Thursday, February 21, 2019

Edugains in the Mathematics Classroom

What are the benefits of the Edugains site?

The Edugains site provides a number of fantastic resources for teachers that are beneficial for both preparation and in-classroom lessons. For example, the website includes ease of access to curriculum documents as well as the scope and sequence for various grades alongside activities to allow for teachers to build direct connections during the planning process. There are also countless resources available for supporting classroom practices, including unit videos to promote blended learning.

How might you use this site in your classroom?

The Edugains site provides teachers with opportunities to transform the classroom to that of the 21st century. Edugains allows access to digital tools for ease of integrating technology into Mathematics lessons. The website also provides lessons that promote financial literacy in the classroom, as well as tip sheets for using manipulatives with sample activities. Overall, the resources on the site promote the closing of gaps in Mathematics learning.

Top 3 Take-Aways

  1. Opportunities for spiraling Mathematics lessons
  2. Readily available three-part lesson plans
  3. Home support resources allow for individual growth at home and extra practice if students require (i.e. TVO Mathify) 



Thursday, February 7, 2019

Math Olympics in the Classroom

The Math Olympics activity allows for the development of critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity skills as students participate in a number of Mathematics-related exercises. This learning strategy is beneficial at all stages of learning - beginning, middle, and end of the unit. 

Beginning

The Math Olympics strategy is beneficial as a diagnostic form of assessment. Teachers can utilize this activity to understand what students know about a topic from the previous year in order to cater to students' learning needs in upcoming lessons. 

Middle

The Math Olympics strategy is useful for formative assessment as teachers can utilize this activity to see what topics require further review before moving forward and provide feedback. 

End

The Math Olympics activity is also beneficial as review prior to conducting summative assessment. Students may find this activity beneficial as they can practice components of the unit they struggle with in collaboration with their peers. 

Mathematics & My Teaching Philosophy

Mathematics in the Teacher Education program has shaped and informed my teaching practice and philosophy in a number of ways. I began this...