MCS 233 - Journal

MCS 233: Discrete Math for Elementary Education

January 2007

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Journal Questions
(Draft version)

You will keep a daily journal where you think and write about what we're learning both in and out of class. This should be a useful way for you to reflect on what you're learning, what problem solving techniques you use, and how to teach this kind of material in your future classroom. I will use these journals to asses how well you are learning and how well I am teaching. To help focus your thinking and writing, I will include a list of questions for you to address, listed by date.

You should have one journal entry for each date given. Your entry should be one to two pages long. You should concentrate on writing that makes sense given the question, so it may be several paragraphs, or an outline, or whatever makes sense to you (and to me as the reader). While I won't be concentrating on spelling, grammar, writing style, and so on, please do remember that I will be reading the journals.

(Jan. 3) Think about math classes that you have taken recently and the problems that you found hard to do. What strategies did you use to solve those problems? Which of these strategies worked? Made things harder? Made you feel better? Worse? Now imagine that you have an ideal teaching helping you. What would this teacher say or do?
(Jan. 5) As you read through Steve Olson's book, think critically about what he is saying. Also, try to form some discussion questions. For chapter one, think about his discussion on gender differences in mathematics. For chapter two, reflect on what you've learned and experienced about typical math classes especially at the kindergarten and first grade levels in contrast to the sixth or seventh grade levels. In what ways can you make a difference as a teacher?
(Jan. 10) As you read the rest of Steve Olson's book, help me answer a question from Laura Behling: What is mathematical talent? How do you recognize it?
(Jan. 11) The fourth chapter of Olson talks a lot about competitiveness. Review the arguments he gives both for and against competitiveness. Then reflect on how competitve you are. Finally, how much competition do you think should be used in various classroom settings?
(Jan. 12) Olson really gets into talent in chapter 5, and especially talent for math and music. Think about other kinds of talent. Do you know a really talented speaker? Salesperson? Describe what a talent for teaching looks like? Can someone have a natural gift for teaching?
(Chapter 7) Discuss what Olson thinks that creativity is and why it occurs.
(Chaapter 8) On 1/15 we discussed briefly that Olson seemed to over-compensating for the stereotypical view of mathematically gifted people. Before you start reading this chapter, describe what you think are typical middle-school stereotypes of smart students. After reading this chapter, reflect on whether you would like to be a child prodigy. What about the parent of a prodigy? the teacher of one? Be sure to use the material in the book to support your positions.
(Chapter 9) Describe Wiles' efforts to prove Fermat's conjecture. Why did he get so interested in it? What do you think motivated him to keep trying? Why did he get so emotional about it.
(Last entry) What does it take to do mathematics well? How will you encourage your students to learn mathematics (or any other subject that's hard for them)?

Last modified: 1/22/7