Talk Less, Smile More: Getting Students to Discuss and Debate Math Welcome to Day 2! Talk Less, Smile More: Getting Students to Discuss and Debate Math Chris Luzniak & Mattie Baker @cluzniak @Stoodle

Desmos! Welcome to Day 2!

I used to think... but now I think... I used to think math was primarily computation and answer-getting but now I think reasoning is more important. I used to think debate had to be a long, drawn-out production, but now I think that there are easy and efficient tools that make debate possible and productive. I used to think that my approach to solving problems was the best, but now I think that giving students the opportunity to share and discuss helps them develop that best strategy for themselves... I used to think getting equal participation in student talk was a real challenge but now I think with these structures it will be easier to make it so each student has a voice in my class. I used to think Hippogriffs were invisible but now I think that’s something else.

Lingering Questions... Management (focus, accountability, quiet students) Timing (limited periods, curriculum) - Instruction (introducing, good questions)

A few more things... Feeling overwhelmed -Can we do this in writing? -Cold-Calling controversy

Who’s more fabulous?

More Debate!

ARGUMENT = CLAIM + WARRANT Debate #4: Table Debates Team A: It is better to solve by breaking the shape into rectangles. (Addition Method) Team B: It is better to solve by finding the large rectangle and subtracting the missing piece(s). ARGUMENT = CLAIM + WARRANT

Written Arguments

Written Arguments

QuickWrite Describe any patterns you see: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 2, 3, 5, 7, 11 28, 21, 14, 7

Writing & Proof

Proof

Quizzes ...and we could create an assessment as a debate!

Our Objectives Experience & Explore Understand & Build Create, Create Thurs Fri Sat Experience & Explore Understand & Build Create, Create “I wanna be in the room where it happens” “The plan is to fan this spark into a flame” “Why do you write like you’re running out of time” What? Why? How?

Take a break!

So...why?

Why Debate? Socratic Method Civics Student Centered Current Events Critical Thinking skills Questioning skills Public speaking skills Literacy skills Rhetoric skills Research skills Public Speaking skills Evidence skills Note taking skills Refutation skills Critical Pedagogy Skills Teamwork Skills And more! Civics Current Events Philosophy Critical Theory Critical Thinking Humanities Rhetoric Political Science Economics

Why Debate…in STEM? Common Core connections: CCSS.Math.Practice.MP3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. “students understand and use stated assumptions, definitions, and previously established results in constructing arguments…They justify their conclusions, communicate them to others, and respond to arguments of others.” “students try to communicate precisely to others…they have learned to examine claims and make explicit use of definitions.”

Going Deeper Meaningfully Engages Large Classes Improves Graduation Rates & College Readiness (McCrady, R. (2004, November). Forensics, debate, and the SAT. Rostrum, 79(3), 41, 44) Students learn how to talk like a mathematician Improve vocabulary (for self and others) Increased excitement & engagement The more students talk about something, the deeper their understanding.

Going Even Deeper “When students are encouraged to think aloud—specifically, when they practice critical skills with their peers—they gain experience they may then apply to their own internal reasoning processes” (J. Bellon. A research-based justification for debate across the curriculum. Argumentation and Advocacy, 36(3), 161-176) “Everything we know about student learning and classroom practice tells us that classroom conversations are crucial to mathematics learning” (Elham Kazemi and Allison Hintz. Intentional Talk) “Students who learn to articulate and justify their own mathematical ideas, reason through their own and others’ mathematical explanations, and provide a rationale for their answers develop a deep understanding that is critical to their future success in mathematics and related fields” (Carpenter, Franke, Levi. Thinking Mathematically) “many children either don’t know how to carry on a productive discussion, or don’t realise that this is what they are expected to do by the teacher” (Neil Mercer and Steve Hodgkinson. Exploring Talk in Schools)

“Specifically, learners should have experiences that enable them to…construct knowledge socially, through discourse, activity, and interaction related to meaningful problems” “effective mathematics teaching engages students in discourse to advance the mathematical learning of the whole class…The discourse in the mathematics classroom gives students opportunities to share ideas and clarify understandings, construct convincing arguments…develop a language for expressing mathematical ideas, and learn to see things from other perspectives.” (NCTM Principles to Action 2014) “Perhaps more than any other school subject, mathematics has suffered from the ‘talk-and-chalk’ approach associated with entrenched assumptions on the part of both teachers and learners regarding ability and the nature of the subject” “supporting ‘meaningful learning’ is a question of fostering discussion between pupils.” (Neil Mercer and Steve Hodgkinson. Exploring Talk in Schools)

2 BIG NEEDS: Short, consistent structure 2. Discussion-worthy questions

Structure

Math & Public Speaking... -are scary -activate defense mechanisms -cause student disengagement

Structures & Routines... -lower the stakes -temporarily bracket defenses -create emotional safety

think back...

Structure for Students “I agree/disagree/am unsure because…” “My claim is…..and my warrant is….” “I notice…” “I wonder…” Create your own?

Shout Out!

Pro Tip: start silly!

ARGUMENT = CLAIM + WARRANT Debate #1: Soapbox Debate Name, Claim+Warrant The best movie is ______. The most important math topic is ___. ___________is the best method for solving the system: ARGUMENT = CLAIM + WARRANT

Questions

Debate-y Words Best/Worst (method, solution…) Should Biggest/Smallest/Most Weirdest/Coolest Always / Sometimes / Never Agree / Somewhat Agree / Disagree Include Variables

Make it Debatable

Graph the function

The BEST way to graph a sine function is… (For example, )

Wrapping Up!

Open-Ended Feedback: - “I used to think…., but now I think…” - Burning Questions - Draw a picture to represent your thoughts - Etc. etc. etc.

Contact Us! Mattie Baker Chris Luzniak @Stoodle @CLuzniak matt.baker.83@gmail.com @Stoodle pythagoraswasanerd.wordpress.com Chris Luzniak cluzniak@gmail.com @CLuzniak clopendebate.wordpress.com