Video: Problem Solving in the Math Classroom

At a recent seminar that I attended, I was introduced to Dan Meyer’s TED Talks video on the topic of problem solving in the mathematics classroom.  The talk is entitled, “Math Class Needs a Makeover.”

Dan begins with a classic quote when he says, “I teach high school math. I sell a product to a market that doesn’t want it, but is forced by law to buy it.” In the remainder of his TED Talk, Dan shares his ideas on how to more effectively teach problem solving in the classroom. His ideas apply equally well to those of us who teach middle school math.

Without trying to re-convey Dan’s ideas, here are a few areas he touches on in his talk:
(Watch the video below to see the details.)

  • math reasoning is “the application of math processes to the world around us.”
  • 5 symptoms that you are doing math reasoning wrong as a teacher
  • ideas on how to teach problem solving
  • the importance of having students formulate the problem
  • 5 suggestions for teaching patient problem solving

The 11 minutes you spend watching the video will be well worth your time and will give you some things to think about when it comes to teaching problem solving in your classroom.

As a middle school math teacher, what do you think is important when teaching problem solving to your students?

 

Math in the Movies

Oliver Knill, from the Department of Mathematics at Harvard University, has compiled a very interesting web page that includes video clips from 155 movies in which mathematics appears.  I enjoyed browsing this list and watching some of the clips of movies that I have seen in the past.  Many, but not all, of the movies can be watched using the full-screen options. 

Note: I believe that the video clips I have chosen to highlight below are classroom safe.  Some of the other clips on the website do include language inappropriate for the classroom.

Here are my favorite clips from movies that I am familiar with in this list: 

(Click the links below to watch each clip.)

Father of the Bride

In this hilarious clip George Banks (Steve Martin) is infuriated that hot dogs and hot dog buns are not sold in complementary packages at his local supermarket.  Dogs come in packages of 8 and buns in packages of 12.  I know that those of you with math minds out there have already calculated that George would have found contentment if he had just purchased 3 packs of hot dogs and 2 packages of buns.  Come to think of it, I think my textbook has an LCM problem like this in it! [Read more…]