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Meta consultants are constantly learning and sharing. When we are not working in the field, we read about cutting edge practices and curricula as well as opportunities and challenges faced by educational organizations.
Our blog is designed to share both what we are learning and what we are doing.
We meet regularly to share readings and ideas, challenge the status quo and provide tips from our consultants in action.
You can join us in our learning journey by reading this blog and adding your comments. We would love to have you share your ideas and engage with our professional community.
Number Talks Using Pictures
Did you ever wonder why Mr. Rogers used “Picture Picture”? He used this visual routine to teach his young audience about how boxes of crayons were made or how macaroni was created. Children rely on their vision to make sense and understand the world around them. Mr. Rogers would use this to his advantage when teaching his audience.
Did you know that many teachers (and their students) still think that math is about memorization and doing?
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) begs to differ. Math is a sensemaking endeavor. In this webinar, math educator (Annie Fetter) discusses the power of centering “sense-making” in math class. Students often believe that math is a ‘doing’...
Is Mathematics Really A Language?
Did you know mathematics is considered a language? The iconic Italian philosopher, Galileo Galilei, certainly thought this was the case. He said, “The laws of nature are written in the language of mathematics…the symbols are triangles, circles and other geometrical figures, without whose help it is impossible to comprehend a single word.”
How Transparent and Collaborative Are Great Leaders?
In the journal article, Principal and Coach as Partners, Metamorphosis founder Lucy West raises provocative questions about the roles and relationships between coaches and principals. She challenges us to consider what it means to work as partners.
5 Bedtime Math Stories to Help You Bond With The Little Ones in Your Life
Are you looking for creative and intelligent ways to connect with your kids before bedtime or just encourage them to develop a positive view of mathematics over the summer? Then, take a look at these riveting stories for the little one in your life.
Fun and Stimulating Ways to Keep Your Children’s Math Skills Sharp Over the Summer
As promised, here are math games you can play with elementary aged children through to about 4th grade that only require a regular deck of cards or a pair of dice. The games take just a few minutes to play and will help build fluency as well as the capacity to strategize.
School May Be Over, But Learning Doesn’t Have to Be
As an educator or caretaker, you may be wondering how to keep the math spark alive in your students once school is out. Summer learning loss is very real, but your kids don’t have to lose this summer! Check out a few ways to encourage your students to keep the love for learning alive.
Cultivating Robust Classroom Discourse: Day 1
The video segment you will see is part of a minilesson introduced to the whole class in preparation for the students to tackle a rich math problem individually and in pairs later in the lesson. If you watched our video from last week, you will note the difference in the communication skills of the students.
Your Sixth Graders Can Do This Too. Are You Willing to Teach Them How?
The teacher in the video has been practicing the usual talk moves—turn and talk, say more about that, and repeat back for about a month to cultivate listening skills and new habits for explaining their thinking and attending to a math problem until they understand it. This class is a typical 6th grade class with a wide range of student understanding.
Is it Possible that Your students are More Sophisticated Thinkers Than You Realize?
How often in the hectic school day do you take the time to find out what kids are thinking about? How often do you encourage kids to hypothesize or ask questions? If you are the one doing the talking, explaining, and questioning, you may be missing a treasure trove of information that can improve student engagement and learning.
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