WEEK 3

Math has never been my favourtie or strongest subject at school. The first class somewhat calmed my nerves realizing a lot of us were on the same page. It was also reassuring, knowing that this class wasn't just about doing math problems and learning how to solve math, but also digging deeper about our own math insecurities. It is important to figure those out before we are put in front of a class, teaching a subject we may not feel comfortable teaching. During the second class we were given a math problem to solve individually. At first I was following along trying to listen to the key words in the problem. As soon as the question was finished being read, I blanked immediately as I didn't know where to start. I finally attempted to start solving, however I just assumed what I was writing down was wrong. After a slight break down of the problem and an attempt to make solving it easier, it just left me even more confused. I felt stuck, and helpless as I watched some of my other classmates try to solve the problem. After we went over the solution as a class, I thought I was starting to understand, but I was still lost and confused. As much as I dislike math, I am going to continue this class with an open mind and to try my best at all times.

image from https://giphy.com/explore/math

This week my group and I analyzed the game Math vs. Monsters. I was the recorder so my job was to summarize the main ideas we discussed as a group. Math vs. Monsters is a math game where students pick their grade level, from pre k to grade eight, and then there are given a math problem to solve. They have a limited amount of time to choose an answer, and if the answer is right, it will grant them success in fighting back in the battle. However, if the answer is wrong or you take too long to answer, the more damage you take from the bad guys. I could see myself implementing this game in my classroom. I think it would work best for junior grades (4-6), as the cartoons may be too simple and boring for grades 7 and 8.  However the game seems to be violent which means I would have to have a strong presence in regulating how the kids play. The game covers all of the five math curriculum strands, which are number sense and numeration, measurement, geometry and spatial sense, patterning and algebra, and data management and probability. The game can be good for review in preparation for a test as you are given a limited amount of time to answer the questions.

 

https://www.mathgames.com/play/mathvsmonsters.html
link to this weeks game

image from https://www.shutterstock.com/search/math+cartoon