Teach Middle East Magazine Jan - Mar 2020 Issue 2 Volume 7 | Page 11

Sharing Good Practice STRATEGIES TO HELP TEACHERS FOSTER MATHEMATICAL MASTERY FOR ALL STUDENTS BY: DR JASON JOHNSON, LAWRENCE MEDA AND DR FATIMA BAILEY they will begin to complete such a task with ease. Culturally Relevant Pedagogy T eaching for mathematical mastery is extremely challenging for the 21st Century teacher. This could be due to a multitude of factors. Nevertheless, there are some strategies teachers can implement to overcome any barriers. This article will describe 4 strategies a teacher can easily integrate into their instruction. Spiral Learning Theory Spiral Learning Theory (typically referred to as spiralling the curriculum) is when the learner encounters previously taught material. Additionally, each time the learner is confronted with the previous material, the complexity is also increased. We believe in a modified spiralling of the curriculum. We define a modified spiralling of the curriculum as assessing only major learning outcomes; while the complexity of the task does not need to be increased, of course depending on the level of the learner. For example, in Grade 7 – unit 3, students may have learned to solve one-step equations. Students solving one-step equations is a huge task and a major learning outcome that is used in every proceeding grade. With that said, the teacher would put a one-step equation on unit 4 assessment, and another one-step equation on unit 5 assessment; and so on. Since this is a major learning outcome, students are responsible for being able to solve a one-step equation. Teachers will find that, as students are encountered with a modified spiralling of the curriculum, Teachers who make a connection to their students’ culture have proven success to insure mathematical mastery. Gloria Ladson-Billings created Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRT) as a way for teachers to reach all students. CRT has three components: academic achievement, cultural competence, and sociopolitical consciousness. Academic achievement is when teachers have high and rigorous academic expectations and meet students where they are. Cultural competence requires teachers to understand and actively learn about the cultural background of their students. Typically teachers use the student culture as a baseline for learning and this empowers the student to learn. Sociopolitical consciousness requires teachers to integrate the following into their instruction – sociopolitical issues that influence their students, their students’ communities, and the world. Collaborative Approach Simply put, collaborative learning is when two or more people work together to solve an educational problem or search for an understanding of a particular topic. In a subject like Mathematics, it entails giving students cognitive Mathematical tasks to solve together. This approach is purely student-centred and it encourages them to learn from one another. Collaborative learning is deeply rooted in Vygotsky’s theory, which foregrounds learning in a social and interactive environment. In collaborative learning, a teacher plays a role of guiding and supporting students in their respective collaborative groups. Differentiation Students’ levels of understanding Mathematical concepts are totally different. As a result, they need to be taught inclusively in accordance with their respective cognitive abilities. That means students cannot be treated as if they have homogeneous levels of understanding Math. They have to be taught according to their different levels of understanding and abilities. There are many ways of differentiation. These include differentiation of the curriculum, teaching and assessment. The main objective of differentiating is to provide equitable support to all students in the class so that they can reach their full learning potential. Our goal, through this article, is to provide teachers with strategies that promote mathematical mastery and literacy. The 4 strategies presented can easily be integrated into any lesson. For the greatest impact, using all 4 strategies concurrently will improve mathematical mastery for all students. Dr Fatima Bailey is faculty at Zayed University. Her previous roles included educational leadership and school administration for K-12 schools in the UAE and USA. She provides mentorship for in-service teachers in the Ta’Alouf Program for Career Based Teacher Development, Al Jalila Foundation. Dr Jason Johnson teaches mathematics education and graduate education courses. He is especially interested in teaching mathematics for social justice, ethnomathematics, and effective use of technology in the teaching and learning of mathematics. Dr Jason is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Education Studies in the College of Education at Zayed University, UAE. Lawrence Meda holds a PhD in Curriculum Studies and he is working at Zayed University as an Assistant Professor. He has 10 years of experience working as a university lecturer. He is enthusiastic about teaching using technology and conducting research which is responsive to community needs. Class Time Term 2 Jan - Mar 2020 11