Social constructivism in practice: case study of an elementary school's mathematics program

Focus on Learning Problems in Mathematics, Wntr-Spring, 2005 by Roland Pourdavood, Lawrence V. Svec, Lynn M. Cowen

      I taught, years ago, in a very traditional classroom. And, I
      taught exactly how my advising teaching taught. She introduced me
      to a college professor who was doing math differently. I had been
      a very apprehensive math student, but she was teaching the [math]
      and showing it through games, manipulative, and stuff. It was
      fascinating to me. I lapped up everything I could. I'd tell the
      kids that I didn't understand this [mathematics] when I was their
      age. I didn't have a clue what mathematics was. It's kind of neat!
      (fourth grade teacher).

Most parents and teachers did not learn mathematics in a setting where instruction focuses on the development of mathematical concepts. Many teachers and principals may need to relearn mathematics.

      If you are going to apply it [social constructivism], if you're
      going to build and draw models, role play it, and have time to
      correct and discuss misunderstandings, change your mind and
      rebuild things, and come back and revisit things, and try to put
      it all together, that takes time (principal).

Some parents and concerned citizens may also need to view mathematics education differently. Most school schedules (day and year) do not provide enough time for the effective implementation of social constructivist practices. Classrooms are often not equipped with resource materials that support active, interactive instruction. Some schools which serve lower middle class and economically disadvantaged students may need more technology to support changes in mathematics education. In what follows, we discuss structural changes, cultural changes, politics of reforming mathematics education, and African American students' engagement in a social constructivist setting.

Structural Changes

Teaching all students to understand and apply key mathematical ideas within a social constructivist framework necessitates extending instructional time. Some students need extended time to learn and understand mathematics. Mathematics classroom instruction at this K-4 elementary school was extended from 45 minutes to 90 minutes for all students each day.

Students who were still underachieving at the 3rd and 4th grade level were invited to participate in an extended school day, week, and year. Morning and afternoon tutoring was provided (75 minutes before school for four days each week, 45 minutes after school for three days each week). Teachers and principals tutored the students. Tuition-free summer school was offered for six weeks, and three and a half hours of instruction was provided on each Saturday from September to middle of March. Students who participated in extended time initiatives had about 240 more hours of instruction prior to taking the state mathematics test. About 90% of participating students in extended time programs were African Americans whose parents drove them to school early each Saturday morning and early to school for four days a week. Some parents did not have access to transportation on Saturday mornings, so the program coordinator drove a car to pick up about six students every Saturday morning.