Manipulatives
in the classroom are nothing new. As a primary/junior educator, I see them in
classrooms everywhere. Oftentimes, they are displayed in labeled buckets and
the students readily use them; unfortunately, this is not always the case. In
one of my practicum placements, manipulative tubs were pulled out during indoor
recess to be used as toys. This certainly saddened me.
I have seen first-hand how this
amazing tool can help students learn by providing hands-on learning and support
to students. Not only would this be beneficial in the primary and junior years,
but manipulatives can support student learning in the intermediate and senior
years as well, so it is essential for educators to fit them into their
instruction in order to improve math proficiency. Manipulatives take something
abstract and turn it into something concrete; thereby allowing students to
become engaged and take ownership of their own learning.
Marilyn Burns, is a
math specialist who has been teaching for over thirty years. She is a highly
respected educator and continually creates professional development resources
for educators. Marilyn is an avid supporter of using math manipulatives and backs
the idea that these tools help students get a grasp of math concepts. She is
such a strong believer that she created a Scholastic
resource on how parents and educators can use manipulatives to help with
math education. It is definitely worth a read, especially if you’re on the
fence about whether or not to use them in your classroom.
I appreciate the thought you put into this blog Elaine. My office is in my school's central storage, so I am surrounded by manipulatives that are waiting to get called into service. There is a steady flow of teachers using them, but obviously, some boxes stay closed and unused. I think one of the great services that could be done, would be to have PD for specific manipulatives, and not to provide one option, but to have teachers discuss multiple uses across different strands for there items. My reasoning for this would be to keep them in the classroom and in the kids hands. This way they get used to them and it becomes a regular part of their learning instead of a special treat during patterning time.
ReplyDeleteI also love the idea of making manipulatives a more accepted and used tool in higher grades, again, with proper in-service for the teachers to make it meaningful in their classes.
Continue to be the change you want to see Elaine.
I too believe that using math manipulatives in the classroom is important. This past semester, I noticed a box stored away in the corner of the math class and asked for what were those shapes used? A colleague said that they were used in the delivery of the units on Geometry and Measurement. He told me that I could fill them with water and pour the water in another shape. Other shapes unfolded so you could view the surface area and the 2D shapes that make up the 3D shape. Great for spatial recognition by students. It was very important to explain how surface area and volume formulas were derived from one another. Yes, manipulatives can support student learning in the intermediate years as well. I'm glad I asked what was stored in those boxes.
ReplyDeleteI believe the use of manipulatives in math classes in an absolute must. Some concepts in math can be very abstract and hard for some students to understand. I myself have difficulty understanding concepts without visual examples, and I always prefer hands-on experience wherever possible in order to ensure I have a sufficient understanding of a topic. Most manipulatives are inexpensive and easy to acquire or make, and contribute so much to the classroom. There really is no excuse for not having them available for students to use.
ReplyDeleteI agree that math manipulatives are important across all grade levels. They are one part of the pandemic I am missing the most! At their best I think manipulatives help students concretely understand difficult concepts such as algebra and ratios/proportions. Worst-case scenario they may not help student understanding, but the students recall and retain the concept more because they tie their memory of the content to a hands-on-learning experience. Are there any examples of using manipulatives in the senior grades that have gone awry and are worth avoiding?
ReplyDeleteI think using manipulatives in math is so important for many different reasons. Mostly, I believe that due to the fact that students learn so differently, it is so important to assure that all students are getting the same level of access to education. I have seen so many students have that "ah-ha" moment in math with the use of manipulatives.
ReplyDeleteManipulatives are such a key aspect of math instruction. On top of the previously mentioned ability to visualize and interact with the actual math concepts, manipulatives can be especially helpful for students with are struggling or a bit behind. Holding something in your hand can add confidence to a student's problem solving ability.
ReplyDelete