Helping Students Make Sense of Fractions

Algebra has long been a gateway course through which too few students pass. Not passing algebra means doors to many STEM dreams and careers are shut forever. That's an intellectual crime we do to students. Many studies and reports show that one of the first obstacle is on the way misunderstanding algebra is misunderstanding fractions. As students undertake their fraction journey, they enter into the multiplicative world, so different from the additive world of whole numbers they have inhabited for about their first eight years of life. The rules and procedures they learn about fractions don't always make sense to them. And when students cease to make sense of mathematics, and must surrender their sense making and yield to senseless memorization, it's the beginning of the end of their love for math. So if we want "algebra for all" we must first ensure "fractions for all." With this objective in mind, I have written a book titled "Unpacking Fractions - Classroom-Tested Strategies to Build Students’ Mathematical Understanding," co-published by NCTM (www.nctm.org) and ASCD (www.ascd.org). Based on extensive research and more than 20 years of experience and practice with teachers and students all over the world, this book offers 7 Pedagogical Strategies for helping students tackle their misconceptions and learn to understand and even enjoy working with fractions. Join me in my WEBINAR on this topic, tomorrow October 3rd 2017, at 3 PM, Eastern Standard Time. Visit this link to register: https://www.ernweb.com/shop/7-strategies-tackle-fraction-misconceptions/