Ask Matt Mentor
Dear Matt, I have been teaching Geometry using materials that allow students to discover concepts and
do active investigations. Since I'm new and have only taught Geometry this way, I was disappointed
when my department members, some of whom don't even teach Geometry, voted to
adopt very traditional materials for this school year.. What suggestions do you have for me so
that I can still maintain the enthusiasm of my students while I address the more traditional
outcomes that my department expects?
Response: Dear Bummed: One important thing to remember is that instructional materials and textbooks serve as resources to help students and teachers to meet the learning goals set by districts and the state. The materials do not determine what is taught or how it is taught. No textbook exactly matches the learning goals for any district, nor does it determine the instructional strategies used by teachers in the district. The learning goals are specified in district curriculum documents and state academic standards. So even if your department has determined a set of outcomes and materials that seem to lead to less effective learning than your previous students have experienced, you are responsible for the learning of your students and helping them meet the goals. I would encourage you to incorporate the investigative activities you have used and found successful. A large body of evidence exists to support an active approach to learning geometry (as well as other subjects). Students remember what they think and talk about, and active investigations are excellent tools to foster such thinking and discourse. What will be especially helpful will be to collect and share evidence of success, from classroom, district, and state assessments, or other reliable measures. Examining geometry and measurement subscores on assessments will help you ensure that you are giving your students good tools for lasting learning. If your department has common unit or end of course exams, these could serve as a good vehicle for beginning some dialogue among department members. If geometry teachers have an opportunity to examine the performance of their students on various outcomes, this may gradually lead to more teachers incorporating some of the investigative approaches you find successful. As a newer member of the profession, you can contribute not only ideas that work, as evidenced by various assessments, but respectfully support colleagues who are willing to try new ideas. In summary, traditional materials need not limit your teaching, especially your instructional strategies. Even if active investigations to discover concepts are not specified in your new materials, you can incorporate strategies that work into your teaching practices. Remember that the most effective time to incorporate an investigation is during the initial introduction of a topic. If you present definitions, theorems, algorithms, formulas or rules prior to investigating a concept, the opportunity for students to make sense of the idea for themselves is lost. Keep exploring ways to help more students learn more mathematics, and good luck! Matt |
Matt Mentor, a wise and experienced teacher, offers advice about teaching mathematics topics to beginning teachers. Of course, experienced teachers can join in as well. Here’s how it works: Send your answers to MattMentorMCTM@aol.com and Matt will post as many different solutions that adequately address the question as are received. Have a Question for Matt? |
