What kind of math student did your classroom create this year?

I know what kind of math student I want to create - curious, persistent, and collaborative. In some cases, I do think some of my students developed more of these skills, but when I think about the group of students I had this year, mostly they were compliant. There were moments of engagement, but it usually wasn’t long lived. They completed assignments because they want to pass and graduate. Learning and understanding was not their focus, passing the class was. While compliance is pleasant - it makes managing a classroom easier, it does not necessarily mean that students are truly learning. 

What I want to focus on today were the strategies that made students engage with math and with each other so that moving forward, I can figure out how to make those moments last longer. 

Amplify Activities

I love starting off new topics with an Amplify activity. My absolute favorite part is THEY ARE FREE! Whether I introduce the topic in a real world context, or use sliders to look at how graphs change, or use card sorts and short answer boxes to have them explain their thinking, these help engagement so much. 

Helpful Tips:

1. Have students pair up. One person types on the screen, the other person can record notes, but they whole point is that they are discussing the mathematics.

2. Project the summary view. This is essential for time management and students can check to see if they are getting correct answers.

Here is a list of Amplify activities that I love.

Whiteboards

Whether you utilize Building Thinking Classrooms strategies and have students stand at whiteboards or have individual sized whiteboards, these are perfect for seeing students thinking. Students love that they can easily erase mistakes and work quickly through problems.

Helpful Tips:

1. House whiteboard materials on student table groups (I love a good organizer).

2. Have a spot where students can self-serve materials to replace dried out markers.

Circuits

Posting problems around the room has worked great for me and it can be as simple as taking a worksheet and putting one problem per page around the room. I know exactly which students are opting out and students can easily work in pairs to help each other answer questions.

Helpful Tips:

1. Include the answers from the “previous problem” to make it a self checking assignment.

2. Number the problems with numbers or symbols to help keep students organized. Consider having a “theme” for numbering your problems (Spongebob, 90s cartoons, Taylor Swift, emojis), the possibilities are endless.

Here are some circuit type activities that I love.

• Log Properties

• Exponential and Log Graphs

• Equations of Circles

True learning of mathematics comes when students engage in math through a variety of ways. Whether they are manipulating graphs, thinking about how two ideas are connected, or showing their work on paper, learning takes active participation. The challenge for teachers is to design activities that force students to engage so hopefully we can help develop a more well rounded mathematics student. My goal is to continue building and designing activities to increase engagement.