1. 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

2. Desmos!
Welcome to Day 2!

4. 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.

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

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

8. Who’s more fabulous?

9. More Debate!

10. 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

13. Written Arguments

14. Written Arguments

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

16. Writing & Proof

17. Proof

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

19. 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?

20. Take a break!

21. So...why?

22. 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

23. 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.”

24. 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.

25. 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), )
“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)

26. “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)

27. 2 BIG NEEDS: Short, consistent structure
2. Discussion-worthy questions

28. Structure

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

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

31. think back...

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

35. Shout Out!

36. Pro Tip:
start silly!

38. 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

39. Questions

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

41. Make it Debatable

42. Graph the function

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

47. Wrapping Up!

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

49. Contact Us! Mattie Baker Chris Luzniak @Stoodle @CLuzniak
@Stoodle
pythagoraswasanerd.wordpress.com
Chris Luzniak
@CLuzniak
clopendebate.wordpress.com