Tickling Toes to Trigonometry

Visual-Spatial Reasoning R. Brian Winsor, Ph.D.

One of the defining characteristics of visual-spatial reasoning is the ability to transform abstract concepts into visual images. This is a very difficult process as can be demonstrated in any 5th grade classroom attempting to teach students to multiply and divide fractions. It is very difficult for most students to create a mental picture of 1/4 x 1/3.

Okay… so what?

Do you recall in our summer workshop we discussed the parietal lobe of the cerebral cortex? Let’s have a short biology moment…

Your parietal lobes are located at the rear top of your brain located inside that flat part on the back of your head. The parietal lobes are divided into two major subdivisions. These divisions play different, but complimentary roles. The front part of the parietal lobe (somatosensory cortex) receives information from the body such as touch, pain and temperature. The rear part of the parietal lobe continuously analyzes and integrates all this sensory information to give you a sense of spatial awareness or where you are in relations to your surroundings. This part of your brain allows you to analyze and mentally manipulate spatial objects.

Okay… once again, so what?

Well, remember my earlier experience with my daughter babysitting and little Emily? Imagine if I were to try to teach her to count by using only the verbal sounds “1, 2, 3, 4, 5…” Without the aid of her toes and fingers there is little probability that her brain would have the ability to mentally manipulate that information into “quantity.”

For the brain to manipulate the abstract thought of “one”… it must first be able to paint a mental picture of “one” and attach the picture of “one” to a concept, “quantity.” This is called “visual-spatial reasoning.”

Teaching math to junior high students, then, takes on much the same process as teaching counting to Emily.


Here’s what I mean:

· Teach math concepts with concrete objects which have relevance and meaning to the student. Objects, such as toes, money, m&m’s, and bugs work well.
· Have the students use the concrete objects in a variety of ways in hands-on activities.
· Once the concept is introduced with teacher provided concrete objects, have the students draw math problems using their own unique objects.
· Have students write math activities using their drawings. “I found 10 bugs. I put 5 in my sister’s bed and 4 in my mother’s cookie dough. How many bugs do I have left?”
· Have students share their unique math problems with one another in a Think-Pair-Share-Repair activity.
· Have a math quiz using the drawings and questions generated by the students.
· Use abstract paper & pencil practice with numbers and equations after the broader concept has been mastered.

So, once again I urge you to strip off some socks and tickle some toes!

Have fun!

Learning Math - Anxiety or Aptitude?

A few years ago I received a frantic call from my then 14-year-old daughter who was babysitting for a neighbor. I could hear the loud crying from the 6-month-old baby boy and the louder crying from the 2-year-old little girl.

“Daddy, I can’t get them to stop crying, what do I do?” my daughter cried.

“I’ll be right there, honey.” I said with a big smile. Being the 3rd oldest out of 10 siblings, and a father of 5 children, I had experience with this.

Between the two of us we quickly had the situation under control. I took little Emily into the living room and began reading a book to her and doing some 2-year-old math activities. You know, counting toes and fingers. Of course she loved it, especially when the last toe was accounted for and the tickling started!

As I was hugging Emily I had a profound thought, “I wish it were this fun and simple to teach math to 14-year-olds.” Can you imagine it?! “Okay class, please remove our shoes so that I may tickle your feet when you get the problem correct.” Oh the smell!!!

In reality, there are certain principles in teaching math that are the same whether one is teaching a 2-year-old or a 14-year-old. Let’s explore some “math” issues as it relates to learning and teaching.

The old adage, “which comes first the chicken or the egg” might apply when it comes to learning math. Which comes first, math aptitude or math anxiety? Are some kids just less able to do math and therefore dread math lessons? Or, do some kids dread math and therefore are less able to complete math activities?

In an article entitled, “Math fears subtract from memory, learning” in the June 30, 2001 issue of Science News, Bruce Bower indicated that by the age of 12, many students begin exhibiting signs of math anxiety. These signs include avoiding math courses, performing poorly in math classes, and earning low scores on math-achievement tests. Some may theorize that it is because these students have less ability or aptitude to math in the first place and therefore dread math activities.

This theory does not “add up.” Those of you who have attended my workshop, The Learning Brain: Translating Research to Classroom Practices, will remember that the emotions of fear, worry, and stress, temporarily disrupt mental processing - particularly the processes of short-term working-memory and the higher level skills of critical thinking and analysis. According to a study in the June, 2001 Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, “math anxiety soaks up working-memory resources and makes it harder to learn mathematics, probably beginning in middle school.”

Something to think about as we approach the dreaded state mandated testing season. Let’s have fun out there… rip some socks off and tickle some toes!

I received my first and only swats when I was in the third grade. It completely changed my school life - for the worse!I became afraid, timid, unsure of what was expected of me. I find it interesting, this many years later, that no contact was made with my mother before or after the swats were given. A severe disconnect between school and home.

Now, in my years as educator, principal, consultant, and college professor, my heart is with the child! As good as the school system tries to be, often times there is an unintentional disconnect between home-school-student. In order for any behavior or academic remediation plan to work at school there must be a Home - School - Student connection plan. That is very difficult to do! But I can tell you that it is possible and wonderful!

Add your comments about the topic of "Home-School-Student Connection" in regards to academic and behavioral remediation.

We have helped many families by designing and implementing behavior plans that include the home-school-student connections. Visit The Principal's Office website page "Family Support" and push any of the "Help!" buttons and we'll come running!

Until then I'm looking forward to your comments and questions!

Dr. Brian

What is Literacy 2.0?

I was intrigued by this video presented on the NetGenEd website http://netgened.grownupdigital.com/. I have watched it more than once and thought about the teaching methods that I used in the past. One of the students commented that “I can’t create my future with tools of your past.” How often do we use tools or our past in the classroom?

I am not currently teaching in a classroom, but I am working with many current/future educators on a daily basis and know of the prevalence of tools of the past. The internet, with web 2.0, literacy 2.0, Second Life, etc, is not going to disappear. As educators, we must learn about it, respect it and find ways to make it a part of our educational experience and the students’ experiences. We cannot rely on using textbooks, wall maps, posters, pencils and paper (the technology of the past) alone to develop literacy. In the Educational Leadership publication on www.ascd.org, Jason Ohler stated that “Digital fluency is much more of a perspective than a technical skill set. Teachers who are truly digitally fluent will blend creativity and innovation into lesson plans, assignments, and projects and understand the role that digital tools can play in creating academic expectations that are authentically connected, both locally and globally, to their students' lives.”

The literacy involves the use of reading, writing, listening, and speaking in new ways. Teachers and students need to be able to add media graphics, sound clips, videos, etc. Students must develop the ability to integrate the information in a collage of sorts and share the information in a social media. This is a time for great opportunity and challenge in education. The exciting aspect of this is that many students are already there-involved in technology. They have the ability to search the internet, create videos, download music, etc. We need to demonstrate how to use this with curriculum and make it matter to the students in the classroom. They are using the technology. We must add more context and help students further develop the technological skills. Angela Maeirs, on http://www.angelamaiers.com, stated what we want all of our students to feel “Reading is not desk work - it is lifework. I understand it is through and with others that I acquired knowledge, gain perspective, deepen awareness, and begin to understand myself and my place in the world.”

How can we, as educators, help students develop literacy 2.0? What can be done to influence administration to allow this paradigm shift? How have you used technology to encourage student interaction in the classroom? What technology would you like to see developed further in your own school?

A challenge to you: Find a way to use technology in a new way this week. It can be for your own use or for use in the classroom.

One example: Sign up for twitter. Find a way to use it in the classroom or for your own professional development. Here are a couple of places to go to find out about twitter and using it in the classroom.

As always, come back and share!

http://tiny.cc/eMOr9
http://tiny.cc/FUhWV

Our Learning Community

Hello everyone!
I hope your weekend was well and your spring break is or will be peaceful.

Remember, for inspiration, instruction, or a good laugh - check out the video pic of the week!

I would like to open this up to you this week. This is a new website concept and Internet service idea.

A large part of my vision is to create a virtual learning community. This learning community will include parents, students, teachers, administrators and staff. Anyone who served with me in the school system will know of my passion for learning communities and collaboration. I want you to be a part of this site.

My mission is that this website will be a virtual principal's office. I have several faculty members in mind who are master teachers and leaders. These wonderful people can provide incredible knowledge, service and capacity to our learning community.

So, I would like to hear from you. What are some real, pragmatic, right-now useful services you think may be of benefit to our learning community?

Thank you, for your feedback and input! Please pass the "Let's Talk" blog to your colleagues and parents.

See you in The Principal's Office!

Dr. Brian

Introduction to my blog

Hello all my friends!
Welcome to my new website. I am very excited to keep in contact with all my friends across the country.

We will use this blog as a question and answer tool. As you are going about your day-to-day and come across challenges as parents, teachers, principals, and business leaders, post your comments here and I'll give some feedback along with some tools that you can use.

I will post tips for success from time to time and would love to hear your feedback!

I would also love to hear from you! Let's use this to share our expertise with one another and become a great big learning community!

Welcome!

Dr. Brian