As future educators, we are being taught how to teach with the latest and greatest models possible. Since I was in school, there has been a large shift in how one teaches mathematics. The focus used to be about having students know how to use the algorithms and ace a test. Now, teachers are encouraged to develop deep understanding of the mathematical concepts with their students. The algorithm should be the last thing the students learn and they should almost come up with it on their own. In addition to that, the article, “Using Transactional Reading Strategies to Support Sense-making and Discussion in Mathematics Classroom: An Exploratory Study”, states, “the call now is for curricula that focus on developing reasoning, communication, and problem-solving abilities (NCTM, 1989) as well as on promoting understanding of the “big ideas” within mathematics (Steen, 1990) and building realistic conceptions of mathematics as a discipline (Borasi, 1992)” (Borasi, Siegel, Fonzi, & Smith, 1998). This whole new development is a way to end the, “why are we learning this”, mathematics. We need to provide a reason and create an understanding of math.
As we see this transition in teaching math, the article also brings up how we read mathematics. We can no longer just focus on understanding math terms and the technical writing that it can be sometimes. Now, we must have students read math to understand math. The lesson should not be on defining terms and braking apart the sentences for key words. The article brings up when theorist Rosenblatt uses, “the term transaction to call attention to the way in which the reader and the text shape and are shaped by each other during the reading event. By doing so, she turned the spotlight on readers’ experiences while reading what they felt, thought, wondered, questioned-to understand their transactions with texts” (Borasi, Siegel, Fonzi, & Smith, 1998). She believes that students should read the math reflecting on it on what they are understand, what they can pull from it, and what it means for the problem. This once again puts the students in the driver’s seat and allows them to reason and understand mathematics.
Borasi, R., Siegel, M., Fonzi, J., & Smith, C. F. (1998). Using transactional reading strategies to support sense-making and discussion in mathematics classrooms: An exploratory study.Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 29(3), 275-305
Teaching: The Art of Being a Forever Learner 
I definitely agree that there has a been a huge shift on how mathematics was taught when we were students in the early 2000s to how students are taught mathematics today. I think that this really sets up a challenge for us future educators. As we are studying to be teachers, not only are we learning how to teach the math that we were taught so many years ago, but we are also relearning the material by learning how that material is taught today. As you mentioned, we were taught by first learning the algorithm, practicing the algorithm on many different problems, and then applying the algorithm in order to earn a good grade on a test. However, today, students are taught through inquiry and problem-solving. They are encouraged to work with the material, use their own ways to solve the problem, and finally come up with the algorithm on their own through productive struggle. Therefore, as we learn how to be a teacher, we are stuck in this weird situation where we have to learn how to teach the slope-intercept formula with the twist that we have to encourage students to come up with that formula on their own through original thought and problem solving. I am in no way saying that this is a bad thing. Rather, it’s a unique challenge that I have come to enjoy and appreciate. I think a safe assumption to make is that the teaching of mathematics has shifted from teacher-centered learning to student-centered learning. I find this to be extremely important because every student in your classroom will see a math problem in his or her own, unique way. Therefore, it is the teacher’s job to encourage students to solve the problem in the best way that makes sense to them. Awesome blog!
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