I sought to rescue my charges from the struggle of creating their own understanding of mathematics. However, as the blend of the mathematics reform facets occurred, I began to undergo a paradigm shift from the behavorist teacher to the constructivist teacher. Although being an excellent mathematician, I recognized the value of the investigating struggle, for I always learned much during the effort expelled often desiring to share my findings with others. The hierarchical nature of mathematics makes this content material a ripe medium for a behaviorist approach. As such, the traditional approach to teaching mathematics is viewed as the teacher precisely states the objectives, plans instruction by identifying the prerequisites needed, uses these building blocks to accomplish the goal, then helps students practice the desired learning outcome.
Teachers hope students have mastered specific, measurable skills through much practice.
In response to reports in the early 1980s about students lack of mathematics understanding, mathematics educators began reform efforts. Learning theories suggest that learning mathematics is active, internally monitored, and a process of understanding through discovering and constructing meaning from previously learned knowledge, thought, perceptions and even feelings. This constructivist framework shifts away from a behaviorist paradigm associated with traditional direct instruction toward an interactive process. In my elementary mathematics methods classroom, I desire the preservice teachers to confront what it means to do mathematics, to grapple with problem solving and to investigate various mathematical concepts using manipulatives and technology. In short, I invite them to participate on an exciting adventure of learning mathematics through a refreshing approach.