Students often have the misconception that mathematics involves reading the problem, staring at the page, and then writing down an answer. With more than twenty years of experience working with students in eighth-grade math through college calculus, the author has been increasingly interested in how she can foster problem-solving skills in her…

In this article, a classroom teacher discusses ambiguities in mathematics vocabulary and strategies for ELL students in building understanding. The authors note that mathematics vocabulary may be more difficult to learn than other academic vocabulary for several reasons: (1) definitions are filled with technical vocabulary, symbols, and diagrams;…

Card tricks based on mathematical principles can be a great way to get students interested in exploring some important mathematical ideas. In this article, the author discusses a simple spreadsheet implementation that shows students why the card trick works and allows them to explore several variations. As an added bonus, students are introduced…

Most students love to play games. Ernest (1986) believed that games could be used to teach mathematics effectively in four areas: motivation, concept development, reinforcement of skills, and practice of problem-solving strategies. Fifteen is an interesting and thought-provoking game that helps students learn mathematics at the same time. Playing…

Presents selection criteria for teachers to use when reviewing video materials for classroom use. Provides an annotated bibliography. (ASK)

Discusses two concrete models that have been useful in helping students understand operations with percentages. Includes information on materials needed, procedures for students, limitations, and instructional strategies. (JN)

Worksheets that give simple constructions for a family of parabolas, of ellipses, and of hyperbolas are provided. (DT)

Examines several periods of world history including Greece, the middle ages, and the 17th century to gain a better understanding of the development of mathematics and share this information with students so that they can learn mathematics as a product of the people who lived their lives surrounded by the cultural influences and distractions of…

In a series of exercises students develop designs in which nodes are labelled according to the isolation rules defined. Strategies for creating new designs from known ones, finding the maximum number of isolation designs on a given configuration, and developing larger isolation designs are encouraged. Sample worksheets are included. (SD)

Two new types of graph paper are described; focus-focus conic paper and focus-directrix paper. Both types make it easier to draw families of conics. Suggestions for further work are given as is a method for establishing a connection with other ways of looking at the conic sections. (LS)