Take a Mathwalk to Learn About Mathematics in Your Community

Dave Hutchinson is assistant superintendent of the School District of
Mystery Lake in Thompson, Manitoba.

When it comes to math, I fall under the category of “math anxious.”
Like many who share my disorder, I blame my math teachers of yesteryear
and their penchant for skill/drill and “spotlighting” (otherwise
known as public humiliation). Years later, I would find myself teaching
an “Elementary Math Methods” course in a teacher education program
in the western Arctic. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the
pedagogical philosophy underscoring new elementary math curricula had
taken a dramatic shift to the left. It would now appear that mathematics
education professors and other experts are of the opinion that anyone
can and should manage higher-order mathematical reasoning, and that the
“old” approaches to instruction and assessment were a significant
obstacle to accomplishing this.

Written for Grades 6–8 teachers, Take a Mathwalk is certainly
reflective of this evolution in philosophy and practice. The book helps
broaden the understanding of what is possible (and expected) in
middle-years math instruction by focusing not only on the “math
walk” and the identification of practical applications of math, but by
also exploring such topics as the history of mathematics and the
relationship between mathematics and gender stereotypes. The
teacher-friendly and highly practical text includes a number of lessons
that are easily adaptable across subject areas, grade levels, and
diverse student groups. In short, Take a Mathwalk is an excellent
comprehensive support for middle-years math teachers and special-needs
educators.