Work Smarter, Not Harder, A Framework for Math Teaching and Learning
(Publisher: Rowman and Littlefield )
This book is an updated second Edition of the Whole Class Mathematics Discussion book. The book contains new videos and a refined framework.
Whole Class Mathematics Discussions: Improving in-depth Mathematical Thinking and learning
Publisher: Pearson.
Channel 2 News Story: Reinventing Math Class
What You Will Learn:
Learn how to facilitate effective whole class discussions by thinking about the process of teaching. This process includes setting up the physical space, developing classroom routines, planning lessons by thinking about long and short-term goals, and using the Three Levels of Sense-Making strategies to facilitate discussions.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
If you are a teacher and you have 60 minutes to teach a math lesson and there are 30 students in your class. It is impossible to teach everyone and differentiate individuals. That would be less than 2 minutes per kid! Two minutes is not enough time!
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Therefore, effectively using whole class discussions that take about 15-20 minutes of your class time can help you understand what the students are thinking, and help students make connections by building on each others’ thinking. During the class observe the different ways that students are thinking and select 3-4 students to share their thinking. Carefully sequence which order you want students to share so that the discussion makes sense. Start with the students who are using modeling strategies and then work towards more abstract math.
Click on this link to download a 3-page Framework and Powerpoint
RESULTS
Depending on the teachers’ experiences in more standards-based teaching. It takes about a year to implement this framework outlined in this book. However, teachers who have used the framework have found that not only did their practice change but also student test scores increased! (Data from the Lemelson STEM cohort and also the Nevada Mathematics Project.)
A RESOURCE TO HELP YOU SUPPORT DISCUSSIONS:
Click here for the Whole Class Discussion Blog which has tons of links and resources to plan effective lessons in STEM.