by Lara Francisco, Math Specialist
Math Challenges!
You might be saying to yourself, "Math is challenging enough! Do we really need a special event for this?" While I totally sympathize with the first part of that statement, my answer to the second is ... yes.
I have often said that a good chunk of my job is spent building up students' self esteem and confidence levels around math. I am always looking for ways to help each student find something positive about math, that will change their attitude. For me, it was discovering the connection between art and math. A light bulb just went on!
Something that has always amazed me about MATH is how large it's scope is. I mean it's everywhere! I love that for every problem posed, there are a variety of ways of finding the answer. What I love even more is that when we talk to each other about math, we learn more about math which then leads to feeling comfortable about math.
And ...THIS ... is where my Math Challenges come in. My goal is to provide a safe, positive, way for students to stretch their thinking, to work through problems, to communicate with each other, AND to feel successful. (pretty sure that is a run on sentence but I wasn't sure how else to say it ...) Math can be a scary thing if it's not out in the open or seen as a part of everyday life. Our children need opportunities to explore what they've learned and to safely share their thinking - that is what will lead to a feeling of confidence and a positive sense of self.
Do I think that my Math Challenges are the "golden ticket" for all that I said above? Of course not. They are however, one little thing that I can do for our students that will hopefully make a positive impression :)
Here's how it will work. I will post a new challenge every 2 weeks. There will be a Primary Challenge and an Intermediate Challenge. There will be 2 levels of difficulty for each. Students are welcome to complete just one of the levels, or both. For every challenge that is returned, the student's name will be put into a jar and I will pull out 2 names (primary & intermediate) at the end of each month for special recognition. The classroom that turns in the most Challenges, each time, will also be recognized.
I do hope that you take some time to talk about this activity with your children. If they are working on it in class, ask them about their thinking - how they went about finding the answer(s). If they aren't working on it in school, ask them if they'd like to do it at home ... with you.
The new challenges can be found here, on my Math Challenges page -
Math Challenge #2
Have fun and enjoy!
Ms. Francisco