1.2: The Importance of Mathematics for Elementary School Students

At the beginning of each chapter, we will discuss WHY the mathematics is taught in elementary school and WHY it is important for teachers to understand it, besides we need to understand it since we are going to teach it.

What is Common Core?

A common Common Core misconception is that Common Core is a way of teaching. No. Common Core is just a list of standards, which are required to be taught during the duration of the school year. HOW you teach it is up to your principal, vice principal, department chair, your team, etc.

 

The state of California has adopted the common core standards for teaching in all California schools. There are several resources online that detail the standards:

• The California Department of Education has published the common core math standards in an electronic booklet https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/ccssmathstandardaug2013.pdf 
• The Common Core State Standards Initiative (part of the Federal Department of Education) has an indexed website for easy searching. Be aware that California's adopted standards may differ from the national standards. http://www.corestandards.org/Math/ 

Why teach math?

Mathematics is the study of patterns! Patterns are everywhere, and children are especially adept at identifying patterns as their brains are developing and learning. Color, shape, and number patterns are studied in the early elementary years. As students progress into arithmetic operations, they make connections with pattern and number, counting and adding, and these connections set them up for success in future mathematics learning. Children are natural mathematicians. Their rapidly growing brains are constantly connecting past learning with new, and the acquisition of knowledge and experience is a very joyous period from birth to elementary school.

Teachers' beliefs have a profound influence on their students' achievements [1]. It is very important that we as teachers understand our beliefs about learning and ensure that these beliefs allow every student - independent of race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, mental or physical ability - to thrive in the classroom. 

Throughout this book/course, consider what your beliefs about student learning are. Think about why you believe what you believe, and don't be afraid to change or adjust them as you learn more about learning and about teaching! 

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) states: 

A strong foundation in mathematics, for each and every student from pre-K–12, is vital to our nation's economic stability, national security, workforce productivity, and full participation in our democratic society. Mathematical literacy is fundamental for adult numeracy, financial literacy, and everyday life. [2]

Matt Larson, Associate Superintendent of Instruction at Lincoln Public Schools in Nebraska and past-president of NCTM, wrote an opinion article in 2018 [3] about why we should teach mathematics. In this article, he considers several different reasons from multiple sources, including:

• Mathematics for life - knowing math can be personally satisfying and empowering
• Mathematics as part of cultural heritage - specifically, "valuing and developing a better understanding of each other and each others cultures, including the multiple contributions various cultures have made to mathematics
• Mathematics for the workplace
• Mathematics for the Scientific and Technical Community

Mathematics teaching tends to emphasize the necessary mathematics. By shifting our teaching to encompass the other reasons, we are empowering our students to enjoy learning mathematics and valuing their identities within their respective cultures, including their identities as mathematicians. 

Avoiding Math Anxiety 

Math anxiety is a special form of anxiety linked to higher brain activity that causes a fear of doing a math task, which then leads to avoidance. Psychologist Mark H. Ashcraft defines math anxiety as "a feeling of tension, apprehension, or fear that interferes with math performance." [4] Unfortunately, due to societal misconceptions of mathematics and math learning, including gender stereotypes, negative attitudes, and assumed difficulty of math, math anxiety persists for far too many people. As students with math anxiety encounter more challenges, their anxiety increases and often leads to avoidance.

There is a lot of research underway to understand how math anxiety develops, and it is known that math anxiety develops early and tends to get worse, not better.  One of the best ways to combat math anxiety is to understand how the brain works and to try to "reprogram" the brain to lessen the negative emotional response to mathematics through developing a growth mindset around learning and writing about your emotions.  To help prevent our young students from developing math anxiety, it is important that we don't perpetuate the misconceptions of mathematics and we encourage mistakes as part of the learning process. 

At LPC, the Math Department hosts the "Conquering Math Anxiety" Smart Shop. If you want to learn more about math anxiety, consider attending one of these workshops!

If you want to learn more about Growth Mindset, there are a lot of resources for teachers online. One of the best ones for math is YouCubed.org, a site established by Jo Boaler at Stanford University.

Sources:

1. Tatto, Maria Teresa. (2019). The Influence of Teacher Education on Teacher Beliefs. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education. 
2. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Policies and Recommendations.
3. Larson, Matthew. (2018). Why Teach Mathematics? NCTM Blog.
4. Ashcraft, Mark H. (2002). Math Anxiety: Personal, Educational, and Cognitive Consequences. Current Directions in Psychological Science. American Psychological Society. 181-185.