1. Presented by Heather Sparks, NBCT 2009 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year
Improving Student Engagement In Mathematics: Strategies for All Learners
Presented by
Heather Sparks, NBCT 2009 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year

2. Why are students disengaged?
Lack of prior knowledge
Missing foundational skills
Limited experiences with “doing” real math
“One right answer” approach
“Permission” to be “bad” at math
Others?

3. STRATEGIES: 1. Allow students to verbalize their thinking
Every day, expect students to explain their
thinking.
Content example: Notice & Wonder
Always, Sometimes, Never
Sense & Nonsense
Visual Patterns

4. Notice & Wonder

5. Sense & Nonsense Mr. Bragg says he’s right 100% of the time.
The Garcia family ate out last Saturday. The bill was $46.
They left a 50% tip.
Ellen loaned Me’Shell one dollar. She said the interest would be
75% a day.
Daniel missed 10 problems on his science test. He thinks
he made an “A”.
Rose has a paper route. She gets to keep 25% of whatever money
she collects.

6. Always, Sometimes, Never
With a partner, sort your equations into three columns: Equations that are ALWAYS TRUE, SOMETIMES TRUE, or NEVER TRUE.
Be ready to explain your thinking.

7. Visual Patterns

8. STRATEGIES: 2. Provide for meaningful use of manipulatives
Manipulatives should be available and
integrated into relevant math lessons.
Content example: Extend & Explain Patterns
Desmos

9. Extend & Explain Patterns

10. Extend & Explain Patterns

11. DESMOS

12. STRATEGIES: 3. Help students develop “bridge” tools
Students should be taught specific strategies
to improve memory and understanding
Content example: Hey, Diddle Diddle
OOO Cup Chant
Sloping Letters

13. Hey, Diddle Diddle Hey, diddle diddle! The median’s the middle
You add and divide for the mean.
The mode is the one you see the most,
And the range is the difference between.

14. OOO Cup Chant Paren- theses Ex- po- nents Multi ply, Divide
clap clap
Ex- po- nents
tap tap tap (the top of the cup)
Multi ply, Divide
clap grab cup’s bottom, pick up and move cup right
Add, Subtract
clap grab cup with thumb side down
Left to right,
Bring open mouth of cup to left hand touch bottom of cup to table
Order’s
Transfer cup to left hand by grabbing the bottom of the cup
on your side!
Right hand slaps table Left hand crosses over & puts cup down

15. Sloping Letters H can be written in slopes as two undefined
lines connected by a zero slope line.
Can you solve the sloping letters mystery?

16. STRATEGIES: 4. Create “reference” resources
Students should maintain a math journal to
record and store math resources.
Content example: Interactive Math Notebook
Slope Dude

17. Interactive Notebooks
Sarah Carter’s Blog:

18. Slope Dude + -- U

19. STRATEGIES: 5. Constant exposure to meaningful math
Every day, provide meaningful math
investigations including
tasks
games
puzzles
stories

20. Where to Find Tasks www.illustrativemathematics.org
(Alg./Geo)
(Robert Kaplinsky’s Problem-Based Math Lessons)
(Poster problems for 6/7, Algebra by Example for 8/9)
(Dan Meyer’s 3-Act Math Tasks)

21. Games
Mission Impossible
Smartboard Games

22. Puzzles Tarsia Puzzles Algebraic Balances Two-Ways
What Doesn’t Belong?
Estimate 180

23. Algebraic Balances

24. Two-Ways

25. Which One Doesn’t Belong?

26. Estimation 180

27. Stories

28. This presentation and other resources are available at
Comments & Questions?
This presentation and other
resources are available at
www. hisparks.com