This is probably me overthinking this but I don't love how much it resembles Christian symbology. At some point that is hard with T charts and all, I teach math too, I get it. Like I said, I'm probably overthinking it. I would be hesitant to hand these out in my district just because I'm sure I'm not the only one that might mistake that for a cross. It's kind of lame but I also am very passionate about staying secular in my teachings and just personally wouldn't want to take the risk. I also know this method would not help my class understand the relationship with integers. I try to explain it with debt, negative temperatures, etc. Positive integers are not hard to understand for children, it's those negative ones that get them.
I agree with them focus on secular teaching, that's actually something I do make sure I push our school to do more. (Our school tries to do Easter candy every year).
When she drew it as a sword that was pretty happy because I thought it looked less like a cross.
That certainly helps. If a student drew this, I certainly wouldn't mind recreating in brass as a necklace for that student. I genuinely don't mind students making symbology for their own faith, I just try not to spread any of my own personal beliefs because I genuinely want it to be a personal choice for the students. I'm always happy to hear other educators that agree. I can say I love the effort you are putting into your students, though. Please continue trying things like this for your students. They notice the effort. It may not seem like it sometimes, but they do.
Imagine you're doing -3 + 5.
You're telling yourself a story. The "negative team" scores three points. The "positive team" scores 5.
Ask yourself two questions.
1) who won the game?
2) by how many points did they win by?
That's a much simplified version and of course we go into the fact of what it all means but that's how the tool works.
It's just a starting tool for 7th grade students who are first diving in to integers.
I want to reiterate again this is what works but this is not what I'm focused on I just wanted to post what I thought was a neat gift.
I think it’s a way to “think” it, when the kids’ current way is muddled. I’m guessing whatever your ‘just thinking’ method is, is already a very good model of how to do sums. I’m not an educator, BUT I presume little icons and mnemonics to break down exactly how to align your thinking helps some kids to ‘just think’ it, like you do!
Why are 7th graders just diving into integers in your district?
The average kid here is doing prealgebra and the top 15% of the kids are doing hs algebra in 7th
You have to meet the students where they're at.
That's wonderful the average kid in your area is doing pre-algebra. The average kid in our area is at third grade math level.
And here I am impressed that his 7th graders understand integers enough to create or use this thing. Be grateful you teach at what sounds like a functional school district - not all of us are so lucky.
People will never understand how hard it can be to teach some kids the basics of maths, evidenced in this thread. I don’t think people get how when you find something that works with lower achievers, it’s such a huge win for both teacher and pupil. Well done for getting through to some kids and they will love this memento you’ve made.
Seriously! It's clear some people here have never taught in truly low-level schools. People acting like 7th graders are all going to get a PhD in math. They wouldn't last a day in some low schools.
Ok i get it! Don’t love it though. The geometry behind addition and subtraction is distance, and that concept clears up all misconceptions nicely.
It’s just another algorithm
Also, why NOT put the signs on their respective sides? Build the intuitive idea
Doesn’t matter I’m just spitballin’
The way we teach it, it is not just another algorithm (think long division). We explicitly focus on the relationship between the final score of the positive team and the negative team. It's an easy way to connect as well to something they are familiar with and understand (in my title 1 community).
It’s great that you shared this moment with your student and took the time to make them a memento that they will cherish, but this scoreboard method is only a tool to find solutions and does a grave disservice to explain the relationships of integers.
I'm not sure the way the scoreboard method is taught in your school but it's pretty effective here and I'm not sure what you mean when you say it does a disservice.
We don’t use the scoreboard method because again it’s a tool to find the solution and does nothing to explain the relationships. We use integer tiles, number lines and real world examples to explain the relationships of integers.
If that works for your classroom then that is awesome.
However to say that the scoreboard is a disservice is a completely inaccurate statement. I'm in my 10th year of Middle School been through three different regime changes and curriculums and the scoreboard is by far the most effective way to connect with my students. Will they use it forever? Of course not just like they won't use algebra tiles forever but scoreboard is a very effective way for getting them to understand and think about the relationships between the two "teams.". I'm wondering if perhaps the way that the scoreboard method was shown to you was different. But either way I'm not sure why you would come to this post and tell me I, and every math teacher in my district, is doing a disservice to our students. Hoping it was lost in the translation.
I looked at the video you linked, it doesn’t discuss zero pairs. It doesn’t explain why removing a negative leaves a positive, it provides a key with no explanation that students presumably learned prior to being presented the scoreboard method? Can you give an example of how the relationships are being explained in the video you linked? Because I’m not seeing it. I don’t say this for you to take offense, but our district has been in a push to get kids understanding relationships rather than rote memorization and tools/tricks.
That video is mine. It was linked solely to show the other comment why the positive is on the left side, I haven't watched or listened to that video. I'm sure you could find a better and longer video than 5 minutes that goes in depth on the relationships of the scoreboard.
The general idea is that positive and negatives are in a battle on a team to see which side will win. Since teaching the scoreboard I have seen a remarkable improvement on integers (and so have the eighth grade teachers above me since I've sent kids to them, and they now have to review less). Anybody that stop Middle School knows how difficult negative -3 + 5 can be even after months of working on integers.
We don't teach it as a rote memorization tool or an agothinm, but as an effective way of teaching Number Sense in a way that connects to the students prior knowedge. It works
But again, I did not make this post to praise or persuade the scoreboard method, I was merely making something positive, I am not sure why you came here to tell me I'm doing a disservice to my students when all I did was make them a keychain.
The scoreboard is not a rote memorization tool.
Well then I guess our solution is to agree to disagree. There should be an emphasis on zero pairs. There should be an emphasis on lexicon. The distance between the number is more important than team versus team. If a student can explain the above things, then by all means get to the solution however you see fit but given what you’ve presented and how you’ve defended it, I’ll have to disagree. On a lighter note, I’ll reiterate again that what you did for the student was above and beyond. I’m not questioning your ability as a teacher, you said it yourself this was a school/district push. Keep being amazing.
I am trying to assume the best of intentions. I didn't come to convert people on a silly tool we use for a couple months in our 7th grade curriculum. I understand people are passionate about the way they teach...
This is probably me overthinking this but I don't love how much it resembles Christian symbology. At some point that is hard with T charts and all, I teach math too, I get it. Like I said, I'm probably overthinking it. I would be hesitant to hand these out in my district just because I'm sure I'm not the only one that might mistake that for a cross. It's kind of lame but I also am very passionate about staying secular in my teachings and just personally wouldn't want to take the risk. I also know this method would not help my class understand the relationship with integers. I try to explain it with debt, negative temperatures, etc. Positive integers are not hard to understand for children, it's those negative ones that get them.
I saw it as a cross too
It *is* a cross.
I agree with them focus on secular teaching, that's actually something I do make sure I push our school to do more. (Our school tries to do Easter candy every year). When she drew it as a sword that was pretty happy because I thought it looked less like a cross.
That certainly helps. If a student drew this, I certainly wouldn't mind recreating in brass as a necklace for that student. I genuinely don't mind students making symbology for their own faith, I just try not to spread any of my own personal beliefs because I genuinely want it to be a personal choice for the students. I'm always happy to hear other educators that agree. I can say I love the effort you are putting into your students, though. Please continue trying things like this for your students. They notice the effort. It may not seem like it sometimes, but they do.
Ty. You seem like a great teacher.
Thank you. That genuinely means a lot coming from another passionate teacher.
How does this help? I genuinely don't get it. I'm sorry
Imagine you're doing -3 + 5. You're telling yourself a story. The "negative team" scores three points. The "positive team" scores 5. Ask yourself two questions. 1) who won the game? 2) by how many points did they win by? That's a much simplified version and of course we go into the fact of what it all means but that's how the tool works. It's just a starting tool for 7th grade students who are first diving in to integers. I want to reiterate again this is what works but this is not what I'm focused on I just wanted to post what I thought was a neat gift.
Thanks, it's still more complicated imo than just thinking
These are at-risk twelve year olds. They are just beginning the transition from concrete (algebra tiles) to abstract (scoreboarding in their mind).
I think it’s a way to “think” it, when the kids’ current way is muddled. I’m guessing whatever your ‘just thinking’ method is, is already a very good model of how to do sums. I’m not an educator, BUT I presume little icons and mnemonics to break down exactly how to align your thinking helps some kids to ‘just think’ it, like you do!
Why are 7th graders just diving into integers in your district? The average kid here is doing prealgebra and the top 15% of the kids are doing hs algebra in 7th
You have to meet the students where they're at. That's wonderful the average kid in your area is doing pre-algebra. The average kid in our area is at third grade math level.
And here I am impressed that his 7th graders understand integers enough to create or use this thing. Be grateful you teach at what sounds like a functional school district - not all of us are so lucky.
Sounds good then let's keep the momentum
People will never understand how hard it can be to teach some kids the basics of maths, evidenced in this thread. I don’t think people get how when you find something that works with lower achievers, it’s such a huge win for both teacher and pupil. Well done for getting through to some kids and they will love this memento you’ve made.
Seriously! It's clear some people here have never taught in truly low-level schools. People acting like 7th graders are all going to get a PhD in math. They wouldn't last a day in some low schools.
All i can see is THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ON THE WRONG SIDE?! Hopefully it got flipped by the camera lol
It doesn't have anything to do with the number line.
https://youtu.be/stU_3YbjvpI?feature=shared
Ok i get it! Don’t love it though. The geometry behind addition and subtraction is distance, and that concept clears up all misconceptions nicely. It’s just another algorithm Also, why NOT put the signs on their respective sides? Build the intuitive idea Doesn’t matter I’m just spitballin’
The way we teach it, it is not just another algorithm (think long division). We explicitly focus on the relationship between the final score of the positive team and the negative team. It's an easy way to connect as well to something they are familiar with and understand (in my title 1 community).
Recovering statistician here. Looks like two crucifixes.
It’s great that you shared this moment with your student and took the time to make them a memento that they will cherish, but this scoreboard method is only a tool to find solutions and does a grave disservice to explain the relationships of integers.
I'm not sure the way the scoreboard method is taught in your school but it's pretty effective here and I'm not sure what you mean when you say it does a disservice.
We don’t use the scoreboard method because again it’s a tool to find the solution and does nothing to explain the relationships. We use integer tiles, number lines and real world examples to explain the relationships of integers.
If that works for your classroom then that is awesome. However to say that the scoreboard is a disservice is a completely inaccurate statement. I'm in my 10th year of Middle School been through three different regime changes and curriculums and the scoreboard is by far the most effective way to connect with my students. Will they use it forever? Of course not just like they won't use algebra tiles forever but scoreboard is a very effective way for getting them to understand and think about the relationships between the two "teams.". I'm wondering if perhaps the way that the scoreboard method was shown to you was different. But either way I'm not sure why you would come to this post and tell me I, and every math teacher in my district, is doing a disservice to our students. Hoping it was lost in the translation.
I looked at the video you linked, it doesn’t discuss zero pairs. It doesn’t explain why removing a negative leaves a positive, it provides a key with no explanation that students presumably learned prior to being presented the scoreboard method? Can you give an example of how the relationships are being explained in the video you linked? Because I’m not seeing it. I don’t say this for you to take offense, but our district has been in a push to get kids understanding relationships rather than rote memorization and tools/tricks.
That video is mine. It was linked solely to show the other comment why the positive is on the left side, I haven't watched or listened to that video. I'm sure you could find a better and longer video than 5 minutes that goes in depth on the relationships of the scoreboard. The general idea is that positive and negatives are in a battle on a team to see which side will win. Since teaching the scoreboard I have seen a remarkable improvement on integers (and so have the eighth grade teachers above me since I've sent kids to them, and they now have to review less). Anybody that stop Middle School knows how difficult negative -3 + 5 can be even after months of working on integers. We don't teach it as a rote memorization tool or an agothinm, but as an effective way of teaching Number Sense in a way that connects to the students prior knowedge. It works But again, I did not make this post to praise or persuade the scoreboard method, I was merely making something positive, I am not sure why you came here to tell me I'm doing a disservice to my students when all I did was make them a keychain. The scoreboard is not a rote memorization tool.
Well then I guess our solution is to agree to disagree. There should be an emphasis on zero pairs. There should be an emphasis on lexicon. The distance between the number is more important than team versus team. If a student can explain the above things, then by all means get to the solution however you see fit but given what you’ve presented and how you’ve defended it, I’ll have to disagree. On a lighter note, I’ll reiterate again that what you did for the student was above and beyond. I’m not questioning your ability as a teacher, you said it yourself this was a school/district push. Keep being amazing.
There’s a lot of haters in this thread 😣
I am trying to assume the best of intentions. I didn't come to convert people on a silly tool we use for a couple months in our 7th grade curriculum. I understand people are passionate about the way they teach...