Final Blog, Final Thoughts

So here we are. Final blog. Well, as far as I know, that is. And I must say, this class has been somewhat of a surprise. I had no idea that literacy was so important to think about as an educator, especially as a mathematics educator. The creative thinking that goes into incorporating literacy (all kinds of literacy, that is) has been a challenge but very enjoyable at the same time. I firmly believe that the abilities to read and write and think critically are all literacy skills that are important for the mathematics learners.

So, this week was about writing! Something quite bittersweet for me both now and in high school. I generally absolutely loathe writing. Mostly because it takes me so long to do! But, I have practiced it enough that my end result is usually satisfactory. I have set personalized practices in my writing process that work for me and the way I function. This was all learned in high junior high from a homeschooled writing curriculum and my senior year of high school in CP English. All of the advice and methods that seemed to work for me were for the most part mentioned in chapters nine and ten of the Hinchman text. I especially liked the part that talked about the “thinking” step in the writing process. This is a hard concept to teach to students. I remember learning it and feeling that it was a waste of time. Both my mom and my high school teacher was very interested in “brainstorming” using diagrams and outlines and mind maps. I remember being so skeptical! But, since I was forced to do these things, to brainstorm, to trim my sentences, to create first, second, and third drafts, I ended up creating my own personal writing process. This is what I want my students to create!

I want my students to be able to create a custom learning process. After all, as a secondary teacher, I consider it apart of my job description to prepare my students for higher education. And there is no spoon-feeding in college. You have to learn to read critically and take notes and study specifically. You have to have original ideas and reactions to the things you learn.

Now how, in a math class, can I help my students develop these skills? Well, the article I summarized and shared about in class had a perfect description of an activity that required reading, critically thinking, and application. The teacher had his algebra I students read and respond to articles that had to do with mathematics and/or problem solving.  Students began to take ownership of their writing, reactions, and creativity. Because of the relative regularity of the assignment, students created their own processes and timelines. Thus, repetition with some added adjustments to keep a task challenging and interesting is a valuable teaching strategy.  I think another practice takes the form of teaching others. Requiring my students to inform their peers about a topic or concept requires them to do research, be kept accountable by their peers, and benefits the students they will be “teaching.” This allows students to reveal their personalized strategies for learning which, for mathematics especially, can help other students tremendously. I remember doing this in high school with my peers. I would essentially reteach the topic using my own approach and strategies. It almost never failed to help the receiving party.

This class has opened my eyes to the importance of literacy which includes not just reading but digital, critical, writing, and mathematical literacy. All of which are important for students’ futures whether that be at a university, in the job world, in the military, etc. After all, the thought process behind literacy and mathematics skills are not just useful for the technical applications but reach into all areas life.