The Blog of a K-8 Math Specialist
During the school year, I spend time thinking about math games for the classroom. Most often, I m thinking content first. I adapt games with structures I love, like Number Boxes, to highlight different ideas or flex different skills. These games serve many purposes learn more about student thinking, develop mathematical reasoning and strategies, exercise Continue reading "Nmbr 9: Opportunities to…
When I asked students to think-pair-share, they dutifully respected the independent think time before launching into a buzzy conversation with a partner. When I asked them to indicate their thinking about an answer, everyone unanimously signaled that, yes, the story problem matched the equation rather than . As I circulated around the room during some Continue reading "But It Looked So Good:…
In February, I gave a webinar for TERC s Forum for Equity in Elementary Mathematics. I was honored to be invited to speak it s an impressive lineup! and Karen Economopoulos and I conceived of my talk as a direct follow-up to Marilyn Burns December session, Reasoning: The Essential Foundation for Building Students’ Understanding. Marilyn Continue reading "Planning From Student Work: What - So What?…
Mia* is a fourth grader who participates in a small-group intervention with me that focuses on multiplication. She is enthusiastic and playful curling the dot in the i in her name into a heart, and narrating her thinking with droll asides like I promise I have a better strategy maybe. She is also hardworking, Continue reading "Measuring Growth in Mathematical Reasoning: What Mia’s Thinking…
How do elements of the culture students bring into the classroom interact with the classroom culture we create? What does it mean to shift or honor them? Earlier this week, I watched the first session in TERC s Forum for Equity in Elementary Mathematics series 25- 26. Dr. Pam Seda spoke about Culturally Relevant Math Tasks: When Continue reading "Culture Identity in the Math Classroom"
I recently returned from NCTM in Atlanta. It was a beautiful week of learning and connection (and late night karaoke priorities). Let s See What You re Saying. On Friday, I attended a session with Grace Kelemanik and Amy Lucenta entitled Engage all students in mathematical ideas and processes by planning from the margins in. (It Continue reading "Inputs and Outputs"
Who makes the mathematical laws? Autodidact Abraham Lincoln managed to become a lawyer in spite of his lack of a formal education. After serving one term in the US House of Representatives (1847-1849), he returned to his law practice and his studies. He rode the Eighth Judicial Circuit around Illinois, hearing cases by day and Continue reading "Anderson s Endless Zeroes"
This morning in grade 4, we asked students to write a story problem and solve 104 ÷ 8. I told students that they could write what they want, but it needs to make sense and show that they understand what 104 ÷ 8 means. I have a higher tolerance for subversive thinking than some of my Continue reading "How Many Nivelsnorts: Assessing Silly Story Problems"
How do we support students who are struggling to access grade level content? In my own school, I focus my efforts on co-teaching and coaching, but I also see students for intervention, both individually and in groups. There has not been a lot of guidance around what this intervention time should look like. In the Continue reading "Tomás and the Jellybeans: Increasing Access"
When we look at student work after school, long after the students have left the building, we make inferences guesses at what students were thinking. We ascribe meaning and importance. We take into account everything we know about math content, and mathematical learning progressions, and how students typically solve the problem and Continue reading "Why Do I Love This Student Work: Examining…