ONE POINT OF VIEW: More Time—Wisely UsedAuthor(s): Connie GreenspanSource: The Arithmetic Teacher, Vol. 38, No. 4 (DECEMBER 1990), p. 3Published by: National Council of Teachers of MathematicsStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41195030 .

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ONE POINT OF VIEW

More Time- Wisely Used Connie Greenspan

we do any- thing more to

improve our stu- dents' ability to un- derstand mathemat- ics? Stimulated by the NCTM's curric-

ulum standards, we are in the midst of many exciting changes in the teaching of mathematics. Elementary school students now work with computers and manipulatives and are exposed to fascinating topics, such as tessella- tions and probability. But in many mathematics classrooms, only thirty to fifty minutes daily is spent studying mathematics; much of this time may be taken up with routine, practice- type arithmetic activities and admin- istrative tasks.

My belief, after fifteen years' teach- ing in elementary school classrooms, is that even fifty minutes is not an ad- equate period for a mathematics les- son. When I have had the luxury of more time, my students have spent as much as ninety minutes on mathemat- ics, fully absorbed in the tasks at hand. To increase mathematics achieve- ment, we need well-prepared teachers who use their time wisely but who also have more time for teaching.

Connie Greenspan is a third-grade teacher and mathematics lead teacher at Crossfield Ele- mentary School in Herndon, VA 22071. She has coached elementary-level mathematics teams for several years.

The views expressed in ' 'One Point of View ' ' do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Panel of the Arithmetic Teacher or the Na- tional Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

DECEMBER 1990

I have found that a well-designed mathematics lesson contains many el- ements that require adequate time to be effective. My students begin class with a warm-up review activity on the overhead projector or on the chalk- board. We go over this activity to- gether and then discuss solutions to the homework problems. If home- work problems are discussed at the chalkboard, these tasks can take fif- teen minutes or longer. Then we spend several minutes on mental- arithmetic drills. At this point I intro- duce and discuss the new lesson, us- ing manipulative materials whenever possible to assist student's under- standing. Investigations involving building with blocks to determine vol- ume, measuring, and combining mul- tibase blocks to solve problems and to furnish the underlying structure to un- derstand algorithms are invaluable ac- tivities. When we are constrained by a fifty-minute period, we have little time for these experiences before pressing on. My students need at least thirty minutes to work with their hands, work with partners, and communicate their ideas about mathematics. They can remain productive and involved for half an hour, and this time allows them to explore relationships.

Following the hands-on phase of the lesson, we begin guided practice. Students work problems indepen- dently while I circulate to see who has mastered the concepts and who needs further assistance. Ten minutes spent catching errors in thinking before they are repeated in classwork and home- work is time well spent.

At the end of the period, I like to give the students at least ten minutes to begin related problems or to at- tempt challenge problems. Those who finish before the end of the allotted time can play one of the many exciting games that incorporate mathematics concepts or skills. Those who are un- clear about the lesson can get help from the teacher or from peers.

In summary, I believe that a partial solution to our low national perfor- mance in mathematics is to increase the time devoted to the subject in our classrooms. A comprehensive mathe- matics lesson such as I have described should be allotted a minimum of sixty minutes, preferably ninety minutes.

Most teachers may claim that they don't have that much time to devote to mathematics. In reality the bulk of our academic day is now devoted to reading and writing. Traditionally, so- cial studies, science, and health activ- ities reinforce these language skills. We need to explore ways to integrate other subject areas with mathematics effectively. We can find enough time for mathematics if we teach mathe- matics so that students have opportu- nities to explore problems related to different subject areas and if we rec- ognize that we can develop language- arts skills through activity-oriented mathematical experiences that stress communication. More effort needs to be made to make this integration a re- ality in our classrooms.

More time must be carved out spe- cifically for mathematics on a daily basis. I am convinced that without this additional time we cannot strength- en that most essential foundation for mathematics that is built during the few short years the students spend in our elementary schools. W

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