Day5


 * __Day 5 - Teaching Strategies - Manipulative Tools__**

I think I missed a lot by missing this class. I have a lot of catching up to do in the realm of manipulatives. My Math classes contained examples of real objects physically located in class and having every day uses, so the idea of creating objects to illustrate math concepts is a new one to me. No measuring ever took place in a math lesson. Every action that was stated or implied was to take place in our minds. We were supposed to use our imagination! Arguably, students will come out of such an environment either with a strong imagination or with zero math undertanding. Most of us were able to develop some imagination as applicable to math concepts. Every class had 1 or 2 students that were close to failing the subject, and all other subjects for that matter. My undertanding is that manipulatives are particularly useful for students who are kinetic learners. So, for those, I am prepared to include manipulatives. I'm thinking that, if I do this often enough I may even end up with an understanding of the thought process that takes place when using manipulatives. For visual, auditive, hands-on and conceptual learners, I am prepared to include all kinds of methods of knowledge delivery. My purpose however, will be to have the students develop their conceptual thinking. I do not want to have them think that math is about little pieces of plastic. Math is, after all, a concept.