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Teaching Math With Examples
Some teachers think that there’s little to say about teaching with examples – after all, everyone uses them. But here are just some of the questions you might have about teaching with worked
How do we introduce an example?
What do we ask students to do when studying a solution?
Should a solution be presented all at once or revealed step-by-step?
After we study an example, what comes next?
Does it matter if the solution is presented as if from a fictional student, a real student in class, or from the teacher?
How do we help students move from understanding someone else’s ideas towards using it on their own to solve problems?
How do we write a solution in a clear way, that students can learn from?
When is a good time to offer a worked example? When is it better to let students try a problem?
Are worked examples more useful for some mathematical content than others?
This book will answer all of these questions. In some cases, research offers answers. Other questions represent gaps in the research literature and the book offers solutions arrived at through experience and trial-and-error and the author’s own process of classroom problem solving.
Welcome to the world of teaching with examples!
How do we introduce an example?
What do we ask students to do when studying a solution?
Should a solution be presented all at once or revealed step-by-step?
After we study an example, what comes next?
Does it matter if the solution is presented as if from a fictional student, a real student in class, or from the teacher?
How do we help students move from understanding someone else’s ideas towards using it on their own to solve problems?
How do we write a solution in a clear way, that students can learn from?
When is a good time to offer a worked example? When is it better to let students try a problem?
Are worked examples more useful for some mathematical content than others?
This book will answer all of these questions. In some cases, research offers answers. Other questions represent gaps in the research literature and the book offers solutions arrived at through experience and trial-and-error and the author’s own process of classroom problem solving.
Welcome to the world of teaching with examples!
101 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 23, 2021
6 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 18, 2021
Best math ed book I've read in a while! This book was filled with discussions about practices I've already adopted in my classroom -- and the research to support or discourage them -- and also many new ideas and techniques I'm excited to try. Chapters 5 and 8 were particularly excellent. I really think every high school math educator would benefit from reading this!
March 22, 2022
Amazing! Both challenging and affirming, deeply philosophical but wholly practical at the same time. Bravo
May 2, 2021
A quick summary of using examples in class to teach. Even though this is a short book all of the key points could have been summed up in an article and not cost £12.
The ideas themselves are good, nothing particularly ground breaking if you are up to date with current thinking in maths education (in the uk at least). Useful for maths teachers as a tool to reflect on how they do things, although many may say they apply these principles I would suggest that most would do so very superficially and would miss the key features of the good practice described here.
In summary a clear and purposeful description of how examples can be used. I was expecting more discussion on which examples to choose (a topic I don’t see much literature on at the moment) but that could be because I didn’t read the blurb carefully enough.
The ideas themselves are good, nothing particularly ground breaking if you are up to date with current thinking in maths education (in the uk at least). Useful for maths teachers as a tool to reflect on how they do things, although many may say they apply these principles I would suggest that most would do so very superficially and would miss the key features of the good practice described here.
In summary a clear and purposeful description of how examples can be used. I was expecting more discussion on which examples to choose (a topic I don’t see much literature on at the moment) but that could be because I didn’t read the blurb carefully enough.
March 31, 2021
I’ve been teaching maths at secondary school in the UK for 7 years and the feeling I have after reading this book is that of excitement. Not since Craig Barton’s how I wish I’d taught maths have I felt this way, while Craig’s book covers such a broad spectrum of teaching pedagogy, this focuses specifically on how Michael has used worked examples in his classroom. I feel that most of my lessons may see some future benefit from many aspects of this book. He has weaved a collection of pedagogical research into a little book of golden nuggets applicable to any classroom. My bow has another string.
December 21, 2021
What it’s about: When and how to use examples to teach maths.
My favourite part: The further reading section, because the author just seems really excited to be writing about the people who influenced him and their work, which is nice.
My favourite quote: ‘Congratulations! You just invented “fading out an example”’ (p. 69).
This is the kind of stuff I wanted to learn at uni.
It also casually mentions a lot of ideas from cognitive load theory (“John Sweller’s research is all over this book” - further reading section), but puts it into a more specific context for maths instruction.
My favourite part: The further reading section, because the author just seems really excited to be writing about the people who influenced him and their work, which is nice.
My favourite quote: ‘Congratulations! You just invented “fading out an example”’ (p. 69).
This is the kind of stuff I wanted to learn at uni.
It also casually mentions a lot of ideas from cognitive load theory (“John Sweller’s research is all over this book” - further reading section), but puts it into a more specific context for maths instruction.
June 6, 2022
A good, short read. Provides snippets of research entwined with practical guidance and tips on how to teach better using worked examples.
I use worked examples to teach many parts of the curriculum, however there are some excellent nuggets in there with regards to getting the absolute most of every example. Not necessarily ground breaking but a worthwhile read if you are looking to get the most out of your teaching.
I use worked examples to teach many parts of the curriculum, however there are some excellent nuggets in there with regards to getting the absolute most of every example. Not necessarily ground breaking but a worthwhile read if you are looking to get the most out of your teaching.
January 2, 2022
Every education book should be like this, short, to the point, honest about its viewpoint, full of practical advice with a firm theoretical backing. I got a bunch of tweeks to my use of examples from this lovely little book.
May 8, 2022
the writing is super clear and digestible. the most important takeaway for me is how studying worked examples isn't necessarily "giving up", as they can be good learning materials, as long as active thinking is happening.
December 31, 2022
Very practical strategies he has tested in his own classroom for years. Shared research to back up the why too!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews