The new generations need you to be highly qualified and updated technologically. We all understand the vital importance of reading and writing in a student’s total education. This is equally important in illustrating the value of mathematics in our everyday lives. Though math is not everything, the lack of proficiency in mathematics can hinder us in many areas of our lives. Mathematics learning was shown as a series of connected interactions that expanded to higher learning levels; this is why a teacher must possess multiple skills to lead students toward higher learning levels.

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My innovation plan I present is how to perform learning mathematics through a mixture of face and online lessons with makers based on the necessities that have found Tryouts in my students. In this article, I put my experiences into words and shared them with my peers. I will delve into two critical areas for math instruction: the growth mindset and blended learning. Additionally, I recommend applications that students will enjoy while learning. These applications have different resources that help students learn; some even provide progress data.

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Adopting a growth mindset can help students learn mathematics

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We have nothing to fear when we reach face-to-face because it is never too late to learn from our experiences, as Carol Dweck (2007) stated. Our brain is a great trickster, and feeling awful when something does not go as we wish is natural. But, the real deal is in our approach toward these emotions & emotional intelligence. Thinking of mistakes as a learning opportunity, not a form of failure, is essential. I apologize, but math is trial and error, so mistakes and frustration are inevitable. Students constantly make mistakes, and we teachers see them and confront our struggles daily. The key is to embrace these errors and take them as a chance to grow: for students and us teachers!

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We need to consider our fixed or growth-minded mindset and work on this as individuals and teachers. We need to learn to be growth-minded and work on improving ourselves. A negative mindset waits for the problem to arise; a positive one beats it to the punch by having success already.

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While searching the internet for valuable information to add to my article, I came across a page called  The Decision Lab (2024). It reminded me that our mind is the factory of our dreams, and with a growth mindset, we can realize them. The Decision Lab website provides insights and papers around behavior, teaching, training, and emotional growth and development. As someone who works in education, I am fascinated by emotional development, particularly in young children.

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We can consider a growth mindset as our medicine for a sense of frustration with mathematics or any topic, especially for our younger students struggling to cope with their emotions.

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Question for your teacher: Do you want your students to be happy and prosperous? "I'm sure of it!"

Considering this, Miller (2019) proposes some activities that can be performed with our students from Infant Education to give them a growth mindset in any subject and within my area, Mathematics, but it can go for anything.

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• Students need to be aware of their brains, how they operate, and the concept of a growth mindset.

• Avoiding mistakes or trying to cover up your mistakes is only an opportunity to bring in a fixed story, but when you explore these and use the glimpses at hand to cultivate a growth approach, do not label students or their abilities.

• Use "yet" in activities to help encourage a growth mindset.

• Books are a great resource for easily and entertainingly showing kids what this growth mindset is all about. They also feel attached to it. There are various growth mindset activities and some valuable videos to help teach it.

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Many of these activities are easy to customize depending on your group and their skill set, ensuring you the best opportunity for success.

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Utilize blended learning to ensure the success of our students in mathematics

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In selecting my bibliographic sources, I came across an author named Douglas Duncan (2021), who describes learning math daily as a part of number words and the quantities they represent. All that, however, depends on the child, as not all can do this at the same age and development level. Children will also begin these activities at different ages, so make sure developmental skills are age-appropriate. Some children struggle to develop these skills, though. Interesting as math might be for a few, others may find it boring.

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The question here is:

How about setting fun in learning maths for our kids?

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Thanks to research, we know many resources and strategies that enable us to teach more efficiently. In mathematics, I have selected blended learning as a pedagogy. I liked this method's fluidity and efficiency, especially given that some practical elements in the traditional teaching methodology could be adapted to the Smart Classroom. This is where blended learning helps; it enables me to combine these conventional methods with technology.

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The current education system is more dedicated to teaching and testing knowledge than it is to understanding what the students have learned and how they can use this learning in an actual situation; the immense quantity of information given by one teacher to more than twenty students makes it nearly impossible for individualized attention regarding their abilities. It is hard to teach, especially if you personalize learning for the students regarding their needs, learning styles, and interests. However, the need to address these diverse needs differently and to do so in a way that delivers an inclusive and effective learning environment is essential for all 6  Blended Learning: Knowing all of those approaches will allow you to fulfill every single one of those items.

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This is a pick-axe problem, solved one bunker at a time (Horn & Staker, 2011), but also one that we believe by using student-centered learning as the solution - with two key components, according to these authors. Personalized Learning: The first aspect is customized learning, which crafts the course curricula to match the needs of any individual student. Competency-based learning is the second component, and it enables students to demonstrate mastery of competency components, e.g., knowledge, skills, or attitudes in a given course or subject. Blended Learning combines online learning outside the traditional classroom with teacher-led in-person practices or projects in a physical school, melding direct instruction and personal responsibility. Station rotation, lab rotation, and flipped classrooms are examples of modestly pushing the concept of blended learning.

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Blended learning is the best way to teach math, and I see that every day in my interactions with my students. I have personally validated and found it especially advantageous, as enclosed in the paragraphs below.

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Students can control their education because blended learning combines online and in-person learning.

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Personalization: The blended learning approach offers customized online teaching methods that adapt according to the student's understanding and provide an avenue for in-class activities that support concepts where gaps are found.

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Engagement: Blended learning engages and motivates students by aligning face-to-face interactions, online discussions, multimedia resources, and collaborative projects.

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Accessibility: Blended learning uses both online content and face-to-face components to make learning more accessible.

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Accelerated and better learning outcomes: Hybrid learning combines online and traditional classroom technologies to improve learning output, providing students with interactive education tailored to their needs.

I'd like to talk about Professor Roger Schank, a Stanford and Yale graduate who started developing theories for learning about the human mind and who eventually engaged with my Innovation Plan through blended learning. His article "Real Learning; Real Memory" (2011) goes further and explains how practice should be about functional experiences rather than memory-based repetition. Learning happens when the student is DOING something and figuring out a problem or connection on their own. He was, Schank said. He talks about memory and its importance in the learning process; students' excellent experience is stored in their memory and provides authentic learning.

 

Schank suggests that modern methods incorporating technology and student interests are more effective in making learning permanent. In his article "TEACHING MINDS: HOW COGNITIVE SCIENCE CAN SAVE OUR SCHOOLS" (2024), he also discusses 12 cognitive processes divided into three sections: conscious, analytical, and social. These are part of the lives of children and adults and should be developed to help students become more sophisticated and acquire enjoyable learning experiences. As a teacher, I implemented blended learning to teach mathematics and would like to discuss how I put these 12 processes into practice with my students.

 

Analytical and social processes as a teacher

 

Diagnosis: Determining the needs of my students in this case, the weaknesses found were in mathematics.

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Planning: When determining that Blended Learning was the best viable option to develop learning.

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Judgment: Decide between all the options for teaching methods and adjust it to the needs of my group.

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Influence: Making it possible for the educational authorities of my institution and my coworkers to listen to my story and the needs of my students and accept my Innovation Proposal.

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Teamwork: Working together with my teamwork. 

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IMPACT: ALLOWING THE EDUCATIONAL AUTHORITIES OF MY INSTITUTION AND MY COLLEAGUES TO LISTEN TO MY STORY AND THAT OF MY STUDENTS AND ADAPTING MY INNOVATION PROPOSAL.

 

Social processes that my students engage in

 

Influence: Preschool children often exhibit egocentric behavior and may struggle with sharing ideas. Collaborative work at rotation stations encourages my students to work and the sharing of ideas.

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Teamwork: When working at rotating stations, my students have to work in groups of 4 to 5, which has been challenging.

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Negotiation: My students have had to negotiate with each other in various ways, such as taking turns in groups, making decisions, and managing frustration.

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Description: After analyzing what my students learned at the rotation stations, they could describe their acquired knowledge during whole-group discussions.

 

Let me explain my work routine with my students using blended learning:

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I used a Flip-Flex model, considered a hybrid model composed of traditional and blended methods. The rotation model includes station rotation (math workstations). This included a teacher-led small group instruction workstation and independent math activities, such as math center games, in other workstations. A Laboratory rotation(technology workstation with iPads) was also utilized once a week using the "math I-station" application at one of the stations and flipped classrooms, whereby 20 minutes of daily I-station math homework and in-class review.

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This routine can be adapted and suited to your student's level, no matter what grade they are taught. It is an excellent complement to your desired goals, whether mathematics-focused or in any other subject. This is by far the best solution, and I highly recommend it.

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You will need iPads and interactive platforms at the Technology Laboratory Station (which I will suggest later based on my pre-K experience; higher-level teachers can explore options that meet their curriculum goals). For other play stations and small groups, it is up to the teacher to be creative in selecting materials. The use of materials that attract the attention of students and motivate them to learn.

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Amongst the tools used for blended learning included a package of interactive apps I would utilize to teach math to my pre-kinder students:

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Istation: This educational platform provides numerous benefits. First, it offers personalized learning to students, allowing them to learn at their own pace and level. Second, it provides educators with valuable data and insights into student progress, which can help them make informed instructional decisions and interventions. Third, Istation offers interactive and engaging content to keep students interested and motivated in learning. Finally, it provides the flexibility of access to learning materials from various devices, which can benefit students with diverse learning needs.

 

Starfall: This app facilitates young children's learning through phonics-based reading, interactive activities, and a user-friendly interface. Parents and teachers can track progress and identify areas that need further improvement. However, the complete range of activities requires a paid subscription.

 

Seesaw: This is an online platform that benefits both students and teachers. It offers enhanced parental involvement, increases student motivation, promotes organizational efficiency, provides flexibility and adaptability, and enables stress-free activities. These benefits make Seesaw an excellent tool for communication, engagement, and personalized learning in the classroom.

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I am thrilled about all the technological progress being made today. I love that our students have more tools than ever to improve the educational experience. This drives me to learn about best practices for effective teaching and allows me to stay current with emerging technology and incorporate it into our classroom. I look forward to what comes next! If you want a new teaching method in your class, look more at Blended learning. Horn & Staker reveal much more in their book Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools.

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Conclusion

One pedagogical style is becoming more prevalent among elementary school teachers, and that style is blended learning. Students will have made significant gains in a tech-supported program and exhibited the reading growth on a grade-level standardized test that we have seen precipitously reversed since 2014 QCOMPARE. Existing works have demonstrated all of the advantages for elementary students for years. Blended Learning is a highly effective mix of learning and teaching styles. Suppose the other research results are synthesized with this key finding. In that case, the evidence suggests that digital collaborative literacy in a blended learning environment has a causal relationship with student motivation, engagement, and achievement.

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In light of educational gains for students below grade level, a blended learning program may provide an integrated platform that facilitates differentiating instruction and isolates skill gaps. That being said, the onus is on educators to ensure that students are afforded enough opportunity to use the digital portion of the program at every step of models, such as station and individual rotation, for this type of blended learning model to work.

Below, you can see my e-portfolio as well as my colleagues' e-portfolios, where you can find more research and resources on the different things they are working on:

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Nelyda Rodriguez

Siary Rodriguez

Yunuen Malagon