TED TV: Making Math More Meaningful

I am a junkie for TED Talks.  I have a number of TED Talks bookmarked and show them off to anyone willing to watch.  Currently, I am working on a piece for this blog that includes many of my favorite presentations, but until that is ready I have this more recently video to share.

In the following video, six year math teacher Dan Meyer gives an inspiring talk about the need to overhaul math instruction.  His main point centers on improving instruction in order to promote patient problem solving amongst students.  Even though his focus is on math, you could exchange it with any other content area and his point would be just as relevant.

Meyers recommends that teachers do the following to improve engagement:
    1.    Use multimedia
    2.    Encourage student intuition
    3.    Ask the shortest question you can
    4.    Let students build the problem
    5.    Be less helpful

I agree with all five suggestions.  Numbers 1 and 5 are areas that have been a strong focus of my instruction lately, while numbers 3 and 4 are still areas of weakness for me.
 

After watching Dan Meyer’s video and reading his blog, I know I can do a better job including multimedia and problem solving/developing in my lessons.