PHASE TWO
I am a high school math teacher at Corliss High School in Chicago, Illinois. I usually teach freshman Algebra during the school year and Accelerated Geometry to emerging sophomores during the summer.
My big idea is that mathematics is everywhere and essential to our world. I believe it would be impossible to go a day without seeing, applying, or experiencing some form of mathematics because it is so ingrained in our world. Mathematics is not a concept which is or was invented by man. Man gave it a name. Man uses mathematics. Mathematics is a concept invented and mastered by nature. I have to goals for this project. My first goal for this project, is for my students to see that they are surrounded by mathematics no matter where they are. Mathematics is in their homes, when they travel to school or the store. Mathematics is present when they are at the beach or in the park. Mathematics is present when they go to school or even vacation. Mathematics is fundamental to their existence. My second goal is to show the practicality of learning and liking (at least just tolerating) mathematics.
My selected subjects for my project is all my freshman Algebra classes. This will be the first official high school math class that the freshman will take as they start their higher level learning. Most of the students come from lower economic family backgrounds and thus, neighborhoods. The students cannot see any relationship between mathematics in school and mathematics outside of school. They cannot see themselves as future consumers, professionals, and maybe even educators. Too many of my students struggle with the concepts of functions, solving linear equations, and in general applying the mathematical concepts they have just learned to different situations. I believe the reason for this is that most of them come to my class with the attitude that they dislike or hate math. I believe this is a mind - set that they have acquired from the adults they have been in contact with. Too many adults, even other content teachers, have the adversarial relationship with mathematics. I believe it is may duty to change their mind-set about math. Not only for their sake, but for their future generations. Mathematics can be used as a tool to elevate the quality of their lives.
I plan to start each algebra unit with a question designed to show how the unit is incorporated in their world or lives already. The students will answer the question in collaborative groups of four. Basically, I will facilitate a discussion that is student centered which is designed to allow them to make real world connections between the unit and their lives. I will ask the student what mathematical concepts are being utilized in different scenarios designed with the intention of letting the students see the hidden mathematics. These discussions hopefully will not take up more than a quarter or half a period. Next, the unit will be taught with the overarching theme of their pre-unit discussions. During the units I plan to have the students earn extra points by giving examples from their personal lives of the mathematical concepts being taught. For example, a student may tell me the function of their total cost to ride the bus for a week using their discount bus cards. Finally at the end of the each unit, the groups will be responsible for some kind of group presentation showing their level of understanding of the unit in a real world context.
In conclusion, my big idea is aimed at showing my students that math is all around them and that if used properly and by changing their mind-set about mathematics, their lives can be enhanced. I plan to accomplish this by having pre-unit discussions for each unit. I plan to give the prescribed unit assessments intermittently as required. I also plan on having the students work in collaborative groups to show their beginning and post understanding of each unit’s objectives and how they relate to their world. I will know if I have accomplished my big idea if at the end of the school year, my students share two of my opinions. First, that Algebra is the skeleton of all mathematics. Second, mathematics is the skeleton of all human and natural design.