Questions that Promote Reasoning in Math A FAL Piece of the HETL Puzzle

What do you get out of it? Recent events in the math network The cliff notes for this month’s meeting A short list describing which activities/ capacities could be implemented at various levels of scale A description of this year’s culminating project

Recent Events Cognitively Demanding Tasks – did it work? Orchestrating Effective Whole Class Discussions FAL < HETL Mention Grant Co. and the way we determined if their teachers could collectively identify the CD of a task.

Tasks of HCD FAL Components HETL Mathematical goals CCSS Usually takes form during collaborative activity Some CHETL within: Knowledge of Content Instructional Relevance

Orchestrating Effective Whole Class Discussions For use with a task of HCD. Transfer as much teacher decision- making/ novel cognitive activity from implementation to the planning process as possible. Anticipate, anticipate, anticipate Use of a “Monitoring – Sequencing” tool Have participants reference the Orchestrating Discussions and 5 Practices to Orchestrate Discussions web pages. Explain that participants received the former and facilitators used the latter to plan this activity.

Orchestrating a Discussion Monitor collaborative activity/ cooperative learning Select who will share and Sequence those speakers in an intentional order Connect student responses Monitor the occurrence of the anticipated responses, and unanticipated responses during a collaborative activity/ cooperative learning Select which students/ groups will share and sequence those speakers in an order, depending on the particular objectives of the lesson Connect the sequenced student responses in order that all students walk away with a clear idea of what mathematics they learned and how their approaches connect to the big idea.

Have participants reference

Monitoring Tool Anticipated Responses Student Names Speaking Order Unit fractions Proportional Grouping Unanticipated

Monitoring Tool Anticipated Responses Student Names Speaking Order Unit fractions Chloe, Stan Proportional Grouping Unanticipated

Monitoring Tool Anticipated Responses Student Names Speaking Order Unit fractions Chloe, Stan Proportional Grouping Francis, Marlon Unanticipated Carla

Monitoring Tool Anticipated Responses Student Names Speaking Order Unit fractions Chloe, Stan 2 Proportional Grouping Francis, Marlon 3 Unanticipated Carla 1

Orchestrating Discussions FAL Components HETL Assessing students’ responses Common issues and Suggested questions and prompts Provision of feedback Collaborative activity Whole class discussion Some CHETL: Learning Climate A few CHETL: Classroom Assessment and Reflection Many CHETL: Instructional Rigor and Student Engagement

Cognitively Demanding Tasks – did it work? Supporting Students During Collaborative Activity Orchestrating Effective Whole Class Discussions FAL < HETL Some teachers expressed the need for help in supporting students during the “collaborative activity” portion of a FAL, which is akin to requesting help in implementing effective cooperative learning strategies. This month, we’ll learn how to use Questions that Promote Student Reasoning during cooperative learning experiences.

Questions that Promote Reasoning

Thinking About Why We Ask Questions What different types of questions are there? What different functions do your questions serve? Which types of questions do you use most frequently? What common mistakes do you make when asking questions? What are the unintended effects of each of these mistakes? Briefly share the slides for the “Thinking About Why We Ask Questions” and “Questions that Promote Reasoning” Have participants reference handouts 1 thru 3

Functions of Questions To help students extend their thinking from the factual to the analytical To focus thinking on the most important concepts and ideas To stimulate recall, in order to create new understanding and meaning To interest, engage, and challenge To assess prior knowledge and understanding

Functions of Questions To promote reasoning, problem-solving, evaluation, and the formation of conjectures To promote students’ thinking about the way they have learned To help students see connections

Common Mistakes We Make Asking too many trivial or irrelevant questions. Asking a question and answering it yourself. Simplifying the question when students don't immediately respond. Asking questions of only the most able or likeable students. Asking several questions at once.

Common Mistakes We Make Asking only closed questions that allow one right/wrong possible answer. Asking 'guess what is in my head' questions, where you know the answer you want to hear and you ignore or reject answers that are different. Judging every student response with 'well done', 'nearly there' 'not quite'. 'Well done' can discourage alternative ideas being offered. Not giving students time to think or discuss before responding. Ignoring incorrect answers and moving on.

What Kinds of Questions Promote Reasoning? What types of questions seem to encourage inquiry-based learning? Give a few examples that you have recently used. Briefly share the slides for the “Thinking About Why We Ask Questions” and “Questions that Promote Reasoning” Have participants reference handouts 1 thru 3

Five Principles for Effective Questioning After reading through this handout, discuss with your table any implications these principles have for your work as an instructional leader. Choose one person to share out the “big ideas” of your discussion.

Anticipation

Observing a Lesson – Brit vid Look for examples of the five principles: Plans questions that encourage thinking and reasoning. Ask questions in ways that include everyone. Give students time to think. Avoid judging students’ responses. Follow up students’ responses in ways that encourage deeper thinking. Identifying the 5 principles

Planning for Effective Questioning Discuss with your table-group if you would add anything to this list, or modify anything on the list. Have one person from your table-group prepare to share out your collective thoughts with our whole group.

Resultant Teacher Actions? Never pick up a pencil, or write on a student’s paper. Nearly always respond to students’ questions with questions of their own.

Explain that every month the facilitation team asks participants to fill out a 4-tier action plan, listing which network topics/ activities our participants could be applied at different levels of scale. Have participants reference an example of what they might see for this month’s work in their packet. We specifically ask participants to fill these out for the ISLN participants’ benefit during vertical planning meetings.

Culminating Project Plan and implement their own FAL-like lesson Planning January and February Implementation Between February and March By the end of our January meeting, we want participants to have selected/ modified a problem so that it is of HCD; anticipate a variety of students responses, including misconceptions and correct responses; determine how they will use questioning to support students during a collaborative activity to promote reasoning.

You’re Invited What: MLN Teacher Exposition Where: Oldham Arts Center When: March 20th, 1pm until 2.30pm Who: OVEC, JCPS, and KSB Instructional Leaders Why: Your Exemplary Math Teacher Leaders I’m sure it would mean a lot to them if their district leaders came to show how much you value the time and effort they’ve put into their work over these past two years.

contact me 502 641 5523 seth.hunter2@education.ky.gov want to make it happen? contact me 502 641 5523 seth.hunter2@education.ky.gov