My task today is to reflect on the opportunities I give students to communicate and explain their ideas. I actually thought I did this quite well, but my student survey results at the beginning of MPI suggest that this is not the case. So some reflection is definitely necessary!
I expect that students will show me their thinking in their maths books. I don't expect them to write screeds and screeds, but I do expect that they will show me how they got to their answer (for example, if the question is 25 x 12, did they use doubling/halving? Or did they use place value partition? Or old school algorithm?) This usually gives me the opportunity to give them feedback or discuss with them in small group sessions - which strategy do you think is the most efficient? Why? Also, unfortunately, there is no room for a high trust model with this particular group of children - some will definitely be using the calculator function on their chromebooks to work it out, so if they have to also write a strategy, it at least allows me to hold them to account in some way.
On reflection, however, I need to remember that some children may prefer to share their strategies verbally rather than writing them; and I also need to make allowances for students who would rather draw their thinking (which I tend to dismiss as 'babyish' for my senior students). This can maybe be an independent station activity (providing them with a choice of how they represent their thinking), or it could be part of small group sessions (although these sessions are usually taken up with strategy teaching and/or practise). As Te Poutama Tau/The Numeracy Project is heavily reliant on the teaching of strategies, I do need to make time for teaching specific strategies, as that is how progress is measured; however, stations provide an opportunity for a bit more variety and exposure to other types of activities.
learners to communicate their thinking and ideas.
Great reflection, Lynda! I really appreciate how you’re exploring ways to better support students in sharing their ideas. I love how you’ve shifted your perception of visual representations (like drawings), moving away from viewing them as 'babyish' for older students. It’s clear you’re putting a lot of thought into meeting their diverse needs, and your idea of letting students choose how they represent their thinking can significantly impact their engagement and understanding.
ReplyDeletePlease consider incorporating more opportunities for maths discourse in your class. While it’s great that you do this in small groups, extending it to the whole class could enhance overall understanding. Starting from Day 4, we’ll be unpacking different types of Maths Talk, beginning with Choral Counting next week. I hope this approach will support your students in expressing and justifying their thinking.
Lastly, I’d like to acknowledge your active participation in MPI, your fantastic planning (including your taskboard and lessons) and your Rich Task in te Reo. These resources are absolute gems! Thank you so much for your double effort in improving maths practice and integrating it with te Reo Māori. Tino pai to mahi!