What+I've+Learned

How will studying math help you prepare for life in the 21st century?


We began with the //**essential question**// "How will studying mathematics prepare you for life in the 21st century?" It is a question many students wonder about. It's easy to say that "I won't ever need this!" but we've found that statement to be false. We feel that students need to see that what they are learning has real meaning and will help them to prepare for the future.

We then tried to //**provide contextualization**// by researching the topic and posting our findings on diigo and the annotated bibliography page. All of this research supported our essential question, and emphasized the importance for mathematics in career exploration.


 * //Take a Stand!//** We've learned a lot about how math can help me in the 21st century while completing this project. While researching, We found that many of the top careers in the country involve math! Whether it's calculating and making inferences in the financial field or using logical steps in the legal world, math really is everywhere in one form or another. Interviewing real people gave us a perspective you can't get from your math teacher. They can tell you what the connections to the real world are, but it seems to mean more when you hear it from the real people that are out there doing it. Before it was hard to see where I might use math other than to balance a checkbook, but now we can see where Geometry, Algebra, Statistics and just plain old problem solivng show up in the real world.

My //**recommendation for answering**// the essential question is that students should be allowed to collaborate with people in the community. This is a great way for students to see and hear for themselves that math really is important to their future. Using people in the community makes the learning real world and authentic. Students will have a deeper understanding for the "Big Idea."