Reading in a math class? Are you kidding me?

Reading is often one of those things I tend to overlook when I am teaching. I don’t do this intentionally, but just assume that my students are capable of reading the material that I give them. Unfortunately, like many of the assumptions I make, I am very wrong!

After attending several PGOs about the importance of literacy in the classroom, I’ve come to realize that my students are not going to achieve the number literacy, or capability of solving math problems accurately, I want them to have without first ensuring that they are able to read and understand the material that I give them. I think that many of my students simply go through the motions of learning, following along as I explain problems and occasionally writing things down. However, when it comes time for them to solve a problem on their own they do not know how to pick apart a problem to determine the important information from the unimportant. They do not even seem to understand what the question is asking them to do, let alone how to go about solving the problem.

I know that by using more of the learning practices that involve reading my students would be able to better learn the material. It would give them opportunities to extend their thinking on the subject matter, as well as giving them more opportunities to “catch on” to what we are discussing. However, when it comes down to it, the main issue that seems to strike any teacher when incorporating another task in the classroom is that of time. By looking at the benefits of teaching with more literacy methods in place rather than focusing on the time I am sacrificing in the classroom, I know I can make more of an effort to use these tactics in the future. I am sure my students will be better off because of it!