RODRIGUEZ, SHEILA

Mathematics Education Philosophy

Mathematics education is the practice (and sometimes art) of both teaching and learning
mathematics. It consists of the methods, strategies, and tools that facilitate the study of
mathematics practice. In mathematics, every concept builds on previous knowledge and is part of
a continuous process. Mathematics education is goal oriented and the core of problem solving.
I believe that the role of the student in mathematics education is to use prior knowledge to build
onto current instruction. Students should be receptive and self-motivated when it comes to
learning. They should independently develop skills in order to focus and decipher information.
This is easier for secondary level students who have had years to develop these skills and
become self-disciplined. However, younger students should be open and receptive to learning as
well and have a foundation to develop these self-discipline skills for the future.
Students can develop mathematics learning strategies such as building understanding of a new
topic by using prior knowledge. Students need to learn to break down problems to trace them
back to their basic foundation. Every topic builds on the previous topic and students should
follow the procedure in order to fulfill their role as a successful learner. These student learning
strategies make all the difference and facilitate the role of the teacher as well. It is the teachers
role to provide instruction that engages students, tunes into all different types of learners and
address problems from more than one single view.
When the teacher is fulfilling their role, they are teaching students the necessary skills to become
independent. When teachers use effective strategies for teaching mathematics and pass that
knowledge onto students, it makes a positive impact on the teaching-learning process. Teachers
can use a student centered approach to motivate students and keep them engaged on the
instruction. For example, teachers can have students build geometric figures with straws or pipe
cleaners in order to differentiate instruction. It is also very effective for teachers to create tests
that reflect a real-time learning experience. Material that relates to everyday life such as
measuring floor for tile or calculating sales tax allows students to create a relationship with the
instruction because they are familiar with it and can learn to apply it to real life situations
therefore seeing the impact the mathematics has in their life. Teachers should also grade for
learning and not teach for grading. Tests and homework should be assigned in order for students
to evaluate themselves and learn from their mistakes.
From a personal perspective, instructional methods that would be put into practice are derived
from research based theories or published strategies rather than from experience. When it comes
to teaching mathematics, I would apply constructivist methods and theories in order to reach out
to my students. Theorist Howard Gardner identified Mathematical/Logical as being one of the
eight multiple intelligences in his learning classification system. According to Gardners
theories, math is both vertically structured and cumulative. Mathematics education formulates
curriculum using this kind of theory. Every year, students are to be taught certain skills that are
necessary to learn the skills for the following school year. For example, in eighth grade, students
take Pre-Algebra in order to prepare them for Algebra I in ninth grade. They use the skills
learned in Algebra I to learn Geometry in tenth grade. Then, with the combined skills acquired
from Algebra I and Geometry, students take Algebra II in eleventh grade. In elementary schools,
RODRIGUEZ, SHEILA
certain skills are taught in kindergarten like counting, identifying single integers, etc. that are
necessary to learn to add and subtract in first grade. Another theory that I would apply in
mathematics education is Problem-Based Learning. Using this theory, specific knowledge on a
specific domain is necessary in order to solve problems within that same domain. The Florida
Standards for Mathematical Practices exhibit this very theory. For example, for Kindergarten, a
domain titled counting and cardinality includes individual knowledge such as knowing number
names and count sequences, counting to tell the number of objects, comparing numbers, etc. In
order for students to meet that specific domain, they must achieve all the other skills within it.