inquiry-based math Archives

27 Sep 2019

4 Things Every Math Teacher Should Stop Saying

In today's video, we look at 4 things that every math teacher should stop saying, as well as what to say instead. 1. Does anyone have any questions? Instead - "What questions do you have?" or "I want to hear 3 different questiosn about this topic before moving on." 2. What's the answer to this problem? Instead - "How did you approach this problem?" or "What's something you tried on this problem?" 3. That's correct. ** Instead - "Tell me what you did here and why." or "Convince me that this is the correct answer." 4. That's wrong. ** Instead…

04 Aug 2016

How To Have Better Math Discussions In Class

Last summer I read a book by the NCTM that was all about how we should teach math. I wrote about HERE. One of the chapters was about how to orchestrate productive math discussions in class. Turns out the NCTM realized a lot of people struggle with this so they created a whole separate book that just focused on that: 5 Practices for Orchestrating Productive Mathematics Discussions. I read that this summer. I'm really glad I spread these readings apart. I think if I read both books last summer, it all would have just been jumbled together in my mind. Having…

17 Jan 2016

Week 19 – Bring On The Primes

I made a short film this week on my lesson on primes and prime factorization in my 6th grade math class. It's one of the first lessons I've use manipulatives in that class. I share my struggle with using manipulatives in the video, as well as what worked with the lesson, what didn't, and what I would change for next time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=282M_kTxtTM It was really fun to make the video, but it's hard to be teacher and filmmaker at the same time. I was wanting to really hear what they were saying but also wanted to make sure I was…

10 Jan 2016

Week 18 – Fractions, Why Are You So Difficult!?

It's the end of the first week back. I got my new group of Robotics students, we began with some divisibility and exponents in 6th Grade Math, and we're exploring multiplying rational numbers in Pre-Algebra. Robotics Robotics is just a semester course so I have a new group this semester. Last semester was nine 7th-8th grade boys. This semester is eleven 6th grade boys, a 7th grade girl, and and a 7th grade boy. Really different dynamic, but almost all of them I've had in math class before. The semester feels like it's running a bit on autopilot since not…

23 Aug 2015

Inquiry-Based Lesson on Arithmetic Property

Below is a slide show I plan on using for my lesson on properties (commutative, associative, identity, and inverse) for my 7th grade Pre-Algebra class. They will answer a couple questions, I'll have them share their thought process and drawings, asking them probing questions and having them convince the rest of us of their thinking. The questions will be as follows: Does the order of you multiply numbers matter? Why or why not? Explain and draw a picture. Does the order you add numbers matter? Why or why not? Explain and draw a picture. [HERE I SHARE THAT THIS IS THE…

11 Jul 2015

Reflecting on ‘Building A Better Teacher’

Just finished up 'Building A Better Teacher' by Elizabeth Green. I anticipated a book that would discuss teacher preparation programs in the US and how we can do better. I was surprised by how much of the book seemed to focus on the history and development of an inquiry-based approach in a math classroom (which being a math teacher, I loved). I think Green went in that direction since math education seems to be where our teachers are lacking direction the most. The latter half focused more on the developments in teacher preparation programs (triumphs and failures) as well as…