Description
Students develop a love and appreciation for mathematics when teachers value the process as much as, if not more than, the product. Getting answers certainly has its place but it’s often the least interesting part of the work in math class. In this course, we will unpack specific methods teachers can use to engage students in mathematical practices and explore rich tasks that help them develop a deeper understanding of the number system and operations. Participants in this session will engage as adult learner in activities designed to mirror the experiences of K-5 students so they gain the perspective of a learner involved in productive struggle. By experiencing what it’s like to be a student engaged in the mathematical practices, teachers will develop a better understanding of the practices and how they can leverage them in the classroom to elevate students’ interest and sense-making. We will then debrief the experience and consider the instructional decisions and teacher moves that made the work interesting and increased participants’ motivation to dig deeply into the ideas. Participants will leave with a number of frameworks they can use with their students that take advantage of existing resources and do not require a complete restructuring of their math classrooms. They will also leave with a much deeper understanding of the mathematics taught at their grade level and a greater understanding of how to support students in developing powerful mathematical reasoning. To see all the details about what’s included in the course go HERE.
This course will be four hours of instruction delivered in two 2-hour session on March 5 and March 25. If you are unable to attend one of the live sessions, the recording will be emailed to all enrolled participants.