Mev,

I am familiar with SABES and the great job it has done for numeracy over the
years. Also, several people from Massachusetts are numeracy pioneers in the
US.

Between 2001 and 2004 I received a grant from the Winthrop Rockefeller
Foundation that funded the Arkansas Adult Numeracy Campaign. The grant was
based on the research I did on adult educators in Arkansas. My research and
experience with adult educators indicates they teach math only because it is
part of the job, they receive almost no training in how to teach math and
they have weak backgrounds in math. The training they do receive relates
almost entirely to helping their students pass the GED. In addition, they
tend to teach the way they were taught and, in fact, struggle with their own
skill level.

As a 7th grade math teacher I tired of students coming to me still not
understanding fractions, decimals, and percents. So, I changed my teaching
methods to include manipulatives and other visual methods. Once I began
teaching for understanding by using manipulatives such as the Cuisenaire
rods, the "light bulb" came on for everyone and they were much happier (as
was I). 

When I stumbled into adult education, it became obvious that the same
problems existed. Not only did the adult students not understand fractions,
decimals, and percents, but neither did the instructors. During workshops I
have given, there have been many occasions the "light bulb" moment has
occurred with an adult educator. Sometimes even tears were shed. 

Many think that math is computation only and it is taught as an isolated
subject. However, as we all know, in today's world more is needed. Also,
most people use math in everyday life but don't consider it math because
math is what they did in school. This is where numeracy comes into play.
Math becomes part of reading, literature, social studies, everyday problem
solving, and science. 

We must remember that everyone does not learn the same especially when it
comes to math. Literacy instructors know there is more than one way to teach
reading but when it comes to math the tendency is to be stuck on computation
only.

Judy Ward



 

-----Original Message-----
From: womenliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:womenliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of mev at litwomen.org
Sent: Monday, June 19, 2006 7:29 AM
To: The Women and Literacy Discussion List
Subject: [WomenLiteracy 338] Re: Numeracy

I'm so looking forward to this discussion. IN addition to my obvious 
interest for WE LEARN, I'm also working with math in my "day job." 
SABES (System for Adult Basic Education Support) in Massachusetts is 
starting the 2nd year of a 3 year initiative on Math -- with no 
specific focus on women. So I'm hoping to get some ideas to take to our 
regional work.

As for myself, I was "tracked" in HS to the academic threads - 
including algebra 2 and advanced science. Of course, how serious my all 
girls' HS in the early 70s was about sending girls to college is open 
for debate. I do remember getting "scared" out of calculus and 
trigonometry - never took either. I can't remember if it was a phobia 
about those subjects that scared me off  or the reality of who was 
teaching it ! I've never really been math phobic and especially loved 
algebra -- something about it's abstractness and solving puzzles 
actually appealed to me. I didn't like geometry then because it was all 
about memorizing the theorems (at least, that's how I was taught) -- 
too many abstract words for me -- I didn't want to "read" math in that 
way. for some reason, x + y made more sense - go figure!  But I think 
I'd like it better now as I understand myself as a spacial/visual 
learner and that's in geometry too I think. I like anything dealing 
with number sense. but I have a terrible time remembering anything that 
has numbers in it. (I can't rattle off statistics or percents unless 
it's written in front of me).

My experience is not so much with ABE learners - but with teachers. 
I've met a number of teachers who are called upon to teach math -- 
though it may not be their strong suit. I've talked to a couple of 
teachers who experience a lack of confidence (which may or may not 
include phobia) in teaching math and feel they struggle along with 
their learners through the process. But I've also met a number of women 
teachers who are excited and competent about teaching math -- and 
finding interactive & practical/meaningful ways of teaching it.

I think one of the things I've come to appreciate over this past year 
with the initiative is the understanding of how numeracy reaches across 
many topics and educational areas. We tend to want to isolate it into a 
45-minute period when in fact, teaching and learning math can happen in 
reading, social science, day-to-day survival skills and workplace 
skills. Also, teaching and learning math -- there is more than one way 
to arrive at answers. We may be looking for one answer -- but there 
will be multiple options for how we get to the answer.

I wonder if women use numeracy more than we identify it - and may not 
fear it as much if we could get to more holistic, relational, and 
creative ways of teaching/learning and experiencing it throughout the 
fabric of our lives (how we cook, clean, garden, apply medications, 
shop for bargains, sew or do fabric arts, figure better gas mileage, 
estimate time,  use public transportation, maintain a budget,  decide 
what phone plan to use, decide which job is better to take in terms if 
income, distance, child care, etc. etc. etc.)

Mev




On Sunday, June 18, 2006, at 10:07  PM, Daphne Greenberg wrote:


> I would like to extend a very warm welcome to Judy Ward who has 

> graciously agreed to be a guest facilitator on this listserv starting 

> today through Friday June 30th. The focus of her guest faciliation is 

> on adult numeracy and women.

> To help us get started, she invites us to think and share (if 

> comfortable) answers to any of the following:

> How do you feel about math?

> Do you remember any situations both in and out of school that affected 

> how you feel about math?

> Which mathematical topics/concepts would you say are your best?

> Which mathematical topics/concepts would you say are your most 

> difficult?

> Do you or have you experienced "math anxiety"?

>

> If you have or currently teach your students math, how would you 

> answer the following:

> How do most of your students feel about math?

> Have they ever shared any situations both in and out of school that 

> affected how they feel about math?

> Which mathematical topics/concepts would you say are the easiest for 

> your students to learn?

> Which mathematical topics/concepts would you say are the most 

> difficult for your students to learn?

> Have any students shared with you that they experience "math anxiety"?

>

> Here is her introduction:

>

> Previous to earning my doctorate in adult education, I was a seventh 

> grade mathematics teacher. Many of my students had experiences that 

> manifested as mathematics anxiety. I found that by changing my 

> teaching techniques to a more hands-on and visual approach and 

> teaching for understanding, the anxiety level decreased drastically. 

> About ten years ago I stumbled into adult education and found there 

> was a need for my expertise. I am in the second year of a two year 

> term as President Elect of the Adult Numeracy Network (ANN). ANN is 

> dedicated to upgrading mathematics instruction for the adult learner.

>

> If you have any friends/colleagues who you think may be interested in 

> joining us, please invite them to join us by subscribing at:

> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/Womenliteracy

>

>

>

> Daphne Greenberg

> Assistant Professor

> Educational Psych. & Special Ed.

> Georgia State University

> P.O. Box 3979

> Atlanta, Georgia 30302-3979

> phone: 404-651-0127

> fax:404-651-4901

> dgreenberg at gsu.edu

>

> Daphne Greenberg

> Associate Director

> Center for the Study of Adult Literacy

> Georgia State University

> P.O. Box 3977

> Atlanta, Georgia 30302-3977

> phone: 404-651-0127

> fax:404-651-4901

> dgreenberg at gsu.edu

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Women and Literacy mailing list

> WomenLiteracy at nifl.gov

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 

> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/womenliteracy

>


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