Writing in Mathematics courses

[Kendall]

I thought I would post a more general question about writing in mathematics courses. The Foerster PreCalculus books has and recommends these Reading Analysis questions in each section.

Here is an example:

From what you have read in this section, what do you consider to be the main idea? What is the major difference on the image graph between a translation and a dilation, and what operation causes each tranformation? How can you tell whether a translation or a dilation will be in the x-direction or the y-direction?


Is writing this down part of the writing-across-the-curriculum trend so to sell this textbook we need to adda writing assignment, or is there some real value in taking the time to answer these in writing everyday?

The book (section 1-7) also encourages starting a math journal. I just don't see this happening happily here and I'm not convinced it's going to be worth the time.

opinions?

Thanks,
Kendall

[Colleen in NS]

bump

[Blue Hen]

Reading Analysis questions in each section.

From what you have read in this section, what do you consider to be the main idea? What is the major difference on the image graph between a translation and a dilation, and what operation causes each tranformation? How can you tell whether a translation or a dilation will be in the x-direction or the y-direction?
My son doesn't write these out however he does verbally tell me the 'answers.' Being able to verbalize how you do something IMO, really does demonstrate understanding.


The book (section 1-7) also encourages starting a math journal. I just don't see this happening happily here and I'm not convinced it's going to be worth the time.

Not happening here in this homeschool. We've skipped that part in the pre-calc and now in the calc book. Journals just aren't his thing and I'm not about to fight the battle to convince him that it would be worth his time. DS gets plenty of writing in chemistry lab reports, statistics, and English Lang & Composition.

Carole

[Jane in NC]

Once upon a time math classes had lots of proofs in them. In recent years they have evolved into algorithmic programs which may work for students who are applying math in their chemistry and physics courses, but are not always relevant to the average liberal arts student. Some students can plug and chug numbers into, say, the quadratic formula, but when given a problem with a quadratic equation, they may not see that the quadratic formula applies. Hence the desire to have these students articulate what is going on with a formula or concept.

I have found that most students who have less than warm and fuzzy feelings for math rarely enjoy writing about the subject.

Warning: it is not unusual for liberal arts math courses at the college level (often a requirement for graduation) to have a written component of the nature the original poster mentioned. If you think your student is headed in that direction, it might not be a bad idea to assign some of these writing assignments on occasion.

By the way, we found that these sorts of writing problems in Conceptual Physics to be very useful. They really did solidify the conceptual aspect of a physical law or relationship. But they are fuzzy--not real science or real math for that matter.

I'd rather students do proofs.

Jane (the Old Fogey)

[Colleen in NS]

Once upon a time math classes had lots of proofs in them. In recent years they have evolved into algorithmic programs which may work for students who are applying math in their chemistry and physics courses, but are not always relevant to the average liberal arts student. Some students can plug and chug numbers into, say, the quadratic formula, but when given a problem with a quadratic equation, they may not see that the quadratic formula applies. Hence the desire to have these students articulate what is going on with a formula or concept.

I have found that most students who have less than warm and fuzzy feelings for math rarely enjoy writing about the subject.

Warning: it is not unusual for liberal arts math courses at the college level (often a requirement for graduation) to have a written component of the nature the original poster mentioned. If you think your student is headed in that direction, it might not be a bad idea to assign some of these writing assignments on occasion.

By the way, we found that these sorts of writing problems in Conceptual Physics to be very useful. They really did solidify the conceptual aspect of a physical law or relationship. But they are fuzzy--not real science or real math for that matter.

I'd rather students do proofs.

Jane (the Old Fogey)

Yet again, something else I'd never have thought of. Glad this thread came up. Filing away in my math folder now. Thank you both!

[Gwen in VA]

Thanks, Jane, for pointing out the relationship between proofs and wwriting in math.

We have never ever written anything for math, but my kids are using textbooks that has lots of proofs -- even in algebra 1 & 2! So I guess that is where they are learning how to approach the problems!

[LizzyBee]

Not an answer to your question, but your post brought back the memory of writing a term paper for my Algebra II class. Minimum of 10 pages, typed (on a typewriter back then), with title page, bibliography and footnotes. My paper was about one of Einstein's theories, but I can't remember anything more specific than that. We couldn't believe we had to write a term paper for a math class! Our teacher had just finished her doctoral thesis, so after that she probably felt like she was going easy on us. :tongue_smilie: