1. Number Talks PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PRESENTED BY JENNIFER BEFFA, CAROLYN RECKE AND TAD DROSTE

2. Focus  Explain value in using number talks regularly in the classroom  Introduce participants to the key components of number talks  Explain the procedures and expectations essential to successful number talks  Model how to lead number talks in the classroom

3. Agenda  Introduce number talks, its components, procedures, expectations, and accountability.  Demonstrate number talk with staff (15 min.)  Show sample video (10 min)  Provide time for questions/discussions (10 )  Break into smaller grade level groups for modeling (20)  Return to large group for reflections (5 min)

4. What are number talks and why do them?  Classroom conversations around purposefully crafted computation problems that students solve mentally.  Number talks help students make sense of mathematics, develop efficient computation strategies, communicate reasoning, and prove solutions.

5. Key components Classroom environment and community  safe, risk-free environment is necessary Classroom discussions  hand signals indicate solution and strategies  all answers are recorded  students share strategies and justifications The teacher’s role  mix of facilitator, questioner, listener, and learner

6. Key components continued The role of mental math  encourages students to build on number relationships instead of relying on memorized procedures Purposeful computation problems  Goal and purpose for number talks should determine the number and operations chosen

7. Procedures and expectations Select a designated location.  Choose a specific location in classroom that allows close proximity to students. Provide appropriate wait time.  Allow time for most students to show thumb signal to indicate they are ready. Accept, respect, and consider all answers.  Allowing wrong answers helps students confront their thinking and understand misconceptions.

8. Procedures and expectations continued Encourage student communication throughout the number talks.  Encourage students to think on their own first and then turn and talk to a partner.

9. Accountability  Ask students to use finger signals to indicate the most effective strategy  Keep a record of problems posed and strategies (can be hung in room with strategy labeled)  Hold number talks everyday (10-15 min. max.)  Should be held at a time other than scheduled math time

10. Common addition computation strategies  Counting all  Counting on  Doubles/near-doubles  Making ten  Making landmark or friendly numbers  Compensation  Breaking each number into its place value  Adding up into chunks

11. Common subtraction computation strategies  Adding up  Removal or counting back  Place value and negative numbers  Keeping a constant difference  Adjusting one number to create an easier problem

12. Common multiplication compensation strategies  Repeated addition or skip counting  Making landmark, or friendly numbers  Partial products  Doubling and halving  Breaking factors into smaller factors

13. Common division computation strategies  Repeated subtraction or sharing/dealing out  Multiplying up  Partial quotients  Proportional reasoning

14. Response Prompts Model appropriate ways for students to respond to other students’ questions and comments helps them learn how to share their thinking in a productive manner without being negative.

15. Sample Prompts  I agree with _____ because __________.  I do not understand _______. Can you please explain this again?  I disagree with ___________ because ______.  How did you decide to __________________?  I am thinking about this problem differently. Here is the way I solve it.  My way is different from ____________. Instead of _________, I _____________.  Can you explain the difference between ___________and_______________?