This has happened to me so many times…has it happened to you? I’m at a party and the conversation moves to finance in one of its many manifestations. Some people are intensely engaged while other eyes are glazing over. Someone with the glazed eyes says something like, “I was never very good at math.” And heads nod, and folks agree, and the conversation moves to other areas. Somehow it’s acceptable to admit that you never really “got” math. Would the same thing happen with reading? Can you imagine a party where some folks are sharing their love for literature, and someone says, “I was never very good at reading?” Why is it OK to say this about math, but not about reading?
When Whiteman Primary’s mission statement refers to an emphasis on academics, we don’t just mean reading…we mean math, too. Yesterday’s Navajo family math program is just one example of how we reach outside of the classroom to instill that passion for learning all subjects, including math. When I meet with our Lower Primary math teacher, Jen Freund, she often tells me about how much she loves sharing her passion for mathematics with the youngest children in the school. That passion was evident yesterday as children and parents, with her guidance, played a variety of math games that help build strong mathematical sense. Whether our kindergarteners are playing “Monster Squeeze,” both demonstrating and building their knowledge of the relative size of numbers, or our first graders are using coins to play a penny-nickel-dime exchange game, students are building a deep understanding of the relationship between numbers that will serve them well when they move, in future years, to an abstract understanding of algebra. It was fantastic to see so many parents take advantage of the opportunity to “do math” with their children. And I’m sure that these parents will never say to their children, “I’m no good at math.” They proved yesterday how much they value mathematical understanding.
The deep conceptualization of mathematical relationships is equally clear with our Upper Primary students. As I watched a Lakota class of fifth and sixth graders, I observed students working on a variety of application problems (aka, “real-life problems” or “word problems”). The students’ textbook had a clear, at least to me, approach it expected the children to take to solve the problems. However, as students worked using their own strategies and knowledge, their math teacher, Cindy Ruzicka, asked important questions like, “How do you know that’s a reasonable answer?” and “Do you really need to do the detailed division, or is an estimate close enough for this problem?” “What is the meaning of the remainder in this problem?” A student who used an “out of the box” strategy was recognized and his approach celebrated, and he was able to answer a peer’s question about how long it took him to use that creative strategy. Students listened to one another as they explained their thinking. All of this builds an appreciation for solving problems, which is really what math is all about.
This week, on the same afternoon, I had two students ask me, “Do you like math?” My answer was an emphatic “YES!” I know that our teachers would answer in the affirmative, as well. I hope that your answer will be the same when your children ask you that question. Modeling is the strongest motivator, and sharing math with your children just as you share reading is exceptionally important. As you continue to explore mathematics with your child, know that Jen, Cindy, and I would all love the opportunity to talk about all the various aspects of the subject with you.
Sharon G. Mensing
Head of School
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