Thank you so much for this – great examples of how to understand and teach.
Thanks, particularly for this
“Based on the explanation given in the Paying Attention to Fractions document referenced earlier, I used to believe that a ratio is a fraction. However, after much learning and finally coming across the work of John Van De Walle et al and their book Elementary and Middle School Mathematics: Teaching Developmentally, I now realize that while a ratio can be represented using a fraction bar, it is not a fraction.”
I have always hated that assertion in “paying Attention” and in the curriculum doc. Students already find fractions confusing without considering them as part-part relationships. I have not found other math teaching resources that use this definition – much better to say that sometimes ratios are written a/b. Plus, Van de Walle has always been my favourite math professional resource!
So glad that you found that little snippet helpful! Many enjoy getting into “math debates” over what is and what is not a … (insert math term) and this is one of the many challenges we face as math educators: we aren’t even clear and concise on what we mean when we say something (like ratio, or rate, or fraction!)
Thank you for sharing your experience in the confusions you had with fractions and proportions. There is so much confusion around that concept, and it’s not clearly understood till you see a concrete visual representation of the two concepts.
Thank you so much for this – great examples of how to understand and teach.
Thanks, particularly for this
“Based on the explanation given in the Paying Attention to Fractions document referenced earlier, I used to believe that a ratio is a fraction. However, after much learning and finally coming across the work of John Van De Walle et al and their book Elementary and Middle School Mathematics: Teaching Developmentally, I now realize that while a ratio can be represented using a fraction bar, it is not a fraction.”
I have always hated that assertion in “paying Attention” and in the curriculum doc. Students already find fractions confusing without considering them as part-part relationships. I have not found other math teaching resources that use this definition – much better to say that sometimes ratios are written a/b. Plus, Van de Walle has always been my favourite math professional resource!
So glad that you found that little snippet helpful! Many enjoy getting into “math debates” over what is and what is not a … (insert math term) and this is one of the many challenges we face as math educators: we aren’t even clear and concise on what we mean when we say something (like ratio, or rate, or fraction!)
Thank you for sharing your experience in the confusions you had with fractions and proportions. There is so much confusion around that concept, and it’s not clearly understood till you see a concrete visual representation of the two concepts.