overview
Early Steps Count: Teaching Arithmetic to Prepare Students for Algebra
(Grade K-6)
Linda Plattner
Course Description:
The teaching of elementary mathematics can be sloppy, leading students to mathematical misunderstandings. Sometimes misinformation is implied; for example, during subtraction, "borrowing" implies that a number is not a single entity, since you can't borrow from yourself. Sometimes the misinformation is directly taught; for example, during subtraction, students are taught to always put the big number on top. Some students, particularly those struggling in school, may never recover from learning these misconceptions. Linda Plattner will address the most common math mistakes, their genesis, and alternate approaches to teaching basic elementary concepts. Participants will analyze various methods to teach computation and explore ways to develop the concepts needed to approach algebra. This session will also look at the research of Dr. Lipping Ma, who researched the differences between American teachers and Chinese teachers in terms of preparation, their understanding of mathematics, and their methods of teaching.
Linda Plattner
During the 12 years Linda Plattner worked at the district level in Washington State, she enjoyed many opportunities beyond classroom teaching. Her background as an elementary and middle school mathematics teacher and curriculum specialist helped her develop Washington's State Assessment System, co-direct the development of the Washington State Portfolio system, and aid in the design of the New Standards Project Reference Exam. Ms. Plattner also worked for the Council for Basic Education and served on the Planning and Management Committees for the National Assessment for Education Progress 2004 Revision of the Mathematics Framework. She created her own company, Strategic Teaching, LLC, to design professional development for urban districts, conduct district audits and evaluations, prepare training materials, and develop an on-line report card system for clients such as the Near East South Asia Schools in Turkey and Bahrain, the Cleveland Municipal School District, Learning Effect, LLC in Portland, Maine, and the American Institute for Research.
