President's Message - December 2010

Unanticipated Consquences

DAVID ZIMMER

dzec.inc@gmail.com

This semester, I have the privilege of working with a class of Junior-Intermediate teacher candidates at the University of Ottawa. The 43 students represent a wide spectrum of past experiences with school mathematics. Some were quite successful and others not so much. They come from different provinces and countries and have experienced varied forms of instruction. They represent a wide range of ages; some are old enough to have school-aged or older children, and others are recent university graduates.

As a follow-up to a class in which we began the discussion of assessment in mathematics, I asked the students to write a reflection journal entry in which they recounted two personal experiences with assessment in a mathematics class. One was to be a pleasant memory and the other not.

Their candor was refreshing. Please read these very personal reflections and draw your own conclusions about the impact a teacher's approach to assessment, particularly in mathematics, can have on a student's life.

One of my earliest math memories comes from Grade two. .... In this memory, it was the end of the school year and we were doing work that we would learn again in September. I was given a sheet of paper with multiplication on it (2x2=___) and asked to write the answers. As far as I remember, I hadn't actually been taught what an "X" sign meant, so I just added up all the numbers on the sheet and handed it in. I remember getting it back and being shocked. It was the first time I had ever gotten something back where I got 0, and the paper was filled with red marks. I remember we were given time to go over our answers and figure out the mistakes we made, but I genuinely didn't understand what I did wrong, because I genuinely didn't understand the "X" symbol.

The ... positive experience occurred in Grade 10. I had a teacher who was very approachable. I felt very comfortable in his class, and every time I asked a question, feeling a little stupid at times, he would say, 'There is no such thing as a stupid question'. His patience was relentless, not just with me, but with everyone. I did not have many problems with Grade 10 math, but on those few occasions when I did, I would stay after class and speak to him. I remember him being so encouraging and telling me that he was certain I would do well.

When I got to University, I took first year Calculus from a wonderful professor who had a dynamic manner in class. However, I got behind in my homework and did poorly on the second test. I should have asked for help, but I had no experience struggling with math and I did not know how to get help. In retrospect, I wish I had sought out some tutoring, or worked with someone on the homework, to sort out the issues. I need to talk out a solution in order to remember how to do it and I did not get the opportunity to do that.

There was one math test that I wrote in Grade 10 that I recall as ... a positive experience. I had been sort of struggling in the class. The teacher had noticed this and went to great lengths to help me to understand the material. She used to meet with me every day after school and she would go over and over the problems with me. She was very patient, helpful, and supportive. When it came time to write the second unit test, I did it without any problems whatsoever and got a really good mark. I was proud that my hard work had paid off and continued going after school for extra help.

The unfortunate thing about this math-reflection assignment is that it made me realize that I remember the negative experiences much more vividly than the positive ones. I have to be very conscious of this in my teaching career, to be aware that a positive comment and guidance in the right direction is far more valuable than a big red "X" on a test.

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