Problem solving

This week I thought that I will go back and give an activity to see whether my students will understand it or not. I wrote down on the modelling book “ 3 groups of 5” then I said it out loud, what is 3 groups of 5  equal to? One student put up her hand and said “15”. I turned around and ask the rest of the group if they agreed with it. Most of them showed thumbs up and only a few showed that they don’t know it and all my target students were unsure.

I showed them the time tables 2. We discussed what does it mean to them. No one in my target group had any idea about it so I decided to bring the whole class down because I need the others to start the conversation rather than listening to my voice.

As I showed the 2 timetables and started to questions them. What does the first column tell you? And what about the second column? One person said that the first column tells us how many groups that you will have and the second column means that how many is a group. I ask another person to repeat and what has been said and kept going around the circle.

After that, I wrote down one multiplication sentence and the students were able to help me complete it together.

After that then they tried it themselves.

This whole week I need to continue on with multiplication concept to consolidate their knowledge before moving them onto solving problems. I have interviewed two of my

Target students because they still do not get the idea and they said they need to do it over a few times before they understand it. They need time to practise and I totally understand.

Maths reflection

Today I felt that I needed to do more than one year’s work with my class. Though they understand some concepts but have huge gaps in their learning.

I had planned an activity which was taken from the Problem-solving level 2 NZ Maths. I have carefully went through the problem myself, making sure that I have some questions to prompt them or direct their thinking.

I started the lesson yesterday with number talks as usual because it does develop number sense within the students, and sharing their strategy helps others to develop understanding by listening to each other. I deliberately used number 24 to see what strategy they come up with. I was pretty excited to see that students had some knowledge about grouping numbers.

I showed them the problem and gave them thinking time, think, pair, share to talk about the problem before discussing it together. The main thing that I wanted to remember that the tables have the same sizes. I gave them the first part of the question only. I sent them off to do the work and only one person was able to do it.

I was happy for that person but not happy that the rest of them weren’t. I brought them back to the floor and we went through the problem again. Another person was able to show some spark but still, most did not understand it.

I thought it was a great lesson, getting them involved and using materials, drawing diagrams but still, it didn’t work? When I think of it… I cannot have scaffolded better.

Where did I go wrong? What is it that I need to do to help these children achieve in Maths?

It just leaves me confused and helpless with the question…

WHERE DO I START?