PYP Math & ICT Coordinator
Why do some kids, and even some adults, have trouble with fractions or feel frustrated when dealing with problems requiring a deep understanding of this concept? Look at this example. The shaded part of each image represents its half. However, this is not obviously clear to many students. Why? Actually, “fractions” is not an easy […]
Despite all the challenges we are all facing due to COVID-19 since the beginning of 2020, I have continued seeking new opportunities for my professional growth and laying the groundwork for my next career move. My attempts paid off when I earned my MIEE (Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert) badge, conducted an online webinar about teaching […]
In his book “How the Brain Learns Mathematics”, Dr. David Sousa presents the findings of recent research on the brain and mathematics learning. He discusses the results of the studies of neuroscience and cognitive psychology that can inform the teaching of mathematics. He also focuses on the importance of giving meaning, making connections during learning […]
In the second chapter of his book, David Sousa discussed how we learn to calculate by answering the following questions: “Why is learning multiplication so difficult, even for adults? Are we teaching multiplication in the most effective way? Do we really even need to learn the multiplication tables?” Text-to-Self This reminds me of […]
Believing that the planner is a living illustration of an ongoing collaboration to facilitate transdisciplinary thinking and learning (Learning and Teaching, IB), this post aims to share a Grade 5 Math planner about teaching different types of numbers. The template used is the one already shared on my blog “How to develop a math planner […]
Reformation of the Math planner has started a year ago. In my previous post, “It’s Time to Make Connections…” I wrote about our planning process, and I intended to share a complete planner, including a unit web. However, the enhancements in the PYP altered our thoughts by presenting an explicit focus on agency, voice, choice, […]
A thorough understanding of basic number facts and arithmetical operations, as well as a solid knowledge of number properties and number relationships, is an essential prerequisite element to develop mental computation skills. Indeed, mental computation needs to be viewed as a sequence that starts from the kindergarten and develops over the years, and as a […]
Procedural fluency is one of the five strands of mathematical proficiency: conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, strategic competence, adaptive reasoning, and productive disposition, and it is defined as the skill in carrying out procedures flexibly, accurately, efficiently, and appropriately. Knowing that these strands are interwoven and interdependent, the question is how to develop a balanced curriculum […]