Chalk & Talk Math Academy: Optimizing student learning with Alex Smith and Justin Skycak (Ep 42)
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Feb 28, 2025 Join Alex Smith, Director of Curriculum with a PhD in Math, and Justin Skycak, Director of Analytics specializing in AI learning platforms. They tackle Bloom's 2 sigma problem and how Math Academy's mastery learning principles can revolutionize math education. The conversation dives into leveraging knowledge graphs for effective learning, the concrete-pictorial-abstract teaching approach, and the importance of cognitive load management. They also discuss strategies for adult learners and future innovations at Math Academy, making this a treasure trove for math educators!
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Rote Memorization and Conceptual Understanding
- Conceptual understanding should precede rote memorization, but don't let it become a crutch.
- Practice automaticity after understanding concepts like times tables.
Put Down That Pizza Slice
- Anna Stokke wrote a newspaper article advocating for less reliance on concrete/pictorial methods.
- The article, titled "Put down that pizza slice, math teachers," sparked discussion.
Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract Approach
- Use the Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract approach, but transition quickly as mastery develops.
- Limit the number of models and sometimes prioritize the abstract method first.