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 about engaging in mathematics.

All students can notice something about an image, and there are no incorrect responses to what they notice! Using visual images for a notice and wonder routine, for example, is a great way to increase accessibility and to emphasize mathematical relationships over computation. Additionally, research supports the importance of visual mathematics for our learning. Education Development Center (EDC) has an extensive collection of  images of different mobiles similar to the one below that can be used in a notice and wonder routine.  Starting a class with an image in combination with a notice and wonder routine allows for self-differentiation and access for all. Everyone can attend to/see/notice something.

Ask students: Looking at this image, what do you notice? 

What do you see? 

What does it make you wonder? 

Teachers: What might your students see in this image, and what questions might they come up with?  Consider potential responses and use what students say to guide the conversation towards important mathematical concepts.

Amy Withers, Metamorphosis Math Coach.