assessment… But It Looked So Good: Checking on Student Thinking 21 Apr 202626 May 2026 When I asked students to think-pair-share, they dutifully respected the independent think time before launching into a buzzy conversation with a partner. When I asked them to indicate their thinking…
education… How Much Is Enough: Using Student Feedback to Reflect on Practice 28 Jun 202112 Jul 2021 Do students need to finish every problem? When I have asked this of colleagues, everyone has responding with a resounding no! Definitely not!Not every student needs that much practice.It's okay…
five practices… Which Shape Covers More: Orchestrating a Sixth Grade Math Debate 27 Sep 202022 Jun 2021 First, we must mourn for the loss of the Way We Used to Teach. I love my work. If I let you scroll through the photos on my phone, you'd…
curriculum… Reflections on the Problem-Based Learning (Symmetry Mini-Unit) 10 Jan 20206 Feb 2022 This is the last post in the series on experimenting with problem-based learning in Claire's fourth grade class. The other posts in the series are: Getting Started with Problem Based…
curriculum… Problem Based Lesson #3: Learning From One Another in Grade 4 9 Jan 202026 Jun 2020 This is a post in a series about problem based instruction in fourth grade -- centering on a series of lessons classroom teacher Claire* and I taught about symmetry. This…
education… Problem Based Lesson #2: Making Connections with Symmetry in Grade 4 8 Jan 20205 Feb 2022 This is a post in a series about problem based instruction in fourth grade -- centering on a series of lessons classroom teacher Claire* and I taught about symmetry. This…
curriculum… Problem Based Lesson #1: Launching Symmetry in Grade 4 7 Jan 202026 Jun 2020 This is a post in a series about problem based instruction in fourth grade -- centering on a series of lessons classroom teacher Claire* and I taught about symmetry. Part…
curriculum… Getting Started with Problem Based Learning in Grade 4 6 Jan 202026 Jun 2020 What are the conditions that inspire teachers to take on problem based instruction? This isn't a story about how you can determine when a teacher -- novice or experienced --…
assessment… Choosing a Story to Tell: Examining a Lesson Close in 1st Grade 28 Aug 20196 Feb 2022 I had planned to spend my first time in Room 12 observing the classroom teacher and getting to know her students. Instead, the teacher texted me the day before to…
in the classroom The Cookie Recipe: Learning Math from Students 1 Apr 201919 Mar 2024 Fourth grade teacher Alicia and I have a beautiful habit of doing math together when planning. We try out problems, and anticipate ways we think students. (It is rare that…
in the classroom You’re Both Right: Examining and Honoring Mathematical Assumptions 21 Mar 201922 Jun 2021 Even from across the room, there was no mistake: Jacob and Ian were deep into a mathematical debate. Jacob had pulled his chair up to Ian's desk, and they were…
five practices… Leading Act 3: Using the 5 Practices & Intentional Talk To Deepen Discourse About the “Whopper Jar” 3 Oct 201727 Oct 2022 The books 5 Practices for Orchestrating Productive Mathematics Discussions (Smith and Stein, 2011) and Intentional Talk (Kazemi and Hintz, 2014) have helped me transform how I facilitate discussions. I try my best…
formative assessment… The Intersection of Fraction Talks & Clothesline Math: Formative Assessment and the Five Practices 8 Feb 201722 Jun 2021 My sixth graders are weary of pre-assessments. No matter how many times we discuss the goal of a pre-assessment – for me to learn more about their current strategies and…
