In this curriculum Unit, I will include ideas to combine music, dancing and math. The concepts of translations, reflections, rotations, and permutations are mentioned in conjunction with terms used in music. The concepts of relations and functions are as well mentioned, in order to be able to explain the relationship between inverse functions and their geometric representation using reflection.
Why am I writing this unit?
While I was in elementary school, I was a good student, but during Middle School and High School, my desire for learning almost disappeared. I understand that only minimal resources were available, but I don't understand why some of my teachers were not looking for training and striving to improve. At the same time I don't understand why the authorities in charge of the educational system were not doing anything to improve the situation. I don't want to sound negative about teachers in general because I had as well good educators who have given me the desire to be like them. However, there is a problem and students know that.
It is necessary to start with what has motivated me to become a teacher, and then the motivation to write this unit curriculum will follow automatically.
When I finished High School, I knew that I was unprepared for college, with low self–esteem and with a very bad math background. I had to enroll in a private institution to review what should have been taught in High School. The good result of my review work was that I really started learning. Finally, there were some concepts that started "clicking." Math started making sense when I started learning Physics, which became my favorite subject. Being able to apply the math I learned to the real world provided me the opportunity that my brain was looking for. After a year of preparation, I was accepted in the School of Engineering, where I learned more math and Physics concepts. To cover my personal expenses, and while attending college, I worked in the same private institution where I had studied. It was very interesting to be able to interact with students that were struggling with the same topics that had challenged me. At first, I was just proctoring, but after a year, I started subbing when teachers were late or absent. I found out that I really enjoyed sharing my knowledge. It became so natural to explain things in my own words. It was so nice to see the big smile on those students when they understood what I was teaching.
After completing my studies in Engineering I started looking for a job as an Engineer, but I was too young. Being only 22 years old was not looking good for the interviews. Without being able to find a job as an Engineer, I decided to stay in my current job and make a career out of teaching. After all, I was really already enjoying teaching Math and Physics.
Now, going from disliking math to teaching it, it has become the key to my style of teaching. I understand when students don't like math. I know how difficult is when the teachers in charge are not really paying attention to those little signs that students make, such as distractions and behavior problems, lack of participation, staring to the wall while lecture is taking place and writing anything in their papers thinking that their teacher will not read what they wrote. A lot of my students were surprised when I gave their papers back to correct their mistakes. I know how it is, because I have been there. That's why I attempt to reach all of those students who feel that math is not for them. Creating a curriculum unit that will address different points of view, I hope will empower all my students.
I will divide this unit curriculum in two parts that will become different lessons when the lesson plans are created. The first part involves concepts of inverse functions, and patterns. The second part involves the concepts of translations, reflections and rotations. Both parts are joined by the fact that the concept of inverse function, interpreted geometrically, involves a reflection.
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