Heinemann Blog

Modeling with Mathematics: Why it Works

Written by Lauren Audet | Sep 14, 2015 4:13:01 AM

“I have students with a long history of failure in math and they are perfectly capable of critical thinking, of deep mathematical thinking, when they’re engaged in a mathematical modeling task.” —Nancy Butler Wolf

Mathematical modeling is a hot topic in education, with many schools and teachers looking for resources and strategies to help incorporate modeling into their instruction. But what exactly is modeling? And how can you fit it into your already busy schedule?

In her upcoming book, Modeling with Mathematics, Nancy Butler Wolf provides clear, friendly guidance for teachers to use authentic modeling projects in their classrooms. She provides detailed examples and hands-on activities that support students in developing key problem-solving skills and becoming engaged mathematicians.

Watch Nancy talk about why mathematical modeling has become more of a focus area in schools and why it is such an effective instructional approach.

 

Interested in learning more about mathematical modeling? Stay tuned to the Heinemann blog for more from Nancy over the next few weeks. You can also click here for a sneak preview of her book.

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Nancy Butler Wolf is a national math consultant and curriculum developer who has served as a member of NCTM’s Illuminations Writing Group. She has over 30 years of classroom teaching experience and has presented at various conferences on mathematical modeling and algebraic reasoning. Follow her on Twitter @drnanbut.