by | Mar 12, 2023 | Stories from the Field

Irecently coined the phrase High Status/Low Risk share as an effective way to interrupt the status quo in the classroom in terms of which voices are considered “smart”. This move works well during turn and talk or small group work when I can listen in to the students...

by | Feb 25, 2023 | Stories from the Field

Generally, when a class of students solves a problem they produce a range of answers. Some students may have the ‘right’ answer, others will have answers that reflect typical errors, and one or two students may have answers that are surprising. Teachers...

by | Feb 18, 2023 | Stories from the Field

Sometimes we assume that students will just know how to work cooperatively with another person or in a group. If you find that your students do not work well together, or tend to get off task when working with a partner or group, teach them how. It is important...

by | Feb 11, 2023 | Stories from the Field

Give students mathematical language by connecting it to the colloquial terms they are using.  When children have access to precise vocabulary, they can express their ideas more clearly and feel more confident to participate in discussions.  I love the Collect and...

by | Feb 4, 2023 | Stories from the Field

Use Models to support mathematics! Models are a wonderful way to “see” mathematics and to help students make sense of important mathematical concepts. “Mathematical modeling refers to the process of creating a mathematical representation of a real-world scenario...

by | Jan 29, 2023 | Stories from the Field

Many students arrive in our classrooms with a negative self-image of themselves as mathematicians. They may not have experienced success in their previous classes and think of themself as “not a math person.” Images can help break down the hesitancy some students feel...