Food for Thought Think for 30 seconds before answering… What is learning? What defines an effective classroom? How do students become proficient in mathematics?

Answers from Classroom Teachers Learning happens when a student can make connections. Learning happens when a student can make sense of mistakes. Learning happens when students can think about their thinking. An effective classroom is a place where students are doing the work.

Is my classroom effective? Learning happens when a student can make connections. Learning happens when a student can make sense of mistakes. Learning happens when students can think about their thinking. An effective classroom is a place where students are doing the work.

So what does the teacher do? Focus more on learning, less on teaching. Ask questions related to the ideas the students are constructing, questions that illuminate the learner’s thinking. Provoke disequilibrium. Allow productive struggle. Think differently. Many of us have seen math as something to be learned, practiced, and applied. Now it is understood as interpreting, organizing, inquiring, and constructing meaning using a mathematical lens.

Chew on this for a moment… “Am I really interested in getting to know what is in their heads, or, do I just want them to know what is in my head?” Ann Shannon, 2011

How do we create a classroom environment which encourages students to take responsibility for their learning and allows them to become proficient in mathematics? What changes and what stays the same?

What needs to go away? Problem solving Friday Enrichment for the few Just giving the answer (teacher or student!) Isolation of content from process

“I listen while the teacher explains.” “I copy down the method from the board or textbook.” “I only do questions I am told to do.” “I work on my own.” “I try to follow all the steps of a lesson.” “I do easy problems first to increase my confidence.” “I copy out questions before doing them.” “I practice the same method repeatedly on many questions.” For these learners, mathematics is something that is ‘done to them’, rather than being a creative, stimulating subject to explore. If asked, will your students say?

Unsatisfactory Learning Scenarios In many of the mathematics lessons where learning is unsatisfactory, one or more of the following characteristics may be evident: Students are given low-level tasks which are mechanistic and can be completed by imitating a routine or procedure without any depth of thought. Students are mainly receivers of information, and have little opportunity for more direct participation in the lesson and the exploration of different approaches. Insufficient time is allowed for students to develop their understanding of the mathematical concepts being taught. Students have too little time to explain their reasoning and consider the merits of alternative approaches. Ofsted Subject Reports, London, 2002, HMSO

Starting now: we can begin using Standards for Mathematical Practice “The Standards for Mathematical Practice describe varieties of expertise that mathematics educators at all levels should seek to develop in their students. These practices rest on important ‘processes and proficiencies’ with longstanding importance in mathematics education.” (CCSS, 2010) 3 Major Shifts: –Teachers cannot create learning - only learners can do that. –Increased student responsibility - from receptive to active learning –Teacher/student relationship shift - from adversarial to collaborative (Black and William, 2006)

The GOAL: To make mathematics teaching more effective by challenging learners to become more active participants. We want them to engage in discussing and explaining their ideas, challenging and teaching one another, creating and solving each other’s questions and working collaboratively to share their results. They will not only improve in their mathematics; they will also become more confident and effective learners.

What happens if we sacrifice understanding? Watch the video. It’s cute and it brings the point home!

Don’t sacrifice understanding… Review what you have learned about CC State Standards by watching the video below. In the video, you will visit RELA and math classrooms who have already begun to adapt the new Common Core standards. See what changes teachers are making in their practice to adapt to the new standards. yU&NR=1

Reflections Reflect over the professional development session. Complete the pyramid that is in your mailbox. Thank you!