VandeWalleText

 Teaching Student Centred Mathematics, Grades K-3 John A. Van de Walle & LouAnn H. Lovin

Math Makes Sense ~ this is the underlying philosophy behind the Van de Walle book. The authors’ approaches are simple, easy to follow, well laid out and based on the belief that every child can make sense of mathematics. Children construct their own knowledge, a theory of learning called “constructivism.” (Learn more: [] , []  ). This theory basically states that as you learning something, you give meaning to it and thereby construct ideas from this new learning. It is an ongoing process that never ceases to change.

 Van de Walle suggests that children learning from others enhance the learning experience and that a connected community of learners sharing ideas “significantly raises the chances that productive reflective thinking about relevant mathematical ideas will happen.” (p.5)

As seen in recent EQAO scores and information received, our students need help in the area of problem solving. We can take some information from Van de Walle and apply it to our teaching (pg. 11):

“The problem must begin where the students are… it should be within their zone of proximal development.”

“The problematic or engaging aspect of the problem must be due to the mathematics that the students are to learn… students should be primarily concerned primarily with making sense of the mathematics involved.”

“The problem must require justifications and explanations for answers and methods… students should expect to explain their solutions as a natural part of solving problems.”