Article One (Web Based):

Making Connections: Elementary teachers' construction of division word problems and

representations. (2014). School Science and Mathematics, 114 (3), 114.

Article Summary:

The article Making Connections: Elementary teachers construction of division

word problems and representations focuses on a study of elementary mathematics
teachers taking a course on mathematics pedagogy. Within the course, teachers are
asked to create word problems and representations to model their division
understanding and teaching processes. The researchers studied the teachers responses
in the guided creation one word problem and also their progress and teaching events
throughout the course. The study was based on two questions regarding multiple
representations of word problems and the pedagogy teachers used to implement new
state standards. The article is intended to help elementary educators close the gap
between teaching division for accuracy and teaching division for understanding.
One of the articles main arguments states that division should be taught using
fractions. It states fractions are truly an extension of division. When taught as
separate topics, students have few opportunities to see relationships between wholenumber division and fraction results where a remainder is part of the solution. (117).
Within the study, teachers stated they had used this practice in the past, while it was
new to other teachers. Realizing the method was highly effective; most teachers stated

that they would choose to implement teaching division with fractions in their
classrooms after they completed the course.
Another main argument within the article is the lack of a variety of practice
situations for students when using division. Two categories of division are described:
partitive and measurement. In partitive division, the question presents the larger group
along with the number of smaller groups into which the larger group needs to be
divided. With measurement division, the larger group is given along with the amount
per smaller group. The article states that students are not aware of these differences
and that students would benefit from knowing and being able to represent these two
different topics.
Finally, it also discusses students need to be able to represent their division
problems in various ways. The teachers were tested on this skill and many tagged it as a
learning outcome for their students in the future. One goal of the NCTM standards
mentioned was representational fluency. The article gave an example of students
working on math problems through the process of using mathematical tools for problem
solving, moving on from those tools to then create a diagram, and after both of these
activities, writing equations to represent the diagram.
Before college, I had not considered the deep relation of division and fractions.
The two topics were taught separately in my classrooms and it appears as though Mr.
Koops curriculum guidebook teaches them separately as well. After reading the article,
I plan on talking to him about the possibility of incorporating fractions into my lesson.
One section of the article I will be sure to utilize is the difference between partitive and
measurement division (I am hoping to think of more fourth grade level terms that
would be easier for students to remember.) I plan to implement both types of division

into my lessons and activities as well as help students explore when they would use both
types as a part of everyday life. (These were my original thoughts after reading the
article! See revision from 10/30 below).

Considering this article, I do think teaching division in relation to fractionsn is a

wonderful strategy to help students understand its real meaning. At GRCES, however,
students start learning division before 4th grade and they have already started
working with division this year. In their work so far, they have not related division to
fractions. I think that in my teaching, it would be more confusing than helpful to
students if I were to pull in fractions midway through the unit. For another web-based
article, see the bottom of this page.

Article Two:
McGarvey, L., & Kline, K. Why "The value of why"? (2011). [Electronic version].
Teaching Children Mathematics, 18(3), 132.

Article Summary:
The second article, Why: The value of why? discusses the value of reasoning
and why it is important to begin elementary mathematics with questions. The article is
geared towards teachers and leads them to consider how we can better use the power of
reasoning within classrooms - especially in mathematics. Learning how to reason in
mathematics begins with questions rather than answers (132). The article states that if
students begin to question processes and procedures at a young age, it is something they
can carry on with them later into further mathematics. These questions should stem not
only from mathematics questions the students are facing, but also from the world
around them and then be applied to mathematics. Students should be able to explain
their reasoning to teachers or in small group situations. Along with an explanation,
students should be able to use and explain models to represent their reasoning.
The article itself asks teachers to consider their processes and how they as
educators can be posing questions within the classroom. In relation to our recent
reading that discussed holding all students to the same expectations, the article asks,
How do we ensure that all children are held to the same high expectations for
mathematical reasoning and sense making? (132). Another thoughtful question posed
is how How can assessment support reasoning? (132) Assessment is generally a yes

or no situation. But it is important to consider how we can use it to allow students to

continue in growth.
In learning about teaching mathematics at Calvin, I have noticed a push among
teachers to ensure that students understand relationships within math, rather than just
procedures. So far in my aiding, while working in math I have been able to say to
students, Thats right. Tell me why! So far, I have been impressed with many of their
responses. When students are able to answer the question by using the correct
reasoning process, generally, they are able to think outside of the box on more complex
word problems. This article encompasses that idea.
Reflecting on the other article I read on division, I think of the importance of
students relating fractions and division. This brings into mind the larger idea of math
relationships. Why do we have remainders? How are fractions and division related?
These are things that I myself would not have been able to answer as an elementary
school student, but things I now realize can greatly influence math understanding.
Within my lesson, I hope to give students the opportunity to work within groups and
explain their understanding to one another. As the instructor, I plan to keep on asking
why. It is easy to give a numerical answer and count it as correct, but the more able a
student is to understand their math processes, the more likely they truly understand
why they are completing these processes. In this it is my hope that their division
reasoning skills will grow and they will better be able to apply mathematical concepts to
school content and the world around them!

Article Three - Conceptualizing Division with Remainders

Teruni Lamberg, & Lynda R. Wiest. (2012). Conceptualizing division with remainders.
Teaching Children Mathematics, 18(7), 426433.
http://doi.org/10.5951/teacchilmath.18.7.0426

The article Conceptualizing Division with Remainders discusses the difficulties

students face when division problems involve remainders. It states that students feel
comfortable and are able to complete division problems easily when remainders are not
involved. Often students have more difficulty with division problems, however, when
remainders are involved. The authors stated that the best way to combat this issue is
give students problems containing remainders early in the semester rather than giving
students problems that divide easily at first and then moving on to problems with
remainders later on. Beginning with remainders makes it clear to students that not all
division problems end with equal groupings.
The article also describes a classroom activity in which students have to use bags
full of objects to create their own division problems. Choosing how many groups objects
will be divided into and the size of these groups. This activity gives students the
opportunity to think through division situations and problem solving on their own.
When this activity was tested with a group of students in small groups, at first all groups
attempted to use the number of students in their group as a divisor, but after students
realized that the objects would not divide evenly based on the number of students in
their group, they had to rethink the problem thus, taking remainders into consideration.

Students were also asked to complete similar tasks in their small groups relating to
pencils, tiles, and measurement units. As students worked in groups, they saw a variety
of different situations and places where remainders were important. In addition, they
explored different problems that required remainders to cause students to round up or
round down.
The most important concepts this article examines are the relationships between
remainders and the real world. Students need to understand situations in which
remainders are and are not important, and how they apply to real world concepts. The
learning should always take place in a real world context when possible. Students
should be able to explain the processes and meanings of division and remainders.
In lessons within my unit, I have created problems that use division word
problems with and without remainders. From the beginning of the lesson, we are
discussing remainders, the different types of remainders, and what to do with a
remainder based on problem context. As we continue, I will encourage students to use
the problems to think through their remainder and how it affect the answers they find in
their division problems.