6-8 Number Talk Webinar ANNE GALLAGHER – DIRECTOR OF MATHEMATICS KATY ABSTEN – K-12 MATH SPECIALIST OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION

Guest Teachers Crystal Morey 6 th Grade Math Teacher Enumclaw Middle School/Enumclaw School District Jana Dean 6 th Grade Math Teacher Jefferson Middle School/Olympia School District

Newsletter Best way to stay informed via OSPI s Go to website to sign up Encourage your colleagues to do the same 2/26/2016 OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION 3

Number Talks First time hearing about them Aware of them Have tried them Tried them and stopped Do them regularly

What Are Number Talks? Instructional Routine ➢ 3-4 times a week for about 10 – 15 min – consistency is important ➢ Opportunity for students to mentally reason with numbers ➢ Students share their solutions and strategies and their solutions are recorded and honored ➢ Allows students to consider different perspectives on how a problem can be solved ➢ Opportunity for students to reflect on and compare their solutions with other students’ solutions.

Why Number Talks: a high-leverage teaching strategy/routine to transform the culture of the classroom FROM:TO: Teacher centeredStudent-centered – students have ideas worth listening to Teacher explaining the solution to an answer Students sharing their reasoning & strategies Focusing on the right answerHonoring how students arrive at a solution – even if it is wrong Math anxiety/low confidenceConfidence in math ability One method of solving a problem – often using the standard algorithm Students are flexible in their thinking & reasoning Low student participationHigh student engagement & productive struggle

The “Routine ” ▪ Students put paper and pencil away ▪ Teacher writes a problem on the board – left to right, not one below the other ▪ Students put a thumb up once they have an answer – additional fingers if they have more than one way of solving the problem ▪ Once most thumbs are up, teacher records the answers only on the board – asking if anyone has a different answer. No reference is given as to whether the answer shared is correct or incorrect. ▪ Teacher asks for volunteers to explain how they figured the problem out, student clarifies which answer they are defending, and teacher records the strategy and might ask the class “does anyone have a question for ____________”, “can you say more about____________?” ▪ Teacher records the student’s solution as the student explains it.

Crystal Morey Enumclaw School District 6 TH GRADE TEACHER

Challenges? 1. Responding evenly to all students. My personal challenge: I often want to say “awesome” “wow” but I refrain because they seem to present an idea that I like one idea over another in which my students will become less engaged in trying new strategies. 2. Honor the time commitment After 10 to 15 minutes, students can become disengaged. Honor the time commitment and it will keep engagement up as well your willingness to try it. 3. Not hearing from all students 4. When a strategy presented is either incredibly flawed or challenging to understand.

HELP! What if I never hear from a student? 1. Be careful of assumptions: -Just because you don’t hear from them doesn’t mean they aren’t engaged. - Students have other ways of engaging beyond sharing their responses.

HELP! What if I never hear from a student? 2. What to do: Infrequently (every month in a half or so), give a numerical expression. Have students put one strategy on one side of card and a second on the other side. Use this information, along with data from oral presentation of number talks, to guide small group or individual conversations. Pull students together whom you haven’t heard from to do a small group number talk or small group lesson. A. Focus on questioning. B. Your job is not to fix them but to question until they can see their own misconception.

HELP! What do I do when a strategy is wrong? When a number talk brings you a lemon…. Sometimes it takes a while to make the lemonade. Student: I rounded 29 to 30 and 8 to 10. I multiplied 30 by 10 and got 300. Since I had rounded up three numbers, I multiplied those by 8 and subtracted. Ms. Morey: (in thought… what do I even say? I am still trying to figure it out! How would this strategy work? Why did she choose the 8? Did she not round… 30 times 8 would be this solution is too big…….) Ms. Morey: You presented an interesting idea. May I take some time to think about this idea and get back to you tomorrow? Student: Yes.

HELP! What do I do when a strategy is wrong? When a number talk brings you a lemon…. Sometimes it takes a while to make the lemonade. Student work sample: In the moment, I excuse myself so I can continue thinking about strategy. ◦ Like the students, I don’t like being put on the spot either. The following day I can prepare a question for the strategy. ◦ For example: ◦ Can you tell me what the three represents numerically? ◦ or… why did you combine the 1 and 2? ◦ I may even introduce the concept of an area model in an investigation.

HELP! What do I do when a strategy is wrong? I may even introduce the concept of an area model in an investigation. Then ask… how would 30 times 10 look different? (I wouldn’t give below!)

Questions & Answers TYPE IN YOUR QUESTIONS FOR CRYSTAL INTO THE QUESTION BOX

Jana Dean– Olympia School District 6 TH GRADE TEACHER

Number Talks All Year Long Dot Talks -- you can google dot talks for patterns like this one. Without counting, how many dots can you see? My job: To listen and represent what you see. Your job: To describe so we can all see what you see; to see what other people see.

Number Talks All Year Long After Dot Talks, go to subtraction. It is challenging enough for middle school students and can feel inaccessible at first, and can even be a let-down after the fun of dot talks -- persevere. Remind: My job: To listen and represent what you see. Your job: To describe so we can all see what you see; to see what other people see. See Ruth Parker and Kathy Humphrey’s Making Number Talks Matter.

How do I know I’ve chosen the right number talk? Observe your class! If thumbs aren’t up, dial it back. If thumbs come up to quickly tell students that they have plenty of fingers for more strategies. Tell them that together they are much smarter than they are alone. Challenge the class to come up with as many strategies as possible.

Number Talks to Go with Grade Level Content Go here when the routine is fully in place (not before!) Grade level examples from sixth grade: 4.5/0.3½ x 36 ¼ 1 ¼ / ½ 1.2 x 3 15 is what percent of 20 Invite but do not force students to use representations you have introduced such as arrays or tape diagrams or ratio tables. When students bring strategies to number talks, they own them. Once the routine is well established, it can make sense to let a number talk become an investigation.

Number Talks to Go with Grade Level Content 1.2 x 3 =

Number Talks to Go with Grade Level Content

Resources for you to learn from:

Questions & Answers TYPE IN YOUR QUESTIONS FOR JANA INTO THE QUESTION BOX

Ask purposeful questions that shift the focus from the teacher to the student. Bring student solutions back to a PLC –particularly if you are unsure about a student’s strategy. Build your own content knowledge by making sense of the many new strategies your students will come up with! We Are Learners Along With the Students-

Dive Deeper Number Talks by Grade Band Teachers from the specific grade bands will share their experiences with number talks, tips for getting started, changes they have seen in their students and their teaching, and an opportunity for Q & A. Number Talks for Grades K – 2 February 11 th 3:45 – 4:45 Number Talks for Grades 3 – 5 February 16 th 3:45 – 4:45 Number Talks for Grades 6 – 8 March 7 th 3:45 – 4:45 Number Talks for High School March 9 th 3:45 – 4:45 Number Talks for High School March 9 th 3:45 – 4:45 Visit OSPI’s Mathematics webpage to sign up and to access recorded webinars & powerpoints.OSPI’s Mathematics webpage

Connect with others! Washington Teachers Collaborating About Number Talks Join teachers from across Washington in creating statewide energy and support for Number Talks in K-12 mathematics classrooms Number Talk Resources Grade Level Discussion Boards

Number Talks Workshops around Washington MEC Number Talk 2-day Institutes MEC Number Talk April 19-20, 2016 Tumwater May 16-17, 2016 Renton June 22-23, 2016 Lacey August 3-4, 2016 Anacortes August 23-23, 2016 Lacey Contact your ESD Regional Math Coordinators for additional opportunities and personalized support in your area.ESD Regional Math Coordinators

Resources You Cubed - You Cubed - Number Talkshttps:// Cubed - Number Talks Making Number Talks Matter (book) – Ruth Parker and Cathy Humphreys Intentional Talk – Elham Kazemi and Allison Hintz Teaching Channel – PLC Leadership & Number Talks

Additional Questions

Thank you! Anne Gallagher– Katy Absten – Crystal Morey Jana Dean -