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Teaching Mathematics Powerfully

Hannah Burdick

Bringham Young University-Idaho

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Abstract

Learning is always relevant given the vast numbers of students that spend a significant

amount of their time in school every day. These same students will take one of two paths, those

who benefit from the school environment and those who dont. Much of whether or not a student

benefits, depends on the teachers that the students have and, whether or not they understand what

it means to teach students powerfully. Research shows that teachers can no longer afford to

attempt to teach their students through lecture alone. To teach powerfully, they must perfect their

use of questions, foster class participation, and meet the needs of the individual student.
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Many teachers become lost in the pursuit of what it actually means to teach in a powerful

manner and, while there are so many resources for teachers it can be daunting to know who to

trust or know what methods they should be implementing. The use of properly worded questions

is a huge asset to any teacher striving to make class time more intentional but one that many

teachers overlook. According to Gudmundsun (2008) a significant amount of time that a teacher

spends in planning a lesson should be given to constructing such questions. When students are

asked questions that stimulate them and activate their prior knowledge they are able to activate

prior knowledge and make connections that result in long lasting learning. According to

Gudmundsun (2008), useful questions can be put into three categories, search, analysis, and

application. Search questions lead to student discovery and the learning of foundational concepts

that give the learner the ability to move forward in their learning and build on what they have

learned. Analysis questions are the next tier of questions that rely on the foundation set by

search questions to propel a learning experience forward. Lastly, are application questions,

which push the learner to new depths and aims to help the learner solidify what has been

discussed throughout the lesson. These questions may use the knowledge gained just previously

during the lesson or a previous time in a learners life. Questions are the difference between

active and passive learners.

Gudmundsun (2008) stated the following:

Using carefully worded questions, you can guide your students through a discovery

experience, which will have far greater effect than a lecture experience, in which a

teacher dumps information on students. When you do this, students will move from being

idle listeners to active participants as they search their hearts for answers to prayerfully

prepared questions.
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Questions assist the learner in moving from a passive to an active participant in the learning

process. What is even more helpful about questions in the class is that it does not have to be just

between a teacher and a student. Their use can be extended to small groups to meet the needs of

a large class. By posing a question to small groups teachers can be assured that all students are

participating rather than the small few who raise their hand to answer any given question. The

use of questions is one of the biggest predictors of student growth because of their ability to keep

students engaged throughout any given period.

Despite evidence based practices teachers still seem to revert back to lecture despite the

training they receive in their higher education about how people actually learn. Hanford

conducted an interview with Arizona states professor of physics who touches on the inability for

lecture to enhance learning.

The classes only seem to be really working for about 10 percent of the students," Arizona

State's Hestenes says. And I maintain, I think all the evidence indicates, that these 10

percent are the students that would learn it even without the instructor. They essentially

learn it on their own.

He later adds to his statement by saying that knowledge cannot be assimilated. To move from

lecture to a class full of active learning, an educational facilitator cannot ignore the power of

questions. To ask meaningful questions, that activate learners, a teacher has to teach to the

individual.

In the educational world teaching to the individual is called individualized instruction.

Individualized instruction means basing your teaching off of your students needs rather than

creating a lesson independent of what you know about how the group of students you teach

actually learn. Teaching in the Saviors Way Focus on People, Not Lessons. (n.d.). Gives a good
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basis for teaching to your students, take the time to understand their interests, educational

experiences, talents, and background. When you have this information you can cater to your

students needs. Another way for teachers to teach more powerfully is to understand and

incorporate the theory of multiple intelligences that was presented by Gardner (1983). He

shared his findings that each person learns best when they can learn by through

intelligences. His seven include linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-

kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist. If the theory of multiple

intelligences is understood, students will be provided information in a way that makes

sense to them and teachers will phrase questions in a way that would relate to each

type of intelligence. When teachers do this they increase the likelihood that the

information will reach each student in the way that they need to have access to

information.

When teachers understand that questions, active participation, and individualized

instruction are precursors to true learning I believe that we will see a shift in all learning

environments from lecture to the making of lifelong learners. Through the

implementation of evidence based practices teachers and students will be more likely to

be motivated by learning and progress towards a higher functioning education system.

Although, there is always room to improve teaching and any given education system I

believe that by starting with good questions that get students participating and keep

teachers engaged and concerned with the learning that there will be drastic

improvements in what we see students leaving school with.

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References

Gardner, Howard. Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York:
Basic,1983

Gudmundson, B. (n.d). Questions, the Heart of Learning and Teaching. Retrieved September
26, 2017, from https://www.lds.org/ensign/2008/01/questions-the-heart-of-learning-and-
Teaching?lang=eng

Hanford, E. (2011). Dont Lecture Me: Rethinking the Way College Students Learn. American
Radioworks [Radio Broadcast]. Washington, D.C.: National Public Radio.

Hanford, E. (2012). Physicists Seek To Lose The Lecture As Teaching Tool. American Radioworks
[Radio Broadcast]. Washington, D.C.: National Public Radio.

Singleton, A. H., Tucker, B. F., Weaver, T. L. (2006). Teaching mathematics to all children:
Designing and adapting instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners. Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Teaching in the Saviors Way Focus on People, Not Lessons. (n.d.). Retrieved September 26,
2017, from https://www.lds.org/manual/teaching-in-the-saviors-way/part-1-love-those-
you-teach/focus-on-people-not-lessons?lang=eng