Traditionally, math problems have been posed on the static page of a textbook with all the data provided. If students correctly plug the data into a given formula, TA-DA! The correct answer appears. But does this type of math instruction encourage a student’s intuition and teach the patience needed when faced with an actual life problem? Dan Meyer proposes a creative alternative in this YouTube video and explains how both math and problem solving can be redefined by using multimedia to bring realistic problems to the math classroom.
It’s important that math teachers ensure that the basic instruction is clearly communicated to the students. This way their focus can be devoted more to the creative aspects of teaching such as Dan Meyer describes.