Number Talks By: Beverly Tretter Credits: Number Talks Author: Sherry Parrish

What are some ways math strategies are taught? Do Now:

Share with your group

Number Talks allow students to:  Create strategies  Generalize individual strategies into personal algorithms  Build a conceptual bridge to the standard algorithm Why Number Talks?

 Classroom environment and community  This is key for creating a safe, risk free environment  Students should be comfortable to ask and answer peer questions  Classroom discussions  The teacher puts a problem on the board and gives students time to solve mentally  When students are ready, they give the teacher a sign, such as fist to the chest and thumb up  Students must defend or justify their answers Key Components

 The teacher’s role  Must be facilitator  Guide students to ponder and discuss each other’s strategies  The role of mental math  Encourages students to build on number relationships  Helps to strengthen student understanding  Purposeful computation problems Key Components cont.

 Clarify their own thinking  Consider and test other strategies to see if they are mathematically logical  Investigate and apply mathematical relationships  Build a repertoire of efficient strategies  Make decisions about choosing efficient strategies for specific problems Benefits of Sharing and Discussing Computation Strategies

 Discuss with your group your thoughts on Number Talks.  Does it sound like something you want to incorporate into your classroom?  What do you think you should do next? Group Time!

1.Select a place in your classroom that allows you to be in close proximity 2.Give appropriate wait time for the majority of students to compute the problem 3.Accept, respect, and consider all answers 4.Encourage open communication for all throughout the discussion Now What? How to Prepare:

 Have students use finger signals  Keep records or anchor charts of problems posed and corresponding student strategies  Conduct small group number talks throughout the week  Create and post class strategy anchor charts  Require students to complete an exit slip using the discussed strategy  Give weekly assessments Accountability

 Start with smaller problems to elicit thinking from multiple perspectives  Be ready to offer a strategy from another student  It’s okay to put a student’s strategy on the back burner (eg. “we’ll come back to that”)  Try and limit number talks to five to fifteen minutes  Be patient with yourself and your students as you start to incorporate number talks into your math time Teach for Understanding

 What are three things you can take back to your classroom?  What are 2 questions you still have about number talks?  Write one comment on how the presentation could have been better. Exit Slip