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GAGUINE MASTER’S PORTFOLIO

Mathematics

The Candidate demonstrates understanding of the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and

structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make

these aspects of the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of

the content in the areas below. Candidates demonstrate and apply understandings of major

mathematics concepts, algorithms, procedures, applications and mathematical practices in

varied contexts, and connections within and among mathematical domains.

Humans are born with mathematical brains. We love to order and organize information in

ways that can be logically accessed. Teaching mathematics in schools shouldn’t just be about

learning rules and filling out worksheets. “Doing mathematics means generating strategies for

solving a problem, applying that strategy, and checking to see whether an answer makes sense.”

(Van de Walle, 2019, p.13). My teacher work sample from my student teaching semester focused

on building up the skills needed for doing algebraic equations that solved for an unknown. This

is a skill that I’ve used time and time again in my adult life to help figure out recipes,

percentages and measuring for home improvement projects.

Mathematics are necessary because intelligence today is no longer natural but

mathematical, and without development and education in mathematics it is impossible to
understand or take any part in the special forms of progress characteristic of our times. A
person without mathematical training today is like an illiterate in the times when
everything depended on literary culture. But even in the natural state the human mind has
a mathematical bent, tending to be exact, to take measurements and make comparisons,
and to use its unlimited powers to discover the nature of the various “effects” that nature
presents to man well she conceals from him the world of causes.” (Montessori, 1996,
p.72)

Mathematics should always be taught with the goal of life-long understanding. This is why

teaching rote memorization of algorithms does not aid the child in their life-long quest for

understanding and enjoyment of math.

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Teaching mathematics in a way that allows to children to understand why the answers

work out the way they do should be the goal of learning. For example, by helping children

understand why multiplication or division work the way they do, we allow them the ability to

transfer their knowledge in new ways. In my algebra unit, I show the children why the equal sign

is seen as an equivalency, and why the commutative law works with addition and multiplication.

Being allowed to use manipulatives to understand the why’s allows students to better embody

and understand the rules of numbers. “[U]sing ‘scientifically determined material’ to present the

child in a clear and unmistakable manner the fundamentals that arouse rational thinking not only

facilitates the learning of arithmetic (elevating its importance), but also the development of logic

whose depth would have been thought impossible to achieve in children.” (Psychoarithmetic,

Montessori, 2016, p. xiii). Montessori math is all about this. It’s about teaching children concepts

that have been traditionally seen as too complicated, but because the children have the use of

these manipulatives, they can truly understand what they are doing. The other part of my math

lesson that helps children to really understand the math is using a Montessori axiom, “isolation

of difficulty”, also known as the scaffolding of new content and gradual release of responsibility.

My algebra unit took on over a dozen mini lessons for this very reason. Children learn

better when we focus on one new thing at a time. By introducing a mini lesson every couple of

days, the children are given a chance to learn just one new thing, and then practice that skill.

Montessori classrooms are mixed age, and the curriculum is based on giving lessons in smaller

group (usually 2-5 kids at a time). Because I was doing this unit in a Montessori classroom, I was

able to group children in two smaller groups based on mixed abilities, thus allowing me to focus

on moving quickly through the material or more slowly depending on which group.

“The practice of scaffolding, often associated with sociocultural theory, is based on the
idea that a task otherwise outside of a student’s [zone of proximal development] can
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become accessible if it is carefully structured. For concepts completely new to students,
the learning requires more structure or assistance, including the use of tools (e.g.,
manipulatives) or more assistance from peers.” (Van De Walle, 2019, p.28)

With the built-in use of manipulatives, and the support of peers and friends, I saw a lot of growth

in the students I was working with. Unfortunately, due to the covid-19 health mandates shutting

down in person schooling, I was not able to finish my unit. But written into the unit closure is

what I consider to be the whole reason we teach mathematics; real-world application of what

they’ve learned.

Children love to argue. And a favorite argument I’ve heard from students is, “Why do I

need to learn this? I’ll never use this as an adult.” This is why it is imperative that children see

that the skills they are learning are connected not just to mathematics careers, but also to

everyday problems that all adults, no matter what career path they choose, will encounter. “[O]ne

aspect of being mathematically proficient is to rely on one’s own justification and reasoning to

determine if an answer is correct… In the real world of problem solving and doing mathematics,

there are no answer books. A person must be able to make sure they have used an appropriate

strategy and reached a reasonable conclusion…” (Van De Walle, 2019, p.19). Teaching children

the skills is only the first step. We must then help them learn to think mathematically. In the

younger grades that my unit is written for, this means solving word problems.

The first step in solving a word problem is deciding which operation or problem-solving

strategy needs to be used. The Common Core State Standards Initiative provides in their

Standards for Mathematical Practice that:

Mathematically proficient students can apply the mathematics they know to solve
problems arising in everyday life, society, and the workplace. In early grades, this might
be as simple as writing an addition equation to describe a situation… Mathematically
proficient students who can apply what they know, are comfortable making assumptions
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and approximations to simplify a complicated situation, realizing that these may need
revision later. (Standards for Mathematical Practice, ND)

My unit has children work to write their own word problem that utilizes some of the new

algebraic skills they have learned. During the mini lesson solving for the unknown, they will

have practiced answering word problems. By empowering children to write their own word

problems, I hope to give them a deeper understanding of the why around algebra.

In conclusion, my algebra unit is written to help children embody the skills needed to

algebraic equations. It allows them to use manipulatives, scaffolding, peer support and isolation

of difficulty to practice their skills. And over time, and the skills build, it allows them a chance to

see and even create their own word problems so that they may understand the important and real-

world applications that algebra can have in their lives.

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References:

Van de Walle, J. (2019). Elementary and middle school mathematics. Kindle Edition. New York:
Pearson Education.

Montessori, M. (2016) Psychoarithmetic. Amsterdam: Montessori-Pierson Publishing.

Montessori, M. (1996) Childhood to Adolescence. Amsterdam: Monessori-Pierson Publishing.

Common Core State Standards Initiative. (ND) Standards for Mathematical Practice. Retrieved
from http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Practice/