Mathematical Concepts Reflective Paper
Math 213
Mathematical Concepts Reflective Paper
Mathematics for Elementary Educators teaches many concepts that are needed for basic understanding of what you will be teaching in your classroom. There were several ideas covered in this course but there are several of the major mathematical concepts that stand out to me. Those concepts are the, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics principals and standards, Whole Numbers and their Operations, Algebraic Thinking, Rational Numbers as Fractions, and estimation and mental mathematics. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) sets forth the first concept covered. The NCTM has defined six principles of elementary school mathematics and five mathematical process standards. The NCTM Principles are set forth as, Equity, Curriculum, Teaching, Learning, Assessment, and Technology. These six principals are standard groundwork for all educators teaching mathematics. The NCTM Standards are expressed as, Problem Solving, Communication, Representation Reasoning and Proof, and Connections. These standards cover the fundamental grouping of mathematics that educators should be impressing upon their students. The next major concept that was covered was Whole Numbers and Their Operations. This concept includes lessons that introduced whole numbers, basic operations of whole numbers, properties of addition and subtraction, algorithms for whole number operations, and mental mathematics and estimation. This chapter is fundamental to learning mathematics because this is the foundation needed to expound upon as you progress to higher levels of mathematics. In order to advance in mathematics, one must understand numbers, and the different ways of representing numbers. Another major concept that we studied was Algebraic Thinking. Algebraic thinking is what will prepare students for successful experiences in algebra in the present and the future. This particular concept allowed the class to
Mathematical Concepts Reflective Paper
Mathematics for Elementary Educators teaches many concepts that are needed for basic understanding of what you will be teaching in your classroom. There were several ideas covered in this course but there are several of the major mathematical concepts that stand out to me. Those concepts are the, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics principals and standards, Whole Numbers and their Operations, Algebraic Thinking, Rational Numbers as Fractions, and estimation and mental mathematics. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) sets forth the first concept covered. The NCTM has defined six principles of elementary school mathematics and five mathematical process standards. The NCTM Principles are set forth as, Equity, Curriculum, Teaching, Learning, Assessment, and Technology. These six principals are standard groundwork for all educators teaching mathematics. The NCTM Standards are expressed as, Problem Solving, Communication, Representation Reasoning and Proof, and Connections. These standards cover the fundamental grouping of mathematics that educators should be impressing upon their students. The next major concept that was covered was Whole Numbers and Their Operations. This concept includes lessons that introduced whole numbers, basic operations of whole numbers, properties of addition and subtraction, algorithms for whole number operations, and mental mathematics and estimation. This chapter is fundamental to learning mathematics because this is the foundation needed to expound upon as you progress to higher levels of mathematics. In order to advance in mathematics, one must understand numbers, and the different ways of representing numbers. Another major concept that we studied was Algebraic Thinking. Algebraic thinking is what will prepare students for successful experiences in algebra in the present and the future. This particular concept allowed the class to
References: Bellstein, R., Libeskind, S., & Lott, J. (2010). A problem solving approach to mathematics for elementary school teachers (10th ed.). Boston, Mass.: Addison-Wesley.