Author Archives: Elin Anderson
What Every Student Needs to Know for Multiplication (Part 1)
The topic of the latest AIMS Center colloquium was “What every student needs to know for multiplication” (Video Archive)(Resources). This presentation highlighted the work that we have been doing around understanding how students develop multiplicative reasoning. One of the things we are doing is implementing a task with second and third grade students called the… Continue Reading
Not Another Ball!
I can’t believe it’s been a year since I embarked on this journey as a Research Associate at the AIMS Center for Math and Science Education. It has been an exciting transition for me, having the opportunity to pursue my passion for understanding how children develop their knowledge of mathematics. Over the last year, I… Continue Reading
What I learned about Teaching Mathematics from the Great British Baking Show
During the past month I indulged in watching one of my favorite shows, The Great British Baking Show on PBS. The drama, the flour, the sugar and oh, how I love those British accents. For those of you unfamiliar with the show, it is a contest that begins with twelve bakers and at the end… Continue Reading
“If I Could Turn Back Time” – Part 2
In my last post I wrote about one of my first experiences teaching math to second graders. At the time (way back in 1996!), the math adoption we were using was MathLand, which was very conceptually based. I had several teacher friends that were also educators comment that they loved MathLand and felt it really… Continue Reading
If I Could Turn Back Time
As we come to the end of another school year, our team here at the AIMS Center has been spending time reflecting on the past year of learning from students. We were asked the question, “If you could go back into the classroom, what would you do differently in regards to your math instruction?” I… Continue Reading
My Strategy or Their Strategy?
I have many friends with school age children who know that I work in the field of math education and are always eager to pick my brain on what their children are doing in class during math instruction. Since the implementation of the common core standards, a question I get asked many times is, “Why… Continue Reading
Fingers as Math Tools – Part 3
Happy Spring! Yes, this is a picture of my niece, I thought it was appropriate being that it is the beginning of spring and she is using her finger to help her explore one of the wonders of Spring. . . a ladybug! Part 1 of “Fingers as Math Tools” showed her using her fingers… Continue Reading
Fingers as Math Tools – Part 2 “Let’s Get Tapping!”
In my last blog, I highlighted various ways you have probably observed children using their fingers when they are counting. In this blog I will continue that discussion and show you how observing the way children are using their fingers can help you understand where a child is in their construction of number. I pointed… Continue Reading
Fingers as Math Tools
In my last blog, I reflected on my experience at the California Mathematics Council’s Southern Conference in Palm Springs and our presentation, “Don’t be Quick to Count On!”. Referenced throughout the conference were the Mathematics Teaching Practices from NCTM. One of these practices that resonates with the work of my team of research associates is,… Continue Reading
Sparks in the Desert: A Beginning Conversation on “Counting-On” – Part 1
I had the opportunity to attend my first California Mathematics Council, Southern conference, in Palm Springs. The title of this year’s conference was “Sparking Deeper Understanding.” I headed out early the first morning of the conference with my notebook in hand, not really knowing what to expect. I have attended other conferences for different content… Continue Reading
