ERIC Number: EJ1046545
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014-Dec
Pages: 11
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0025-5769
EISSN: N/A
Reconciling Representations
Zahner, William; Dent, Nick
Mathematics Teacher, v108 n5 p344-354 Dec 2014
Sometimes a student's unexpected solution turns a routine classroom task into a real problem, one that the teacher cannot resolve right away. Although not knowing the answer can be uncomfortable for a teacher, these moments of uncertainty are also an opportunity to model authentic problem solving. This article describes such a moment in Zahner's class "Problem Solving for Teachers." Reconciling these solutions led the students and Zahner and Dent on a multiweek quest to understand what was going on. Ultimately, this process of inquiry was a powerful lesson about the problem-solving practices as envisioned in the NCTM's Standards (2000) and in the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSI 2010).
Descriptors: Problem Solving, Mathematics Skills, Mathematics Education, Mathematics Instruction, Inquiry, Educational Practices, Educational Strategies, Teaching Models, Geometry, Mathematical Formulas, Mathematical Models, Mathematical Logic, Logical Thinking, Classroom Environment, Teaching Skills, College Students
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. 1906 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1502. Tel: 800-235-7566; Tel: 703-620-3702; Fax: 703-476-2970; e-mail: orders@nctm.org; Web site: http://www.nctm.org/publications/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Massachusetts
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A