YouCubed for Future Success!

The essence of mathematics is not to make simple thing complicated, but to make complicated things simple.  - S. Gudder

I am so glad that I was presented with the opportunity to explore this website and get familiar with it! Jo Boaler should be praised for the work that she has put into this movement. She is the driving force behind math change in the United States and is leading the YouCubed project. 

My first impression of this website was that it had a cool layout that was easy to navigate. When I examined the different aspects of the site, I realized that it outlined great inquiry-based, meaningful learning teaching methods. These methods would certainly make teaching mathematics more interesting and it would make learning it much more appealing to children.

While searching throughout YouCubed I read the article Unlocking Children's Math Potential: 5 Research Results to Transform Math Learning. I was completely absorbed in the article and thought that it was fascinating how the brain can acquire information when appropriately stimulated and when children are motivated. I wholeheartedly agree with the five points that are made in this article, especially with the research provided to back it up. I love how, at the end of the article, Jo draws attention to a certain term that Gloria Ladson Billings uses to describe teachers. She calls them "dream-keepers" as if to draw attention to "the opportunities that teachers have to help students achieve their dreams". To a teacher in training, this is can be a very overwhelming feeling, to have that much influence on the outcome of a child's dreams... but it is also very motivating!

As I continued browsing I noticed all of the units and lesson plans that were made available.. and they actually look like children would enjoy them! The elementary lesson plan example involves a hands on situation with objects that are larger than the manipulatives that they have probably grown accustomed to using during mathematics. These glow sticks (cool, right?) and styrofoam balls are bound to be effective in keeping children's attention focused on the lesson.   

The middle and high school lesson plans incorporate questions about math that students are supposed to reflect on and think about the different processes used to solve certain math problems. This encourages students to think about their thinking - metacognition. There is time allotted for students to work both individually and in groups.

One of the most appealing aspects of this website is that there is a section for parents. There are games available for home use so that children can continue learning at home and parents can be involved. There are also pointers on subtle ways to make math more fun. My favorite at home game that is on the site is "Race to One Hundred". I think that it is an excellent way to get children motivated to do math. 

The video "Window into the Classroom" features children working on mathematics. They use the words creative, game, and story to describe the different ways that a person can interpret math. It is refreshing to hear children talking that way about mathematics and to know that there is hope that more and more students will adopt this point of view. At the end of the video one child said "you can use anything for math", which sounded backwards to me. I am used to hearing the phrase "you can use math for anything". But, it makes complete sense that these children are adopting that attitude about mathematics with the approach to teaching that is being used with them.

I think that this is a great website that could be an excellent resource for the classroom and at home. I am looking forward to seeing this site being fully operational and the effects that it will have since it is available to everyone!