Saturday, March 9, 2024

Strategies for Differentiated Instruction in Math: Tips for Teachers

As a math teacher, you know that not all students are created equal when it comes to math skills and abilities. Some students might be naturally gifted at math and breeze through problems with ease, while others might struggle and need more support to understand the concepts being taught. So how do you differentiate your instruction to meet the needs of all your students?

In 2019, I had the opportunity to teach a course on how to teach math at Huzhou University. The topic I wanted to discuss today is differentiated instruction, and I'm excited to share some of the strategies in this blog post.

First, it's important to identify where your students are at in terms of math skills and abilities. You can do this through assessments, observations, and conversations with students. Once you have a good understanding of your students' needs, you can begin to tailor your instruction to meet those needs.

One strategy for differentiating instruction is to use tiered assignments. Tiered assignments offer different levels of complexity for students to choose from based on their skill level. For example, you might provide three different versions of a math problem: one that is more straightforward, one that is moderately challenging, and one that is very difficult. Students can choose which version of the problem they want to tackle based on their level of comfort with the material.

Another strategy is to use flexible grouping. This means grouping students based on their skill level and providing instruction that is targeted to their needs. For example, you might group students who are struggling with a particular concept together and provide additional support and guidance to help them understand the material. Similarly, you might group students who are excelling in a particular area together and provide enrichment activities to challenge them.

Finally, providing students with choices can also help to differentiate instruction. For example, you might give students the option of completing a project or a worksheet to demonstrate their understanding of a concept. This allows students to choose the format that works best for them and can help to increase engagement and motivation.

These are just a few strategies for differentiating instruction in math. By taking the time to identify your students' needs and tailoring your instruction accordingly, you can help to ensure that all your students are able to succeed in math.

Since teaching the course in 2019, I have transformed it into an online training course consisting of four chapters available at:

https://mgameirollc.uteach.io/bundles/how-to-teach-math-4-chapters

Each chapter contains comprehensive content and exercises designed to help you become an effective math teacher, including strategies for differentiated instruction. With this online training, you can learn at your own pace and apply what you learn in your own classroom to help your students achieve their full potential in math.

To see other posts like this, on tips how to teach math:

https://yellowcornbooks.blogspot.com/2023/05/transforming-math-education-effective.html

https://tesol103-pedagogyii-mgg.blogspot.com/2023/05/how-to-teach-math-innovative-strategies.html

https://mgameiro1970.blogspot.com/2023/05/how-to-teach-math-effective-assessment.html

https://yellowcorntrashlearning.wordpress.com/2023/05/08/how-to-teach-math-supporting-struggling-learners-in-math-strategies-and-tips/

Article by Marcelo Gameiro
Published 08 May 2023

Saturday, March 2, 2024

Found a Buddy

Today, I had a nice reposition class on Saturday, and as I mentioned, it was a good one. I taught a lesson based on stories that we listened to together. Afterwards, I asked questions and fostered discussions related to the story. Today's lesson was about a truck driver who caused an accident because he was driving under the influence of alcohol (he ends up in jail). During my discussion with the students, I asked about their drinking habits while sharing that I have never had a drink in my whole life. To my surprise, I found one student who also never had a drink, which is pretty uncommon, just like me.

Saturday, February 24, 2024

Action figures (Cosplay) found in the Trash.

Before coming to China I knew about the Cosplay culture, also because my hometown Londrina has a strong influence from Japan where a lot of Japanese immigrants settle. When I arrive in China I had the opportunity to see students wearing Cosplay costumes in University events (in zhuzhou) as show in the pictures below:

Yesterday before going to the English Corner activity I found in the trash of my building a type of an action figure I was wondering to buy, but never did, maybe the price was too high or I thought it would be another thing just to increase the weight of my luggage, witch is not very desirable for someone who is travelling a lot because of many location transfers do to my job as a teacher. Now I am on my 6th location since I came to China.

I am very happy, and as I have heard before, someone's trash can be another person's treasure, even thou it wasn't in perfect state (lost one wing) still in very good condition, after a good cleaning, it is now on my desk.

I did a little bit of a research on this topic, here is what I have found out:

Cosplay has become an increasingly popular hobby in China in recent years. The art of dressing up as a character from a favorite anime, manga, movie, or video game has taken the country by storm, with enthusiasts flocking to cosplay conventions and events to showcase their costumes and skills.

Cosplay is not a new concept in China; the country has a long history of costume play that dates back to ancient times. During the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD),people would dress up in colorful costumes and perform dances to celebrate the harvest season. This tradition evolved over time, and today, cosplay has become a subculture that is enjoyed by people of all ages.

One of the main reasons for the popularity of cosplay in China is the rise of anime and manga culture. Japanese manga and anime have been widely popular in China since the 1990s, and the country has also developed its own unique anime and manga scene. This has led to the creation of a vibrant cosplay community in China, with fans dressing up as their favorite characters from popular franchises like Naruto, One Piece, and Attack on Titan.

Another factor that has contributed to the growth of cosplay in China is the country's booming entertainment industry. Chinese movies, TV shows, and video games have gained a lot of popularity in recent years, and fans have been quick to embrace cosplay as a way to show their love for their favorite characters. Cosplay has become a key part of many promotional events, with fans dressing up as characters from upcoming movies and TV shows.

Cosplay events are now a common sight in major Chinese cities, with conventions like the China International Comics Festival and the Shanghai Comic Convention attracting thousands of attendees each year. These events offer fans a chance to showcase their costumes, participate in competitions, and meet other like-minded enthusiasts. Some events even feature special guests, including popular cosplayers from other countries.

However, cosplay in China is not without its challenges. While the hobby has gained a lot of mainstream acceptance, some people still view it as a childish or even perverse activity. Cosplayers are often subject to ridicule and discrimination, and there have been cases of harassment and bullying at conventions. In addition, some cosplayers have faced legal issues due to copyright infringement, with companies cracking down on the sale of unlicensed merchandise.

Despite these challenges, cosplay remains a beloved hobby in China, with fans continuing to create stunning costumes and attend conventions. As the country's entertainment industry continues to grow, it is likely that cosplay will only become more popular in the years to come. Whether you're a seasoned cosplayer or just starting out, China's cosplay scene is definitely worth exploring.

Saturday, February 17, 2024

Crashing into Graduation photoshoot

In a previous article, I mentioned some of my experience in Jiujiang related to English Corner, and today I will revisit Jiujiang again with another topic. During my time there, I spontaneously joined in on some graduation photos with students, a practice commonly known as "crashing," similar to how one might crash a party. This concept was popularized in the 2005 film "Wedding Crashers."

Despite my doubts that my photo would make it into their official graduation album, I had a great time and made some fond memories. Below are a few pictures from the impromptu photo shoot:

I am waiting to the graduation season again, just to crash into some photo shooting here in Zhengzhou.

UPDATE (in Zhengzhou may 11 2023)

Today I run into students taking graduation pictures in the playground, here are the pictures we have taken together.

UPDATE (May 13 2023)

Saturday, February 10, 2024

English Corner in Jiujiang (2020)

When I was in Jiujiang (2020) I also did participate in the English Corner, in fact after I came to china as a teacher, when I discover about the English corner activities, I never stop going there.

Sometimes we had a lot of people, the weather was nice and worm outside, but a few times on December when it was cold, perhaps raining, just a few people show up.

Since it did cost me nothing to go there and see if there is any student there, I manage to always go there and not even once there was nobody there. So I always have at least a few students there who wanted to find someone else to practice their English.

The day we have less people of all was on this day show in the picture, only 3 students, and we manage to have a nice English Corner day.

Now I am here in Zhengzhou, we did start English Corner this semester and perhaps there is no tradition of this activity here.

Today is English Corner day, but it is also a holiday and many students will comeback to school only tomorrow, also it is raining today, it is a perfect day for nobody show up at the English Corner today

I am afraid if nobody do anything this activity will die, but I manage to create a Wechat group for the English Corner activity (we have 234 students on that group) and I am sharing I will be there every Wednesday for English Corner. So hope this activity wont die.

That is why I am writing this Article right now, to share with those students in the wechat group, hopping some of them will show up. What I am saying is, even if it is raining we can move the activity to the canteen, eat something together, or play a game, whatever we choose to do, we can always have some fun together and practice our English.

these are the good days, when lot of students show up

UPDATE:

I just came back from the English Corner, and as expected almost no one show up today, but those 2 students who show up, did have a nice activity with me, we decide to go to the canteen (away from the rain) and play a game.

Saturday, February 3, 2024

Loneliness

Frequently, I am asked a certain question when students observe that I am divorced and living alone in China. Although they don't ask me directly if I'm divorced, they inquire about my family, and I tell them the truth. The question is whether or not I experience loneliness sometimes. The answer is affirmative. Everyone can feel lonely at times, especially when they are far away from their loved ones. Nonetheless, my life in China is quite satisfactory, and the positives outweigh the negatives, which is why I renew my contract to stay an additional year.

In light of this, you may now understand why some of my other articles discuss the advantages of dating during one's college years. I got divorced because I couldn't compel my wife to stay, but if you end up alone by your own decision, you have no one to blame. Blaming someone else does not resolve the problem, but at least I wasn't responsible for my own misery.

The images in this article were taken at the beginning of the Labor Day holiday, which will last five days (from Saturday to Wednesday). On the Friday evening before the first day of the holiday was when these pictures were taken, the university campus start to resemble a ghost town, as you can see in the pictures (most students went back home to spend the holiday with their families). At the end of the day, when I return back home, I am always by myself. So, think about this when you believe it will never happen to you; it's just a reflective thought. I wish everyone a pleasant holiday