Thinking about Math Textbooks


How would you respond to the examples given here - as a teacher and as a former student?
-       As mentioned in the paper, I believe that teachers also should be mindful of language they speak in classrooms. They need to use approachable language as much as possible, so that students feel more relaxed in classroom and can have a deep, thoughtful conversation with their peers especially when encountered with challenging problem-solving questions.
-       During my short practicum, my SA advised me to use indirect instruction. This approach allows students a moment to think about their behaviour and hopefully fix their “inappropriate” behaviours on their own; I think it is some kind of metacognitive strategy that teachers can use in classrooms.
-       Looking back to my learning experience in Korea – from elementary to high schools -, I was so used to the environment, where teachers are considered superior and directly tell their students what to do. As a student, I didn’t feel like I was valued whenever I was “ordered” by my teachers to do something they told me. I think it was one of the main reasons that I felt anxious and uncomfortable most of the time in Korean education system.

What are your thoughts about the reasons for using/ not using textbooks, and the changing role of math textbooks in schools?
-       The benefit of using textbooks is that academic information is well-organized in order and in detail, so that students can read and understand the logics behind mathematical concepts.
-       However, I find most math textbooks are quite dry, because they lack many information, such as the history behind the discovery of that math concept, the importance of concepts, their application in real life, and so on.
-       I believe that math textbooks should be used by students to practice and to do calculations to familiarize themselves to concepts. Once they understand the concepts, it is now teachers’ responsibility to create in-class activities or project for students’ better and deep understanding in those concepts.

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