"So What?": Teaching Children What Matters in Math

By Tim Brandy

It's no wonder so many adults and children feel mathematically inadequate. Benchmarks are anticipated . . . standards and rubrics are established . . . guidelines and content are set-all before the teacher even meets the child. In "So What?" Tim Brandy invites teachers to step back and envision a more authentic approach to mathematics instruction-one that is relevant to children's worlds and reflective of their natural inclinations. Brandy draws upon his twenty years of experience in the classroom to address some of the critical challenges of mathematics reform: How can we create situations for our students that will allow them to experience the excitement and satisfaction of deriving strategies and concepts as they pursue questions they choose? How can we allow them the time and support to develop their thinking? How can we stop covering textbooks and begin uncovering roadways to mathematical thinking? "So What?" is a fascinating account of the transformation of Brandy's teaching, with implications that reach far beyond his classroom. Brandy states, "It is our responsibility to find what matters for children and create the environment where the possibility of pursuit exists." "So What?" offers guidance and inspiration for those looking to meet that challenge.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0325001766
• ISBN13: 9780325001760
• Release Date: September 1999
• Publisher: Heinemann
• Length: 120 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.3" x 6.0"
• Grade Range: Kindergarten to Grade 5