The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Unsilence Students’ Voices Suzanne Alejandre, Philadelphia, PA

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org IntroductionsIntroductions  Suzanne Alejandre  junior high mathematics teacher [1973 – 1977]  middle school mathematics and computer teacher [1988 – 2000]  Math Forum Teacher Associate [1995 – 2000]  Math Forum Staff [2000 – present]  Audience

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Our Classrooms  PREMISE: a person “learns” when they have a voice (mental, verbal, written)  PREMISE: every classroom has silenced voices  PREMISE: there are different reasons why a student’s voice is not heard

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Take a moment:  Think of your students (past or present)  Choose one to focus on today  Or create a composite in your mind  Think of their name or create one  Visualize them in your classroom

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Turn and Talk:  Turn to a neighbor  Take turns describing your “focus student”  Use their first name (real or assumed) as you describe how they voice mathematics in your classroom

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org My Turn to Listen:  What is one thing you noticed as your neighbor described their “focus student”?  What did you wonder?

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Every classroom has silenced voices Reasons:  Too many voices, not enough time  Lack of fluency (or confidence)  Passive conditioning

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Demonstration “Counting Chicken Wings” Read Aloud

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Reflect on how your “student” would react to this activity.  Would they engage mentally?  Would they talk?  Would they then write? “Counting Chicken Wings” “Counting Chicken Wings” Read Aloud Read Aloud

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Helping students start using their voices:  mentally  orally  written Helping students move from one to the other?

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Mental  read-alouds  Scenarios  wait time  think time

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Moving from Mental to Oral  Scenarios  Turn and Talk  iPad video (by students, for students)

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Let’s consider what happens during the Read Aloud “Counting Chicken Wings”

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Scenario:

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Too Many Voices/Too Little Time If we consider the time we have and the voices that need to be heard, how do we maximize the time for students’ voices? Tip 1: As you call on students during a classroom discussion, do not repeat.

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Claim #1 When a teacher repeats what a student says, it robs them! The thought no longer belongs to the student – it transfers back to the teacher.

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Too Many Voices/Too Little Time Tip 2: Create environments that maximize the number of students talking.

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Claim #2 A teacher cannot hear everything each student says. Ultimately the student owns each of their thoughts. each of their thoughts. It’s okay if a teacher doesn’t hear everything!

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Lack of Fluency in the Language Mathematics is a language. Learning a language requires an environment with a need to communicate.

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Claim #3 It is our tendency to communicate using the language from the initial meeting.

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Lack of Fluency in the Language Our students need:  expections  scaffolding  practice

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Tip 3: Use “scenarios” to help create a need to talk about mathematics with each other.

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Moving from Oral to Written  I Notice, I Wonder lists  Pairs – taking turns to scribe  The Writing Process (draft, feedback, draft, feedback...)

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Claim #4 Establishing and developing environments can help unsilence voices. Remove pressure – all responses accepted – no right/wrong

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org  What do you hear?  What do you see?  What do you see in the diagram?  What do you notice as we read?

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org What do you hear?

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org What do you see?

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org What do you see in the diagram?

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org What do you notice as we read?

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Classroom Videos mathforum.org/pps/video.html mathforum.org/pps/video.html

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Reflect on how your “student” would react to these activities.  Would they engage mentally?  Would they talk?  Would they then write? Scenarios:  read-alouds  viewing pictures  viewing diagrams  reading together one part at a time

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Lack of Fluency in the Language Tip 4: Provide students with lists of questions to ask, scaffolding their need and ability to communicate.  I am not sure I understand.  How does that work?  Why did you use “(insert a word)”? – can you tell me what it means?  Why did you say that?  Can you tell me more?

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org  How do you know?  How does that make sense?  How can you say that in a different way?

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Moving from Passive to Active Learners Tip 4: Provide a question to practice and then another and another until they have a working list of questions to ask during their mathematics discussions.

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org

Let’s summarize:  Too Many Voices/Too Little Time  Lack of Fluency in the Language  Moving from Passive to Active Learners Are there others?

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org MP1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. Connecting to CCSSM MP3 Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Let’s Revisit These:  PREMISE: a person “learns” when they have a voice (mental, verbal, written)  PREMISE: every classroom has silenced voices  PREMISE: there are different reasons why a student’s voice is not heard

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Online Resources

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Notice/Wonder Get Your Students Hooked On Noticing and Wondering Problem Solving–It Has to Begin with Noticing and Wondering

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org Unsilence Students’ Voices Suzanne’s Blog

The Math Drexel - mathforum.org