Helping students see how what they learn in school is relevant to their lives, hopes and dreams builds motivation.
It can also be a challenge for teachers who are responsible for covering a lot of content, especially math and science.
This series will offer some teaching strategies that might help…
“Phenomena”
K. Renae Pullen has been an educator for over 20 years. Currently, she serves as an elementary science specialist for Caddo Parish Public Schools in Shreveport, Louisiana, and is a member of the National Academies of Sciences Science Education Board of Trustees:
Science is everywhere. It is a body of knowledge, a way of thinking critically, and a set of practices that allow us to make sense of the natural world. Scientific literacy is important because it can provide students with career opportunities in the future and enable them to make informed decisions and solve problems. It can also encourage them to be lifelong learners and always be curious about the world around them. Regardless of age, all students deserve the wonders of science. How can we bring beauty and relevance to the science classroom?
Imagine a science classroom where students actively participate in their learning by investigating scientific concepts and exploring real-world problems that interest them. This vision can become a reality through phenomenon-based learning. Phenomena are the observable events in nature that students can investigate and design solutions.
For example, consider elementary school students’ understanding of chemical and physical changes. Traditionally, student learning focused on memorizing vocabulary about states of matter and reading about chemical and physical changes to answer questions. Through phenomenon-based learning, students could learn more about the Statue of Liberty. When the Statue of Liberty arrived in the United States in 1885, it was shiny and reddish-brown, similar to a new penny. Today it’s green. Students might wonder about the phenomenon that explains why the statue turned green. They could ask questions, conduct investigations, and engage in other scientific and technical practices while making sense of the phenomenon.
When students are exposed to real-world phenomena, such as how canyons form, why people become resistant to antibiotics, or how we can protect ourselves from natural hazards, they are more likely to actively engage in learning and connect to their own lives.
Centering phenomena motivate students to adopt the same behaviors as scientists and engineers. Student learning transforms passively learn more a subject to actively to understand how and why things happen. This can lead to a deeper understanding of complex scientific ideas and allow students to apply their content knowledge and disciplinary practices to local or global phenomena.
The first step to using this approach in the classroom is to find interesting phenomena that students want to explore or design solutions for. A good phenomenon is confusing, interesting and compelling. It must be relevant to students’ lives and complex enough to support exploration.
Provide students with opportunities to make sense of the phenomenon, study it, and communicate their findings. Sites like Phenomena for NGSS can provide teachers with examples of phenomena that could be used to support meaningful science learning. By carefully selecting and presenting phenomena, teachers can create a dynamic learning environment in which students can be curious and clear; connections with the real world are established as they take ownership of their learning.
“Deeper than changing your name in word problems”
Neven Holland is an educator, with a Ph.D. student at the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies, contributing writer for Edutopiaand proudly served as a tenured classroom teacher in Memphis-Shelby County Schools in Tennessee. He is also a 2022 State of Tennessee finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching:
Think back to a math lesson that left you amazed at how it related to your daily life and made math really cool and, perhaps, beautiful. Unfortunately, for too many students, including myself, it is difficult to remember. We probably all remember at least one math class where we didn’t know why we were forced to learn it. Instead of seeing the beauty of mathematics as something we engage in every day, it simply becomes a subject full of steps and tricks to remember that are removed from reality. ?????????????
Making math relevant is much deeper than changing names in word problems. Rather, it means provide students with opportunities to develop a deeper mathematical understanding And connecting to new learning through real-world applications. Let us not forget that in the context of mathematical practice, application is an essential element of rigorous mathematics teaching. Therefore, it is essential that students do not just work on mathematical procedures such as multi-digit subtraction in isolation, but apply this concept in a real-world context.
The best strategies I have used to ensure math learning is relevant to my students’ lives have been to strive to be aware of trends in media like TikTok and youth culture, by knowing the social context of the city and neighborhood. where I have taught, and simply asking students, through surveys or casual conversations, what they are interested in and what they want to learn.
For example, in her original concept of culturally relevant pedagogy, educator and researcher Gloria Ladson-Billings explored use hip hop to make subjects like mathematics more relevant and attractive. Understanding where young people are drawn to can provide an on-ramp to making math more sensible and logical so teachers can tailor their curriculum.
In a previous piece I have written and discussed the importance of integrating the local context of the school into my lessons. This approach builds a connection between what is familiar and what is new, making it less likely that attention spans will decline. Combining this approach by asking students what they want to learn in math often ignites sparks of curiosity, wonder, and motivation to persevere when math becomes more difficult.
Making math relevant has never been an easy task for me due to my training as a teacher, but the process is fun! It requires intentional planning and meticulous attention to detail, where the program serves as the vehicle for the real magic to unfold.
Making mathematics relevant should not be seen as a gimmick or an extra task. Indeed, we could teach an effective and irrelevant lesson that would allow students to memorize the steps to solve a problem. However, what elevates a math lesson and sustains it in later years and after graduation is the provision of experiential learning opportunities for students, which is a fundamental aspect of teaching solid.
“Mathematics in action”
Cindy Garcia is an elementary school educator with 18 years of experience. Cindy is currently a district-wide elementary mathematics education specialist in Pasadena, Texas. She previously served as an on-campus math coach and a 3rd grade bilingual teacher in the district. Twitter Handle/X: @CindyGarcia/TX:
One way to help students see that what they learn in mathematics is relevant to their lives is to select or create tasks in an applicable context.
For example, during a unit focused on four operationsTeachers can use word problems that incorporate students’ interests. If the class has a lot of students who like to play basketball, then word problems might involve balls, points, stadiums, seats, uniforms, teams, etc.
Providing opportunities to put mathematics into practice can be effective in allowing students to see that mathematics can be used in real life. Instead of just solving a word problem, they can work together to apply, create, and communicate math.
For example, during a lesson on elapsed time, teachers can guide students to take note of events and keep a schedule. The data they collect can then be used to generate questions and as a source of classroom discussions. When students bring in samples or create math examples, it helps them take ownership of their learning.
During a unit of measurement, students can bring in empty containers to demonstrate different abilities. For example, they can bring a gallon jug of milk, a 500 ml bottle of water, or a 12 ounce take-out coffee cup. During a unit on data analysis, students can stream their favorite movie or show to create a data set that can be used in a classroom lesson. The teacher can display the examples that students bring or create on a discussion wall or bulletin board so that all students can make real-world math connections.
It is helpful to integrate what is taught in mathematics with other subjects to allow students to understand the importance of what they are learning in mathematics class. When sequencing classes or dividing units of study, consider whether there is a time when an interdisciplinary connection can be made. This is a great opportunity for integration if the science unit on plants and the math unit on measurement are to be taught around the same time. During math class, students can learn about standard linear measurements and how to use a ruler. Then, during science class, students can apply what they have learned to measure the height of plants using a ruler.
Thanks to Renae, Neven and Cindy for their thoughts!
Today’s post answered this question:
What are the best strategies that teachers have used to help students see that what they learn in math and/or science is relevant to their lives?
Consider asking a question that will need to be answered in a future article. You can send me one to lferlazzo@epe.org. When you send it, let me know if I can use your real name if it’s selected or if you’d prefer to remain anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.
You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo.
Just a reminder; you can subscribe and receive updates from this blog via e-mail. And if you missed any of the highlights from the first 12 years of this blog, you can see a categorized list here.