbols and terms/vocabulary. As a result, it enhances their chances for students to learn mathematics more effectively.

Lastly, teacher would learn from students and also be aware where students are struggling just by listening to their conversations and explanations. Teachers can pick up on students’ miss-interpretation of math terms and symbols and even errors in their step process when solving a problem. This allows the teacher to go back a second time improve their lesson to re-present the material on the misconceptions students may have. I agree with the author when he said that people that choose this field is because they like explaining and they are good at it. However, it is time for teachers to take a step back every so often to allow students thinking and verbalizing of mathematics to develop. It is time to help them become critical thinkers about mathematics and independent learners of the information they are being exposed to at school. Furthermore, cooperative learning is an excellent skill for students to build up their communication and team working skills, something they will be faced in the future when they go out in the real world.