In Movement-based Mathematics: Enjoyment and Engagement without Compromising Learning through the EASY Minds Program, the authors present research on learning mathematics embedded in physical activity. The research was made in public schools in Australia with grade 5 and 6 students. The teachers involved received professional development and had to implement mathematics lessons embedded in physical activity for 6 weeks. The results showed that teachers and students enjoyed the experiment. More specifically, the result showed that the students were more focused and engaged in the mathematics learning. Thus, even if it took more time to plan, the teachers enjoyed the experience as well. Overall, the research showed that the quality of learning was enhanced by the physical activity embedded in the lessons.
”You could find out something that you didn't know before (Riley & al., 2017, p. 1660)”
Like Su (2020) mentions, a math concept/idea grows in meaning every time it is used or seen in a new way. By moving the concepts, students can build meaning with a perspective they understand better or that makes more sense to them. In my classrooms, I found out that these activities are crucial for the students who might not develop the meaning of a mathematical concept right away with traditional methods (which is the majority of my students!) For some of them, concepts make more sense if they are moved/heard/seen/experienced, etc. For example, my student with dyscalculia LOVES stories. We usually review the concepts we learn in class by telling each other stories about them. He now recognizes different angle degrees as ‘turns’ a frisbee had to take to find its way home. As for the other students who get concepts with traditional, I believe that these methods also deepen their understanding. It often helps them remember or recall the concept better.
“It is also recognized that these middle school years are the time period where students’ behaviours, emotions and attitudes towards mathematics are formed with important implications for future study and academic performance (Riley & al., 2017, p. 1654).”
This quote struck me because I have seen the effect of this my first years of teaching. At first, our school only offered the math program, which does not allow students to continue postsecondary studies in science. Basically, the program contains the same concepts, but on a much more surface level. It felt like my students were unchanged by mathematics. Now, I offer both programs. Many of my students in the science-oriented program are interested in pursuing into STEM after high school. I believe that understanding the mathematics and where it comes from, and the pride of understanding symbols not everyone understands make them see the beauty of mathematics. Students crave to understand the meaning of the mathematics they are learning (Skemp, 1971), so they enjoy diving deeper into concepts to truly understand them. Also, now that I have more non-traditional activities in my bank (thanks to the program!) I have noticed my students’ interest for mathematics is growing. Thus, it is important to have different learning activities integrating the body, the arts and the outdoor to ensure that the beauty of mathematics is shown and experienced by everyone.
It is well known that enrollments of Indigenous students are lower in STEM fields in postsecondary education (Sterenberg, 2013). I believe that incorporating non-traditional activities and encouraging a deep understanding of concepts help my students develop a positive relationship with mathematics in those crucial years, which bring them to consider a career in STEM field more than before.
How do your students receive activities where they are asked to move? Or how do you think they would receive it? What reactions are you noticing/expecting?
References
Riley, N., Lubans, D., Holmes, K., Hansen, V., Gore, J., & Morgan, P. (2017). Movement-based mathematics: Enjoyment and engagement without compromising learning through the EASY minds program. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 13(6), 1653. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2017.00690a
Skemp, R. R. (1971). The psychology of learning mathematics. Penguin.
Sterenberg, G. (2013). Considering indigenous knowledges and mathematics curriculum. Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 13(1), 18-32. https://doi.org/10.1080/14926156.2013.758325
Su, F. (2020). Mathematics for human flourishing. Yale University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvt1sgss
Hi Noemie, your post resonates with my own experiences, especially your point that students often appear to know a concept but cannot meaningfully apply it.
ReplyDeleteWhat stood out to me in the Riley et al. (2017) study was not just the increased engagement, but the way physical activity created conditions where students were more focused and emotionally open to the mathematics. I use movement when teaching geometry, as in arm, hand and foot movements, but i struggle with incorporating actual dance. I also agree with Su’s (2020) idea that mathematical meaning grows each time an idea is seen in a new form. Your examples of students understanding angles as “turns” or mathematical structures as stories reflect exactly that process. The creativity of linking a frisbee’s flight to angle size is so powerful for a student with dyscalculia, because it gives them a sensory anchor that traditional notation alone can’t provide. I am going to use that idea and see how it goes. These are the kinds of moments that stay with students and ultimately shape their relationship with mathematics. I just need some more training on how do it effectively and not lose the attention of my students.
The quote you highlighted about middle school being the critical period for forming mathematical attitudes also hit home for me. When students encounter mathematics as something they can do, feel, and understand, not just something to perform for a grade, they start to see themselves as mathematical thinkers.
At the end of a course, I always do a survey to find out what activities students enjoyed and what they disliked. Most of the time, the liked activities are those that involve movement, collaboration, play and exploration. I have found that my students are more willing to receive activities where they are asked to move if it is an established pattern; if it is not a one-off activity, rather a regular, integrated component of our time together. I found that I started incorporating more movement when I was introduced to Building Thinking Classroom principles and vertical workspaces. Students were becoming used to randomized groupings, collaboration and standing to work. In my experience, that has led to a more willing audience to engage with any activity I have given them. That has been my biggest takeaway - we may not be able to do these kinds of activities and learning experiences every class, but we also cannot make it so infrequent that they are not able to develop the comfortability and willingness to risk engaging in these sorts of tasks.
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