OUT with the OLD and IN with the NEW. It’s
time for FRACTIONS!
Today’s lesson caused quite a stir. People
were debating over how fractions were taught eons ago and how it is being
taught now or rather how we should be teaching it now. It is no secret that I
struggled A LOT with mathematics. Needless to say, the topic on fractions was
one of my least favourite things on the mathematics list. However, I came out
of class today with a new perspective. Everything goes back to Jerome Bruner’s
theory of concrete, pictorial and abstract. But first, before
anything teaching and learning can be done, as educators, we need to let go of
the following:
- torturing ourselves with memorizing everything
- following pre-set procedures
- doing tedious calculations
Once, we are able to let this go,
especially the fact that we have to memorize the one billion formulas to solve
equations, we can move on with time.
Fractions can be challenging for anyone
especially a young learner. Therefore, as educators, it is our responsibility
to ease children into understanding this “complex” concept. It is essential to
know that children need to experience fractions across any construct. They need
many experiences in estimating fractions. Teachers need help children see how
fractions are like and different from whole number. Concrete experiences are
important. Thus, the use of manipulatives to explore fractions is critical. It
is also important that during this time to provide and encourage children to
come up with a variety of ways to solve fractions.
I am thankful that the use of “formulas” to
solve fraction has somewhat become obsolete. It was painful to have to remember
all those “formulas” back in school. After participating in today’s activities
using concrete and pictorial approach as well as coming up with different
variation to solve a fraction problem, my fear of fractions is beginning to
fade. I feel a lot more confident in doing fractions by myself and also have a
better idea on how I can teach fractions.
With that, I would like to urge my fellow
colleagues to leave our “formulas” behind and adopt this method of learning and
teaching. Trust me, subtracting and multiplying fractions have never seems so
manageable until today.
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