Math Journals in the Classroom

Relating mathematics to students' everyday lives will be a goal for me as a teacher. With the research that I have read and through my own struggle with math, I feel that children need to make connections between the real world and mathematical concepts, so that mathematics becomes relevant to them. As it becomes relevant, students become more motivated to learn and more interested in the learning process. I think that students will benefit from …

…more individually because I will know the student's specific problems and difficulties - whether they are of a cognitive or affective nature. References: Childhood Education (Winter 1997/1998) Exploring Math Journals by Beth Howard Fuqua Teaching PreK-8 (January 1996) Writing in Math and Science by Maryann Manning Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School (April 2000) Daily Journals by Lillie R. Albert Language Arts (December 1994) Using Oral and Written Language to Increase Understanding of Math Concepts by Chelsea M. Fortescue