Running head: Math and Me 1

Math and Me: Connecting 9th Graders and Mathematics

Jennah Jacobs

Manhattan College
Math and Me 2

Abstract

Many students have an opinion about math by the time they enter into ninth grade, they either

like it or they hate it. The problem that most math teachers have is getting the attention of the

students who hate it, while encouraging the students who like it. Teachers also have the problem

of the adolescent brain, which focuses on the benefit to oneself. In order to overcome these

problems teachers should teach math and how math impacts the future of the students through

real world examples.

Through my research, I have found that when teachers give math a purpose, students are more

likely to participate in class. In addition to this, the teaching real world applications in math has

been shown to increase students state test scores.

My action research was done in a ninth grade Algebra 1/Geometry classroom at a charter high

school in Bronx, New York. The teacher was a first year teacher and the students were mostly

minority students. The students also came from multiple middle schools through the state with a

variety of skill levels. They ranged from students who had already taken Algebra 1 and passed,

to students who had taken Algebra 1 and failed. The class also had students who had never taken

Algebra before. Despite all of the different levels of mathematical training, all of the students

were more engaged when given real world applications in class. Students were also more eager

to participate and ask questions.

I interviewed my younger two brothers about their experience in math. Josiah, who is 8

loves math because it is easier than reading. He is in the advance math group at school and I have

used things like Khan Academy to encourage him to practice math. Jeremy, who is 16 and a

freshman in high school also enjoys math but believes that it is hard. He is in standard 9th grade

Algebra 1 but his teacher has recommended that he take two math courses next year. My

brothers come from a family who are pretty good at math which may have caused them to enjoy

it, but is the only reason students like math because they are good at it? Does this mean there is

no hope in hooking students who do not find math easy? I would like to think not, I strongly

believe that there is another way; giving math a purpose.

I work at a charter high school in Kingsbridge, NY. Kingsbridge is a part of the Bronx

and many students take public transportation from other areas in the Bronx in order to attend the

school. The classes are divided by grade level and nothing else. In any given algebra class at the

high school you can find students who have already taken the required state test and passed with

flying color. You will also find students who have barriers that make it hard to keep up with the

class. Many times I have had students ask me, Why do we need to learn this? I have also had

multiple students tell me, Miss, I dont like math. Since studies have shown that 9th graders are

very me-centered. the logical way to engage students is to show them that what they are

learning benefits them in a very direct way (Gentry, J. H., & Campbell, M. (2002).)

To give math a purpose, we must know our students, we must know what they like and

what they want to do in the future. As a mathematician, I see math in so many thing; I see it in

sports, in the arts, in science and in business. Unfortunately so many teachers reply to the

question Why do we need to learn this? with either, The state says so. or with You will use

it in the future. In a study of mathematics teaching in a large US district, the vast majority of
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teachers made little or no effort to connect mathematics to students lives (Gainsburg, 2008, p.

2). This causes students to see math as something that they only need to graduate instead of

something they need to succeed in life so they do not learn.

The use of real world applications the math classroom has been shown to decrease poor

performance from 15% to 6% (Balfanz, Herzog, & Iver, 2007). While it may not see like a large

decrease, any decrease in poor performance is an increase in student motivation. Between 1990

and 2000 there has been a 12% decrease in 12th grade student who believe math is useful for

solving problems (Gainsburg, 2008, p. 2). Students who do not see the usefulness of math are

more likely to zone out during class because they do not see how it affects them.

Integrating real world applications into math classes is not particularly hard. Many

geometry concepts can be connected to design and building. Algebra can easily be connected to

many things such a science, sports and business. While not every lesson will have a real world

connection, connections can always be made in a unit. Connections have to be tangible for the

students. If the connection can be proven to exist, then students will be more likely to see the

purpose. In the modern age of technology, students have access to so much information; it is up

to the teacher to relate that information to math.

In order to conduct more research on this, I conducted a plan to make real world

connection with a 9th grade Algebra 1 class that I teach once a week. The teacher I was working

with was a first year teacher at an urban charter school. She was still taking a class to finish her

certification. During the time she was taking this class, I was covering her class.

On my first week I ran into a problem, the teacher who I was covering for did not send

me the lesson plan so I did not know what I was teaching before I entered into the classroom. In
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addition, as a substitute, I did not know how to manage the students which lead to the

PowerPoint lesson taking the whole hour long period.

My second visit took place on Halloween. Many students skipped the first half of the day,

so the class that I was supposed to teach only had 10 students. The teacher had not created a

backup lesson and did not want to have to reteach a new subject, so she gave me practice

problems to do with the class. In the afternoon classes, when more students had arrived, the

teacher taught the use of slope in real life. Her focus was on how slope impacts a rollercoaster

ride.

On my third visit, the teacher had assigned them a project that involved them making a

graph. The slope was the hourly wage for a job that they could get in high school. The y-

intercept was how much debt they had or how much money they had saved upped. They all had a

list of items in different price brackets ranging from $50 to $100,000, and they had to find out

how many hours they would have to work in order to afford the objects. They would compile all

their information into a presentation that they would present to the class.

While I was not able to actually conduct research while I was teaching due to multiple

issues, the teacher was already implementing real world applications into her lessons. The one

that the students connected most with was the project on my third day there. All of the students

were excited to look up jobs and find objects that they wanted. In addition to finding out how

many hours they would have to work, the teacher showed them how many days it would take

them to be able to earn enough money in order to get what they want. Their enthusiasm allowed

them to find purpose in the math that they were learning, and because of this, they took the time

to comprehend the subject being taught.

The inclusion of real world applications not only engage students in math classes, but it

also allows the students to see purpose which therefore encourages them to continue to look at

math as something that they need in order to succeed in the world. Mathematical connections

make math fun while also connecting to the me centered student, therefore encouraging further

independent learning in math. In giving math a purpose, teachers open new doors that make

students excited to learn math.

Bibliography

Balfanz, R., Herzog, L., & Mac Iver, D. J. (2007). Preventing student disengagement and

keeping students on the graduation path in urban middle-grades schools: Early identification and

effective interventions. Educational Psychologist, 42(4), 223-235.

Gainsburg, J. (2008). Real-world connections in secondary mathematics teaching. Journal

of Mathematics Teacher Education, 11(3), 199-219. doi:10.1007/s10857-007-9070-8

Gentry, J. H., & Campbell, M. (2002). A Reference for Professionals: Developing

Adolescents. PsycEXTRA Dataset. doi:10.1037/e539732009-001