Letting Students Take the Lead
by Tim Jaroche
Growing up, I was taught math one way, and so naturally as I embarked on my journey as a first time math instructor in adult education, I did what I knew. I took center stage. I explained and waited for correct answers. However, this didn鈥檛 promote curiosity, wrong answers, exploration, or participation.
Just like solving math problems, when something doesn鈥檛 work, you try a different strategy. The same applies to teaching, and with the help coaching from the team1, I am seeing past the fear and daunting challenge of teaching math to adults and am excited to continue my learning in order to help others overcome their math anxiety and turn the same corner that I have.
Knowing that I鈥檓 on a parallel journey to my students helps keep me motivated to learn and implement new methods in my classroom. In many ways, I feel that I鈥檓 trying to unlearn how I instinctively teach math. My biggest focus point this year has been on stepping out of the spotlight and letting students guide the learning process with their experience, knowledge, and curiosity. This sounds intuitive and simple but to me when I feel unprepared or panicked during a class discussion, I tend to over-explain instead of letting students’ curiosity take the reins.
One thing that has been really helpful for me has been using visuals or manipulatives in lessons to let students explore and to help me take a step back. To teach percentages2, I used a number line tool in . Some screen shots from the tool follow.
I shared this number line on the whiteboard for my students and asked them what they noticed and wondered. Students shared different observations about the numbers and percentages they saw. I was anxiously awaiting the reveal that there are percents greater than 100% and what they represent. Students continued to explore the image as I stood in the back of the room with their attention on the white board. I didn鈥檛 feel the need to explain what was happening as I could tell students were focused and thinking hard. After some exploration and discussion about how we could use this number line, students started to question what would happen if we moved the 鈥減art鈥� or shaded section past the 100% marker. Some students were quick to share that there couldn鈥檛 be a percent greater than 100%, some weren鈥檛 sure if that could be possible and others thought it was possible. Students decided how to move the number line to further investigate this and made the connection that if 100% equals the whole number one (or one complete version of something) then 200% represents the whole number two.
Students used 100 as the total and moved the orange slider to 200 to find 200%. Students wanted to move the slider to the very end of the number line where it read 200.
Before doing so, students had predicted what percent that would represent. Students then checked and found they had been accurate in their prediction. In addition, we talked about what this could look like in real-life. For example, if the class size increased from 10 students one day to 20 students the next, what percent increase this would represent?
My takeaway from this lesson was that using manipulatives or visuals helps students take the lead and guide the learning. Being prepared and practicing/playing with the math beforehand will also allow me to feel more comfortable letting students explore and ask questions. I鈥檓 learning that teaching math is about asking the right questions to help guide students’ thinking. When students are given answers or are over-explained to, they don鈥檛 continue to think and explore as much as when they are asked, 鈥淲hat will happen if鈥�?鈥� or, 鈥淲hat does that number represent?鈥� Taking a step back has been helpful for me to better understand what students know, and it allows students to participate more fully, ask questions, make mistakes, and build their confidence.
- Coaching from the is available at no cost to teachers from Massachusetts adult education programs. Professional development for programs in other states can be arranged for a fee; contact adultnumeracy@terc.edu for details. 鈫╋笌
- See the Learn about Percents page for more ideas. 鈫╋笌
Tim Jaroche is an adult educator at Methuen Adult Learning Center. He currently teaches Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and ESOL. In the last two years, he has embraced the challenge of learning how to teach math in his Adult Secondary Education class. With the help of SABES Math coaching support he is excited to continue learning how to teach math in a way that empowers, engages and excites adult learners.