Romblon State University

College of Education
Liwanag, Odiongan, Romblon

Strategies in Teaching Module 2

Mathematics (Part 1) Principles and Strategies
in Teaching Mathematics

Learning Outcome

Construct a learning activity for a constructivist mathematics classroom

Learning Objectives

At the end of the module, the learners are expected to:

a. discuss how constructivist strategies enhance mathematics learning;
b. make learning activities, materials and plans that are demonstrating your
understanding of the cooperative learning structures; and
c. identify the different critical reflection techniques that can be utilized in
mathematics teaching and learning.

INTRODUCTION
The succeeding definitions and discussions are based on the “Principles of Learning” by the Corpuz
and Salandanan (2015).

Learning is the acquisition of a knowledge-based used with fluency to make sense of

the world, solve problems and make decisions.

Let us break the long definition for analysis. The key words are: (1) acquisition of
knowledge-based, (2) fluency, (3) make sense of the world, (4) solve problems and (5) make
decisions. The definition implies that learning begins with knowledge acquisition. This
knowledge learned must be used with ease or fluency because it has been mastered. This
knowledge is applied in problem solving, in decision-making and in making meaning of this
world. Knowledge that is just acquired without being utilized is what American philosopher
North Whitehead referred to as “inert ideas”. These are “ideas that are merely received into
the mind without being utilized, or tested, or thrown into fresh combinations.

Principles and Strategies in Teaching Mathematics | 1

 Romblon State University
College of Education
Liwanag, Odiongan, Romblon

Lesson 1.
UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES AND STRATEGIES
Principles of Learning by Horne and Pine (1990)

1. Learning is an experience which occurs inside the learner and is activated by the
learner. The process of learning is primary controlled by the learner and not by the
teacher. Learning is not only a function of what the teacher does to, or says to, or
provides for a learner. More significantly, learning has to do with something which
happens in the unique world of the learner.

2. No one directly teaches anyone anything of significance. People learn what they want
to learn, they see what they want to see and hear what they want to hear. When we
create an atmosphere in which people are free to explore ideas in dialogue and
through interaction with other people, we educate them.

3. Learning is the discovery of the personal meaning and relevance of ideas. Students
more readily internalize and implement concepts and ideas which are relevant to
their needs and problems. Learning is a process which requires the exploration of
ideas in relation to self and the community so that people can determine what their
needs are, what goals they would like to formulate, what issues they would like to
discuss and what content they would like to learn.

4. Learning (behavioral change) is a consequence of experience. People become

responsible when they have really assumed responsibility; they become independent
when they have experienced independent behavior; they become able when they
have experienced success; they begin to feel important when they are important to
somebody; they feel liked when someone likes them.

5. Learning is a cooperative and collaborative process. “Two heads are better than one.”
People enjoy functioning independently but they also enjoy functioning
interdependently. The interactive process appears to “scratch and kick” people’s
curiosity, potential and creativity.

6. Learning is an evolutionary process. Behavioral change requires time and patience.

Implicit in all the principles an conditions for learning is an evolutionary model of
learning. Learning situations characterized by free and open communication,
confrontation, acceptance, respect, the right to make mistakes, self-revelation,
cooperation and collaboration, ambiguity, shared evaluation, active and personal
involvement, freedom from threat, and trust in the self are evolutionary in nature.

7. Learning is sometimes a painful process. Behavioral change often calls for giving up
the old and comfortable wats of believing, thinking and valuing. It is not easy to
discard familiar ways of doing things and incorporate new behavior.

Principles and Strategies in Teaching Mathematics | 2

 Romblon State University
College of Education
Liwanag, Odiongan, Romblon

8. One of the richest resources for learning is the learner himself.

In a day and age when so much emphasis is being placed upon instructional media,
books and speakers as resources for learning, we tend to overlook perhaps the richest
source of all – the learner himself.

9. The process of learning is emotional as well as intellectual.

Learning is affected by the total state if the individual. People are feeling beings as
well as thinking beings and when their feelings and thoughts are in harmony, learning
is maximized.

10. The process of problem solving and learning is highly unique and individual.

Each person has his own unique styles of learning and solving problems. Some
personal styles of learning and problem solving are highly effective, other styles are
not as effective and still others may be ineffective.

Principles of Effective Teaching and Learning by Serrano and Paez (2015)

1. Teachers’ knowledge of the subject matter is essential to the implementation of

important teaching tasks.
2. Active involvement of the learner enhances learning.
3. Interaction between teachers and students is the most important factor in student
motivation and involvement.
4. Students benefit from taking responsibility for their learning.
5. There are many roads to learning.
6. Expect more and you will achieve more.
7. Learning is enhanced in an atmosphere of cooperation.
8. Material must be meaningful.
9. Both teaching and learning are enhanced by descriptive feedback.
10. Critical feedback is only useful if the learner has alternatives to pursue.
11. Time plus energy equals learning.
12. Experience usually improves learning.

Principles and Strategies in Teaching Mathematics | 3

 Romblon State University
College of Education
Liwanag, Odiongan, Romblon

Lesson 2.
UNDERSTANDING COOPERATIVE LEARNING STRUCTURES
The succeeding definitions and discussions are based on the “Principles of Learning” by the Corpuz
and Salandanan (2015).

Cooperative Learning

Cooperative learning makes use of a classroom organization where students work in

groups or teams to help each other learn. Concepts from small group theory and group
dynamics serve as the basis upon which skills in democratic procedures and collaborations
are developed. This approach evolved strategies and procedures that can help small groups
solve their own problems and acquire information through collective effort. The learning
environment is characterized by strong motivation and smooth interpersonal interactions.

Characteristic Features

1. It has two important components, namely:

a. a cooperative incentive structure – one where two or more individuals are
interdependent for a reward. They will share if they are successful as a group.
b. a cooperative task structure – a situation in which two or more individuals are
allowed, encouraged or required to work together on some tasks, coordinating
their efforts to complete the task.

2. Students work in teams to tackle academic tasks.

3. Reward systems are group-oriented rather than individual-oriented.
4. The interactions within the group are controlled by the members themselves.
5. Teams are made up of mixed abilities – high, average and low achievers.
6. Each individual learner is accountable for his/her learning.
7. The group reflects on and evaluates the group process they underwent.

Guidelines for its Effective Use

In order to implement cooperative learning successfully, here are some general

guidelines to follow:

1. Use heterogeneous grouping where high, average and low achievers are mixed in a
group. Heterogeneous grouping has been found out to affect the performance of the
group since high achievers can tutor the other members of the group, thus raising the
groups’ achievement level. However, homogenous grouping may be resorted to times
depending on the objectives of the learning tasks.

2. Make sure that the students exhibit the necessary social skills to work cooperatively
in group situations.

Principles and Strategies in Teaching Mathematics | 4

 Romblon State University
College of Education
Liwanag, Odiongan, Romblon

3. Arrange the furniture so that groups of students can sit facing each other during
sessions. Provide adequate space for ease and speed in movement.

4. Provide adequate learning tools so as not to make others wait at a time they are
needed.

5. Encourage students to assume responsibility for individual and group learning by

offering rewards for achievement.

6. Make sure each group understands the goals, procedures, tasks and methods of
evaluation.

Advantages of Cooperative Learning

1. Interdependent relationship is strengthened and reinforced when group cooperation

is rewarded.
2. Group work develops friendliness, willingness to assist and the more worthwhile
value of caring and sharing.
3. Cooperation in groups promote maximum generation and exchange of ideas,
tolerance and respect for other people’s point of view.
4. Cooperative learning groups exhibit less competitive behavior compared to whole-
class teaching classrooms.
5. The group members gain skills of cooperation and collaboration through experience.

Some Cooperative Learning Structures

Academic and Social

Structure Brief Description
Team Building
Round Robin Each student in turn shares
something with his or her
classmates
Class Building
Corners Each student moves to a
corner of the room
representing a teacher-
determined alternative.
Students discuss within
corners, then listen to and
paraphrase ideas from
other corners
Functions
Expressing ideas and
opinions, creating stories,
experiencing equal
participation, getting
acquainted with classmates
Seeing alternative
hypotheses, values,
problem-solving,
approaches, knowing and
respecting different points
of view, meeting classmates

Principles and Strategies in Teaching Mathematics | 5

 Romblon State University
College of Education
Liwanag, Odiongan, Romblon

Communication Building
Match Mine Students attempt to match Vocabulary development,
the arrangement of object communication skills, role-
on a grid of another student taking ability
using oral communication
only.
Concept Development
Think-Pair-Share Students think by Generating and revising
themselves on a topic hypotheses; inductive
provided by the teacher; reasoning; deductive
they pair up with another reasoning, application,
student to discuss it; they participation, involvement
then share their thoughts
with the class.
Multifunctional
Jigsaw Each student on the team Acquisition and
becomes an “expert” on one presentation of new
topic by working with material; review, informed
members from other teams debate. Interdependence,
assigned the corresponding status equalization.
expert topic. Upon
returning to their teams,
each one in turn teaches the
group; and students are all
assessed on all aspects of
the topic.

Principles and Strategies in Teaching Mathematics | 6

 Romblon State University
College of Education
Liwanag, Odiongan, Romblon

Lesson 3.
REFLECTIVE TEACHING

Students/Teachers learn through an analysis an evaluation of past experiences.

Without analysis, no new learning and ideas can be constructed. Through reflection, the
student’s/teacher’s experience acquires meaning, hence s/he is able to formulate his/her
own concepts that can be applied to new learning situations.

Guidelines for the Effective Use of Reflective Teaching/Learning

1. Allocate sufficient time for reflection. time must be considered in planning the
learning activity.
2. Schedule a short briefing activity so as to recapture the experience and think about it.
3. The teacher serves as the facilitator and guide in developing the skill in analyzing a
past learning experience.
4. encourage the students to recount the experience to others, thereby strengthening
the insights gained.
5. Attend to feelings especially the positive and pleasant ones.
6. Evaluate the experience in the light of the learner’s intent.

Strategies

• Self-Analysis

A reflective student/teacher is able to keep a record of his/her success or

failure in employing a strategy, problems and issues confronted and significance of
learning events that occurred. Writing them can help in analyzing and clarifying
important aspects that are contributory to future decisions towards effective
learning. A student/teacher engages himself/herself in self-analysis when s/he
reflects on why s/he succeeded or failed at some task.

• Writing journals

A journal entry includes:

i. a description of the teaching/learning event;
ii. outcomes of the event;
iii. value or worthiness of the outcomes; and
iv. causes of success or failures.

A journal reveals feelings about the day activities including what could have
enhanced or inhibited their learning. For a student, s/he is asked to enter into his/her
daily journal/diary his own self-analysis.

Principles and Strategies in Teaching Mathematics | 7

 Romblon State University
College of Education
Liwanag, Odiongan, Romblon

• Keeping a portfolio

A portfolio is a very personal document which includes frank, honest and on-
the-spot account of experiences. It includes a student’s first hand observations and
personal knowledge that will be needed in analyzing changes in values being
developed. Instant thoughts and reactions can be recorded in a log book for future
recall and study.

A teacher who does reflective teaching and encourages reflective learning asks
himself/herself questions as follows:

a.) Did I motivate them enough to continue on?

b.) Are the students learning from the activity? If so, why? If not, why?
c.) Am I relating the lesson to their knowledge and interests? How can I do better?
d.) How good was my classroom management skill?

Other questions that a reflective teacher may ask at the end of every lesson are as follows:

• Did anything significant occur? If so, describe. Why did it happen?

• Was the strategy I used the most effective one? What other strategies might have been
effective?
• Did I exhibit flexibility in modifying my lesson according to their responses?
• What have I learned about my own teaching? Have I become a better teacher?

A student who is engaged in reflective learning asks similar questions:

• Was I motivated enough to continue on?
• Am I learning from the activity? If so, why? If not, why?
• Am I relating the lesson to my knowledge and interests? How can I do better?
• How good was my personal management skill?

Or a student may ask the following questions at the end of every lesson:

• Did anything significant occur? If so, describe. Why did it happen?

• Was the learning strategy that I used the most effective one? What other strategies
might have been effective?
• What have I learned? Have I become a better student?

Principles and Strategies in Teaching Mathematics | 8

 Romblon State University
College of Education
Liwanag, Odiongan, Romblon

Self-Assessment 1

Directions: Look for some quotations related to each of these principles which can also be
related to real life situations such as dealing with your family, siblings, friends,
classmates and others.

Relevant Quotations for Teaching

Principles
and Real Life Situations
1. Teachers’ knowledge of the subject matter is
essential to the implementation of important
teaching tasks.
2. Active involvement of the learner enhances
learning.

3. Interaction between teachers and students is

the most important factor in student
motivation and involvement.
4. Students benefit from taking responsibility for
their learning.

5. There are many roads to learning.

6. Expect more and you will achieve more.

7. Learning is enhanced in an atmosphere of

cooperation.

8. Material must be meaningful.

9. Both teaching and learning are enhanced by

descriptive feedback.

10. Critical feedback is only useful if the learner

has alternatives to pursue.

11. Time plus energy equals learning.

12. Experience usually improves learning.

Principles and Strategies in Teaching Mathematics | 9

 Romblon State University
College of Education
Liwanag, Odiongan, Romblon

Self-Assessment 2

Directions: Research for other Cooperative Learning Structures and fill out the table below
as required. Give at least five CLS.

Academic and Social

Structure Brief Description
Functions

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Principles and Strategies in Teaching Mathematics | 10

 Romblon State University
College of Education
Liwanag, Odiongan, Romblon

Faculty-Marked Task 2

Directions: In this Faculty-Marked Task (FMT), you are expected to construct a learning
activity for a constructivist mathematics classroom. Using the template below,
construct a learning activity for a mathematics topic of your choice. Choose only
one (1) strategy (cooperative learning structure) from the lessons that were
presented in this module and incorporate it in this task.

Lesson Title:
Title of the Activity:
Cooperative Learning
Structure Used:

Instructions in doing the

activity:

Principles and Strategies in Teaching Mathematics | 11

 Romblon State University
College of Education
Liwanag, Odiongan, Romblon

What did I learn?

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

My Reflections

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

References

Corpuz, B. & Salandanan, G. (2015). Principles of Teaching 1. Quezon City. Lorimar

Publishing, Inc.
Serrano, E. & Paez, A. (2015). Principles of Teaching 1. Quezon City. Adriana Publishing
Co., Inc.

Principles and Strategies in Teaching Mathematics | 12