What do mathematicians do?

[Holly Dolan]

I have started using Becoming the Math Teacher You Wish You Had with my Master of Arts in Teaching students.  During our first class of the semester, we explored the picture books suggested in Chapter 2.  It was a wonderful conversation that lead to a first pass chart of what they wish for their students and how they might nurture them (see below).  They are completing a full year practicum as they take this course.  It will be interesting to return to this chart at the end of the semester and ask them about changes/additions.

What do you wish for your students in terms of their sense of what mathematicians do?
• Ask questions! Be inquisitive!
• There is still work to be done! (not just long ago)
• Mathematicians make mistakes
• Mathematicians aren’t looking for a correct answer, they are looking to answer questions, solve problems, identify patterns
• Math is a cooperative, building process of discovery (people before you, around you—discovery can happen in many places)
• Mathematicians collaborate
• Mathematicians estimate to a reasonable degree
• Mathematicians check to see if their answers make sense

What do you think that you need to do as a teacher to get them to this point?

• Teach students not to give up and that getting something wrong is not the end of the world (positive, encouraging talk)
• Explain in different ways based on what will help individual students
• Encourage students to approach a problem in a variety of ways
• Find a way for them to feel joy and success
• Math is fun! We all use math every day!
• Change the narrative to not assume that everyone thinks that math is boring
• Encourage them to take a first step even if you aren’t sure where you are going
• Safe failure (scaffolded?) is a way to help them feel okay about taking risks
• Learn to feel okay about sitting back and letting them fail, support them through challenge

 

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