1. Nine Beliefs for Building a Mathematical Community
Rozlynn Dance
Tessa Kaplan
October 11, 2019
Northwest Math Conference
Tacoma, Washington

2. Watch the beliefs in action and reflect on their use
Learning Objectives
Become familiar with nine beliefs that lay the foundation for a mathematical classroom community
Watch the beliefs in action and reflect on their use
Learn some tips and pointers for implementing the beliefs in your classroom

3. Qualities of Effective Mathematics Instruction
A safe space
Construction of knowledge
Perseverance
Cooperative learning
Mathematical discourse
Let the students do the thinking!

4. 9 Beliefs for Building a Mathematical Community
#1 Everyone has the right to learn.
#2 Respect the ideas of others.
#3 Challenging problems help our brains grow stronger.
#4 Mistakes are great!
#5 Good mathematicians are brave and try new things.
#6 There are different strategies for solving a problem.
#7 It's not just about the answer.
#8 Good learners ask questions.
#9 Questions from the teacher help us learn and grow.
Respectful Community of Learners
Brave Mathematicians
Great Minds Think Differently
Thinking Through Questioning

5. The Beliefs: Why They Matter
Form groups of 4. In your group:
Each person choose one section to read.
Highlight and take note of key ideas as you read.
Be ready to teach your group about your section!
*If you finish early, read another section.

6. Repeat with all group members.
Group Jigsaw
Teach your group about your set of beliefs by sharing your key ideas (you will have just 2.5 minutes!)
Repeat with all group members.

7. The Beliefs in Action: A Number Talk
As you watch the video, use the note- taking guide to look for evidence of the beliefs that you read about.
You will share this evidence with your group!

8. The Beliefs in Action: A Number Talk
Share evidence of your set of beliefs with your group.
Complete your note- taking guide as your group members share.

9. A Respectful Community of Learners: The Evidence
Video Evidence:
Secret silent signals
“Don’t spill the beans!”
Private think time
Agree/disagree signals
“Eyes watching, ears listening”
Turn and talks
“Kiss your brain!”
“Would you like to add on?”
Using Skittles context

10. A Respectful Community of Learners: How to Get Them There
Respect: Looks Like/Sounds Like
Whole body listening
“Don’t steal my thinking!”
Private Think Time: teach the why
Ketchup/Mustard Partners
How to help a partner
Talk moves: revoicing to honor thinking
Encourage students to reinforce respect
How to disagree respectfully

11. Building Brave Mathematicians: The Evidence
Video Evidence:
Kids comfortable sharing different answers
“I don’t know”
Disagreements
Revising thinking
“Who can defend 10?”
Explanations/justifications
Teacher never tells: “Do we all agree?”

12. Building Brave Mathematicians: How To Get Them There
Jo Boaler Growth Mindset Videos
Read Alouds
The power of “yet”
Discouraging “This is easy!”
Kiss your brain!
Celebrating mistakes daily--and directly addressing when kids are negative about them
You are your own best teacher
Silent signals
Math attitude surveys
Praise effort, not correctness

13. Great Minds Think Differently: The Evidence
Video Evidence:
Accepting different answers
Public record of strategies
“How did you get your answer?”
Student explanations/justifications (without prompting)
Multiple strategies: fingers, ten frame, add to subtract
Disagreements
“Let’s see if this is true”
“Say you have 10 pieces of kit kats…”
“He might explain it in a way that makes sense to you.”

14. Great Minds Think Differently: How to Get Them There
Daily problem tasks that promote productive struggle
Praising different strategies
Creating public records daily
Everything must be justified: “Prove it!”
Kids do the sharing--teacher is facilitator
Praise the thinking, not the answer
Sentence stems

15. Thinking Through Questioning: The Evidence
Video Evidence:
“How did you get the answer?”
Teacher questioning all thinking (right and wrong answers):
“Is 10 the same as 5?”
“Why does 5 go in the mystery box?”
“What do you mean…?”
Students questioning each other:
“What do you think?”
“I think Hannah disagrees--do you?”
“Anybody else?”

16. Thinking Through Questioning: How to Get Them There
Explicitly teach: Questions don’t mean you’re wrong!
Being a skeptic
Noticing/Wondering
Accepting all questions...at first
Questions vs. Statements
Sentence stems
Talk moves to encourage questioning
Modeling good questioning

17. Questions? Rozlynn Dance @RozlynnDance Tessa Kaplan @tessakaplan84
@RozlynnDance
Tessa Kaplan
@tessakaplan84