Boaler, Chapters 1-3

It was great to see everyone and back to class routines. I appreciated the opportunity to discuss and examine resources that are applicable to the teaching of math. I have already started the search for Math Curse and The Grapes of Math. I’m sure my students will appreciate these books as much as I will.

In the first three chapters of her text, Boaler introduces us to two schools, both of which employ very different mathematical approaches in the teaching of mathematics. Amber Hill’s approach to learning is very structured. Each class began with the introduction to different procedures in a clear and structured way. Students were then required to complete a series of questions using the methods described by the teacher.

The teaching pedagogies employed at Phoenix Park were much different from those at Amber Hill. From the beginning of year 8 to Christmas of year 10, students worked on open-ended projects in every lesson. This approach allowed students to examine and explore various topics in mathematics. The outperformance of Phoenix Park over Amber Hill students on standardized tests, could be attributed to the different teaching methods.

Through reflection on my own math experiences, and through discussions and observations with colleagues, the methodologies used at Amber Hill are very similar to those used in many classrooms throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. Throughout the years, we have somehow lost track of the purpose of standardized testing. It was/is intended to help identify areas of student weakness, as well as areas of strength. Why is it then, that we often use such assessments as public exams, CRT’s, etc as an indicator of teacher ability?