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Reasoning in Middle Level Math 1

Reasoning in the Middle Level Math Classroom

Christopher M. Odom

Lesley University

ECOMP 6102

Rock Hill, SC

7/11/08
Reasoning in Middle Level Math 2

Abstract

Reasoning is an essential skill for middle level math students. Furthermore, students must

be able to reason in many different ways to be successful in life. Rick Stiggins, in An

Introduction to Student-Involved Assessment FOR Learning, identifies six types of reasoning. It

gives specific examples of how student reasoning can be taught and assessed with middle level

math students. It also compares Rick Stiggins’ types of reasoning to Benjamin Bloom’s cognitive

learning processes in his taxonomy.


Reasoning in Middle Level Math 3

Reasoning in the Middle Level Math Classroom

Many students have difficulty reasoning in the middle-level mathematics classroom. This

is largely due to a lack of understanding as to the “why” when solving a problem. Students often

see mathematics as a series of steps that have no real meaning.

Reasoning is the ability to carry out logical steps to solve a problem. Reasoning applies

outside and inside the classroom. For example, one might need to change a tire on their car.

There is a set of logical steps needed to change the tire. One must reason that the car must be

jacked up before the tire is removed. Otherwise it will be difficult to change the tire. Reasoning

is a necessary skill that all students must have to function in life. As a teacher, it is our

responsibility to teach students how to reason.

Stiggins (2008) defines several different types of reasoning. Analytical reasoning requires

one to dissect a situation into many different parts. In my math classroom, this might require a

student to list the steps they took in solving a problem and describe why they used each step to

solve the problem. (Stiggins, 2008, p. 57).

Synthesizing requires students to combine many different things. For example, a student

might have to apply a math problem to a real world situation. Another example of synthesis

could be solving a word problem. In this case, a student must combine multiple problem types to

solve a situation without an obvious mathematical answer. (Stiggins, 2008, p.57).

Comparative reasoning requires that students not only compare items, but also contrast

these items. In the math classroom, this can be used in many different ways. Students might

compare and contrast different problems. Students might compare and contrast different
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geometric shapes, numbers, or other measurement systems to gain greater understanding.

(Stiggins, 2008, p. 58).

Classifying requires people to group items or concepts based on some criteria.

Categorizing these concepts then allows us to compare the items quite easily. My students are

required to classify numbers into different groups. For example, they may have to classify odd

and even numbers by their properties. (Stiggins, 2008, p. 59).

Induction and deduction require students to use information to help them arrive at a

solution. Students take a sample situation and apply it to another situation to come up with an

answer. For example, a student might see that a math property works in one situation and reason

that it will work with many more similar situations. In higher level math, induction is used to

prove many problems. Mathematicians prove a simple case, and then use that information to

prove the entire problem. (Stiggins, 2008, p. 59-61).

The last type of reasoning mentioned is evaluation. When students evaluate information,

they analyze the information to see if can apply to a given situation. For example, students might

research a topic and compile many different sources of information. Students then evaluate the

sources and use those that they deem most appropriate. (Stiggins, 2008, p. 61).

Stiggins’ types of reasoning compare with Bloom’s Taxonomy of learning. Bloom

organizes his learning into categories ranging from lower-level to higher level. Whittington

states, “The cognitive activity required for students to respond to an open question (i.e. justify,

infer, formulate, and make judgments) is the cognitive activity referred to by Bloom as thinking

at the higher levels of cognition.” (2007. p. 6)


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As stated by Hill and Flynn, “… illustrates the levels in the Taxonomy, which starts with

lower-level questions - recalling information, for example - and concludes with higher-level

questions - comparing and discriminating between ideas, for example.” (2008, p. 47)

As students move from lower to higher, they show greater understanding of a topic.

Bloom has categorized this hierarchy so that students move along a continuum, gaining greater

understanding of a topic as they move higher. According to the South Carolina State Department

of Education, “Mathematics goes well beyond simple recognition and recall and the

memorization of facts that many people mistake for the core of mathematics.” (2007, p. 104).

They continue, “For example, one might compare attributes of congruent shapes or

classify shapes as congruent. Both of these are included in the cognitive process dimension

understand, which has five other processes: interpreting, exemplifying, summarizing, inferring,

and explaining.” (South Carolina Department of Education, 2007, p. 104).

Here, one of Bloom’s levels of cognitive understanding has covered several different

types of Stiggins’ types of reasoning. The cognitive process dimension understand includes

Stiggins’ reasoning types of comparing, classifying, and inferring (deductive and inductive

reasoning). Stiggins further supports this line of thought when he argues, “…reasoning patterns

are rarely used independent of one another. Rather, these patterns bring us to problem solutions.”

(2008, p. 56).

Stiggins and Bloom talk about a similar goal in different ways. Bloom focuses on

students’ levels of understanding. Bloom is most concerned with the learning that goes on.

Embedded into this learning is reasoning, especially when dealing with the higher level

questions, such as synthesis and evaluation. However, on the lower levels, such as knowledge,
Reasoning in Middle Level Math 6

little reasoning is used. Stiggins is concerned with how students arrive at an answer. He realizes

there are multiple approaches to finding an answer.

To encourage student reasoning, problems must be presented to students that require

them to explain why they chose a particular method for solving a problem. I start this in my

classroom by modeling this procedure for my students. When solving a problem, I explain my

thoughts in the first person so that my students will know both the how and why of the algorithm

we are using. I can model each of Stiggins’ types of reasoning using the first person.

Students must get practice using their reasoning skills. Many of my students have trouble

comparing and contrasting different situations. This is likely due to lack of experience comparing

items and classifying. After modeling problems that involve comparing and contrasting, I can

allow my students to work on these types of problems with a partner or a group to scaffold this

instruction.

Math lends itself to most types of reasoning. Students often compare and classify

different objects in math classes. Students can analyze the process they took to solve a math

problem. Students apply inductive and deductive reasoning when they solve a new problem

using information that they have been exposed to in the past. Students will have much difficulty

using synthesis in math, but it should be taught through the use of word problems that require

students to combine several different skills. Students can also evaluate answers for correctness.

I informally assess my student’s reasoning skills through the use of many different

strategies. One of my preferred methods of assessing students’ reasoning is random questioning.

After I see a students’ answer to a problem, I begin to ask them why they chose the method that

they chose. I then get other students’ input into the students’ method (whether correct or
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incorrect) and discuss the solution. Another method is to have students write about the steps they

took on a note card and give it to me on the way out of the class. Through this, students are

analyzing the work they do. I give my students problems that are worked incorrectly to help

them practice evaluation. They have to find the mistake in the problem and then correct it. I

might give this problem to an entire group and allow them to solve it on poster paper.

Students compare and contrast their work by grouping using Venn diagrams or other

visual means. Students can also use these Venn diagrams to classify different objects.

I formally assess students’ classification skills through the use of fill in the blank or

multiple choice examinations. Students might choose which topics fit or do not fit a certain

criteria. I formally assess students analysis skills by giving having them solve a problem and then

write out why they chose each step they chose. I also give the students a problem and ask them to

tell me how to solve a problem without actually solving the problem. Synthesis is formally

assessed by giving students unfamiliar word problems that require students to use more than one

skill. Comparison can be assessed through the use of fill in the blank, short answer or true-false

questions. Students can compare multiplication to addition, for example and see that they have

some similarities, such as the fact that multiplication is repeated addition. Inductive and

deductive reasoning is difficult to assess formally in the middle level classroom, but can be done

by asking students to generalize situations and then apply them through word problems. Students

can evaluate work for mistakes and correct it. I give the students a problem and ask the students

to find the mistake and tell me what mistake was made and why they think the mistake was

made.
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Teaching reasoning skills is possible in the middle-level math classroom. It takes a

teacher being cognizant of the different ways of reasoning. Now that I understand the different

ways of reasoning, I feel that I will do a better job teaching them in my classroom.
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References

Hill, Jane D, and Kathleen Flynn. (2008). Asking the right questions. Journal of Staff

Development, 29(1), 46-52, 79. Retrieved July 11, 2008, from ProQuest Education

Journals database. (Document ID: 1403947501).

Whittington, M Susie (2007, May). Critical Thinking and Cognition: Questions that Enhance

Cognitive Development. The Agricultural Education Magazine, 79(6), 5-7. Retrieved

July 11, 2008, from ProQuest Education Journals database. (Document ID: 1453661171).

South Carolina Department of Education. (2007). South Carolina Academic Standards for

Mathematics. Columbia, SC

Stiggins, R (2008). An Introduction to Student-Involved Assessment FOR Learning. Upper

Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson, Merrill, Prentice Hall.


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• Explain how easy or difficulty it was to use Turnitin.com. For what age and grade levels
do you feel Turnitin.com is appropriate?

Turnitin.com was very easy to use. The website registration was easy and it gave
immediate feedback that I used to improve my paper. I feel that it would not be
appropriate for younger students, but once students get to middle school (6th grade),
they would be ready to discuss plagiarism.

• What was the impact of using Turnitin.com for you? Was it useful?

It was not useful for this paper, because I had very few things that it did not like.
However, on other papers, it would have been quite useful to make sure that I didn’t
accidentally lift work from my reading. I have noticed in the past that I have difficulty
making sure that I don’t quote what I have read some time later when writing the
paper.

• Explain how Turnitin.com can assist you with editing a paper. What kinds of changes did
you have to make in your paper?

I did not have to make any changes because of Turnitin.com. (I do need to make some
formatting changes that are unrelated). However, it would allow me to make sure that
I didn’t accidentally quote someone by mistake.

• How would you use this with your students?

I have used Google before with my students to make sure they were not plagiarizing
work. I simply type in a sentence from the paper into the search box and find whether
or not they have plagiarized. It works well. I like this better, however, because it
would allow me to give my students feedback on their writing and give them an
opportunity to fix it.

• What do you believe will be the Long-Term impact of software such as Turnitin.com on
written expression in our culture? Are there any dangers in the wide-spread use of this
tool?

I am concerned that expression could be limited by this software. There comes a


point in which certain things can only be expressed so many different ways. We
have a finite number of words in the English language, so it makes sense that
eventually everything could seem like it was being plagiarized even though it is
an original thought.

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