Recently, I have watched a video clip where a secondary school teacher is teaching Pythagoras. He leads the classroom with a concept unrelated to maths, in this case the game of golf. He creates opportunities for discussion and exploration for pupils by introducing them to a relatable context, this gains thundering discussion in the classroom and all learners become instantly engaged, possibly because they do not see the relation to mathematical concepts. As the lesson continues the teacher offers the children the chance to explore two methods by which to solve the initial problem he has constructed. Once again the children respond in an engaged manner and they discuss with their peers to investigate.

The outcome of this strategy is that all learners are then given a similar concept to solve, and due to their new experience of calculations adopt a new strategy one that involves calculations and a deeper understanding on the mathematical concept.
Relative context in this lesson has been key to the learner’s understanding, which supports my previous engagement in mathematical pedagogy.
By creating a variety of opportunities for engagement the learners are empowered by their previous knowledge to explore and create deeper understanding of what can be a confusing concept… in my own opinion!

Offering learners the opportunity to discuss and share findings is an excellent method of assessment for the teacher. Often learners can explain things to other learners in a way which is more accessible to a teacher’s method.

Returning to this blog post I have reflected on this teachers approach. I can now connect this method of teaching to Ma’s description of multiple perspectives. This teacher displayed an appreciation for “difference facets of an idea and various approaches to a solution, as well as their advantages and disadvantages”  (Ma, 2010, Pg. 122). Offering multiple solution processes for learners allows children to adopt a more flexible and insightful approach to a discipline. I can also relate this to differentiation, with many learners differing in their learning strategies, this approach encourages learners to explore opportunities for problem solving.