Math and Student Emotions

Class was very interesting.  I learned so many helpful tips, I have to share!

In today’s class, I learned about a very interesting and clever way to make sure your students are well prepared for the tests you present them with. My teacher’s tip: Make the test first, and then the lesson plans that accompany it. This way, the lessons you create will reflect the test and you will head your students in that direction. While this sounds simple, I hadn’t heard of this. I think it’s a brilliant way to start a unit.

I also learned about the value of having students keep a math journal. In the past, I’ve heard about journals for every other subject, but never about math. Today, the teacher presented some very good reasons for doing this. Math tends to be one of those subjects that create a lot of anxiety among students. Having your students journal about their emotions regarding math may help the teacher know how to help in alleviating this stress amongst them. This can be done through a math journal, or kids can even blog about it. The point is to give students a place where they can share their feelings about math. This then becomes a tool for teachers to help students in their math apprehension. While blogging about this now, I wonder, can having students journal about math also help a teacher know if his or her students are progressing? While I know assessments are very handy for this, I wonder if reading kids thoughts in a blog or journal would give you even better feedback.

In terms of the implications for classroom practice, the answer seems pretty simple. Don’t assume math is only about numbers. It’s also about feelings, and these feelings should be valued and listened to. Teachers can easily make time every day or at least once a week to have students write about their feelings in a math journal. What did you think of the material this week? Is there something else you’re still wondering about? Is there something I can do to help you learn the subject better? These are just some of the potential journal prompts.