18th Quick Step: Look for patterns in your math teacher.

The 1-2-3 Pattern Principle.

Hey, I’m Edison, a math learning strategist for grade 7 to 12 students, age 12 to 17. Math by Edison* is the platform I use to share the hundreds of strategies I’ve invented, designed and used with the thousands of 1-on-1 math students I’ve worked with. Been my sole job for decades, though 80,000 hours and counting sounds more wow! *link takes you to About, on website.

Good day everyone, how’s the learning going????

Today’s strategy is all about looking for patterns!

You already know and use this 1-2-3 Pattern Principle but may not be aware that you’re using it in your life, for some math and with your math teacher. All humans use it, but it’s just that many people and some math students are always looking for patterns. Let me explain the 1-2-3 Pattern Principle, which is the name I’ve given it.

Understand the 1-2-3 Pattern Principle

1-2-3 Pattern Principle means that based on one (1) or two (1-2) or a third piece of data or information you have (1-2-3), you can predict what will happen fourth or next. It’s ‘predicting’ the future based on knowing three things. 1-2-3 Pattern Principle happens in life, with people, with your math teacher and with math.

Use the 1-2-3 Pattern Principle to help you figure out something you don’t know.

Why would you want to get better at patterning with math?

-          Helps you be better with math because you become better at predicting.

-          Start seeing patterns in your math teacher and understanding them better.

-          Gives you an advantage in math.

-          Makes math more engaging.

-          It’s a transferable skill.

Examples of patterning in math and patterning with your math teacher:

Math, Q & A: I have three math questions for you:

1. What’s the third number of the sequence 1, 2, … ?

Did you say 3 or 4? Both 3 and 4 are correct. If you thought the pattern is ‘adding 1’ then you’ll say the third number is 3. If you thought the pattern is multiplying by 2, then the third number is 4.

1, 2, 3 … versus 1, 2, 4 …

You can see a possible pattern after two (1-2), but to be more confident in your prediction, you need a third number (1-2-3). In math two pieces of information is not enough to see a pattern and predict, but look what happens when there’s a third number:

2. What’s the fourth number of the sequence 1, 2, 3, … ?
The 1-2-3 Pattern is adding 1 to each number, so the fourth number is 4! 1, 2, 3, 4.

3. What’s the fourth number of the sequence 1, 2, 4, … ?
The pattern is multiplying 2 by each number, so fourth number is 8! 1, 2, 4, 8, Yay! Pat on back to self.

In math, when you know three pieces of data that form a pattern, it’s easier to predict the fourth, hence the name, 1-2-3 Pattern Principle. In math, there are 1-2-3 Pattern Principles everywhere – in Numeracy (e.g. Fractions, Decimals, Integers, Powers), Algebra, Measurement, Geometry, Data Management, Calculus ...! I bet you never thought about math that way.

But this article is about your math teacher, not math, so let’s talk about your teacher and their 1-2-3 patterns. Pay attention, class this is important:

Your math teacher

If your teacher says, ‘Pay attention class, this is important,’ the odds are that one piece of data (1) tells you enough to make a prediction … that this will probably be on the test (or that’s it’s important 😊). You didn’t need second and third data. So yes, sometimes it can be quicker to see the pattern in your teacher compared to math.

Your teacher is human (said this in 15th Quick Step), which means they have tendencies, traits and habits and when you put those together, voila, you have patterns of behavior. Notice their patterns of behaviour, and you’ll understand them better and then be able to predict what they will do next or say next (in the future). Neat, eh?

There’s a homework question that the whole class struggled with

… and that question ended up on the test. You may be thinking, Oh, I wonder if this is a 1-off or the start of a pattern. In the second unit, the hardest question on the homework shows up again on the test, so this is the second time (1-2).

After the second time, you will be thinking a version of, “Hey each time the class struggles on a homework question my teacher puts it on the test … I better study it”. So after the 1-2, you’ve seen the pattern, so you didn’t need a third time.

Unit 1: toughest homework question on test (1)
Unit 2: toughest homework question on test (1-2)
Unit 3: I’m thinking the toughest homework question will be on this test (1-2-)

There is no guarantee that the hard question will show up on the test (it’s a 1, 2, ?), but by noticing your teacher’s patterns, you’re forecasting, making an educate-guess, and giving yourself an edge on what might happen. 

Does your teacher skip steps?

If you answered yes, it tells me you’ve seen that pattern at least three times in your teacher. Now, your next step is to determine how to use this ‘skip steps’ pattern to your advantage.

Everything your teacher does is a possible pattern: Does your teacher give pop quizzes, check homework, ask questions, answer questions but you don’t always understand, explains well, doesn’t explain well, mark tests hard, do a review, … ?

What’s their pattern for questions on a test?

I tell my students that once they see the 1-2-3 patterns in their teacher, they should be able to predict 70% of the questions they will put on the test! 

Recap

The 1-2-3 Pattern Principle is used when you’re trying to figure out something you don’t know – get three pieces of ‘data’ that form a pattern and then you can possibly predict the fourth. It works in the sciences, governments, businesses, research, sports*, learning, predicting climate ... math and with people. And yes, patterns exist for all math – your teacher, notes, homework, quizzes, tests … and you!
*I used the 1-2-3 Pattern Principle when I coached ice-hockey and competitive soccer.

Oh, and one more thing, you might find interesting … your teacher uses the 1-2-3 Pattern Principle to understand you better. Ha, bet you didn’t see that coming 😊!

Next step? 

Look for 1-2-3 patterns in your math teacher and with math. Finding patterns helps you to be better at math, and it actually makes math more captivating. You become more curious.

EH

EH is my initials for Edison Hopkinson, eh.
What’s ‘eh’? ‘eh’ is a part of Canadian culture - it’s how many of us folks north of the ‘49th parallel’ finish off sentences.
Hey, I use the 1-2-3 Pattern principle in my math class eh! You use it in your class too, eh?