May 16, 2019
Sanford School faculty members Chris Mosberg, Heather Taylor, and Brittany Elia share their thoughts about the importance of problem-solving when teaching and learning mathematics. Discover how problem-solving helps to prepare students for college and careers and why problem-solving is beneficial in other academic disciplines.
Episode Guide (27:03)
3:18 - What’s the downside of teaching students to memorize
concepts?
5:29 - How does teaching problem-solving play out in the
classroom?
7:16 - Are we seeing a progression in our Lower School math program
since we switched to the Math in Focus curriculum?
10:15 - What’s changed in the Sanford math program during the past
30 years?
13:09 - Are there examples of students whose confidence has bloomed
due to the implementation of problem-solving in the classroom?
16:12 - Can teachers and students in other disciplines benefit from
problem-solving?
17:39 - What is it about math that makes a wall go up when
students are faced with challenges?
19:28 - What would you change about teaching math at Sanford
School?
20:17 - Are our math teaching spaces conducive to teaching
problem-solving in a collaborative manner?
22:29 - Is our math curriculum aligning with the best practices
shared in Drexel’s master’s program, and what are some areas that
Sanford’s math department can push even further?