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

Most instruction during these extended sessions was conducted within a social constructivist framework. Computers and mathematics software programs were used extensively to support classroom instruction. Social constructivism in practice demanded more instructional time because it went beyond basic calculation skills towards an emphasis on understanding how calculation skills are used in real-life contexts.

      Seeing how you ask probing questions and how you get students to
      talk about what they are seeing is my favorite part. It's really
      not only teaching me about math, but also teaching me how I can be
      a better teacher (first year teacher's reflection on teacher-
      leader's interaction with students involved with extended time
      programs).

The school did not adopt a constructive pedagogy completely. The Kumon Mathematics Program was in use as a tutoring tool and was available to all students who were at-risk based on low scores from teacher-made basic computation tests. The Kumon Mathematics Program uses a behaviorist approach for learning basic arithmetic skills. The program costs about $30.00 per student. About eight of the schools' teachers used Kumon materials for 45 minutes three afternoons each week from January of the students' third year until April of the students' fourth year. Overall, the program costs the district about $17,000 per year. Kumon was used in after school tutoring sessions and offered free of charge to students. The researchers were uncertain that all students could effectively learn basic facts within a social constructivist framework. Also, the researchers were aware that there was little time to teach both basic skills and conceptual understanding in order to improve students' achievement on the state tests. The Kumon Program was done after school and away from regular classroom time so that teachers could focus on learning mathematics within a problem-solving and problem-finding environment.

Cultural Changes

Using a learning theory that moved away and beyond the behaviorism created disequilibria for some teachers, some district administrators, some parents, and some members of the school district's boards of education. Mathematical processes and mathematical ideas started to be viewed as less definite and more probabilistic than most parents and teachers had learned when they were young. Most teachers learned more about mathematics and the application of mathematical skills and concepts. Some teachers began to view mathematics as a creative process. They taught students to create different patterns, to understand probability, and to design different strategies for solving mathematical problems.

      It's the leadership of the building, number one. There is a real
      commitment to the fact that all students can learn. There is not a
      student at this building that can't learn. I see an emphasis on
      the extra time that the students need to learn as a big priority
      at this school. They are doing whatever it takes here to get it
      done. A lot of parents almost come to expect it. I also see a
      focus on curriculum a lot more intense here than at some of the
      other buildings [district schools] in terms of what the most
      up-to-date research says about how we're teaching. Some of those
      practices are put into play here at this building (new assistant
      principal of the school).