Catalina Dvila February 16, 2015 EE 333 Assignment Five

Principles of Action pg. 42-48

Understanding how and what is procedural fluency is important. Procedural fluency is defined by the following: conceptual understanding, strategic reasoning, and problem solving. When students possess procedural fluency they are able to explain their work and thinking. In elementary school I do not remember having to explain, summary, or reflect on my work unless it was a word problem. After being at Prieto I see the value of the three components of procedural fluency. Students at Prieto are learning to solve the problems presented to them using a variety of strategies and then are expected to explain in writing what they have do. For example, I was almost in shock when I saw how math was being taught with the first graders. I am almost positive that is not how I learned how to add or subtract. I wish I had learned in that manner. Last Wednesday I was observing Ms. Vazquez third grade class. She was introducing the concept of equivalent fractions. However the students were having a difficult time understanding. Ms. Vazquez did only went go over the steps they take for solving the problem and allowed the students to try the problem on their own. At the end, I was able to see that the class did not understand the problem and wondered by she took this approach but after reading these pages I am able to understand her teaching method. Ms. Vazquez was providing students with opportunities to use their own reasoning strategies and methods for solving problems. As I read I had a couple of questions. To build procedural fluency for conceptual understanding I understand that allowing the students to solve the problem on their own is important but I was wondering when do we as teachers step in to help them without? How do we help without hindering them from thinking? How do we help or present questions that will guide them to figuring the problem by themselves? In all my math classes I have had to practice. The idea was the practicing would teach me how to solve the problems. I clearly remember that in third grade I had a bubble in sheet that had 60 multiplication questions. I had 60 seconds for 60 multiplication problems. I learned my multiplications. However, the method by which I was taught math caused me to not like math. As teachers how do we know how much practice to give the students? Also, how do teachers avoid setting time constraints, especially with younger grades? As I read I learn many things for example, like at Prieto not allowing the students to erase their attempts because students can then learn from their mistakes. For our unit plan I want to be able to address the mistakes that the students. As the pages said, it is very valuable to use the mistakes to teach and to create a positive attitude towards math.