Growing Math Minds: November 2015

Growing Math Minds Begins with Math Norms!

Based upon this fabulous website I came across, my class has compiled a list of math norms for my classroom. Creating math norms for your students helps build ownership for student's own learning.

http://www.youcubed.org/wp-content/uploads/Positive-Classroom-Norms2.pdf

Math Norms

I CAN DO HARD THINGS-I can learn math to the highest levels, with hard work.

1. Struggle and make mistakes. Mistakes grow the brain!

2. Ask questions. why does that make sense?

3. Discuss my patterns and solutions with others. Understand why others came
to their patterns and solutions.

4. Think slowly and deeply. Depth is much more important than speed.

5. Show stamina! Do hard things for long periods of time. Take short breaks so I don't give up.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!

You may decide to create a different list based on your own classroom dynamics. Having students input is important when creating your math norms. After your class has created their own class math norms don't forget to refer back to these norms on a daily basis. Don't let it be the poster that gets forgotten about. Math will be much more successful for your students if they become very very familiar with this poster.

Growing math minds is a blog dedicated to creating students that have a math mindset. What does having a math mindset mean? Stamina, effort, perseverance, are all part of a math mindset. I consider math as a way of thinking. A way of thinking in terms of fluency. Hmmm... so when I think of fluency, I think of reading. When you are a fluent reader there are several specifics that you have grasped. Fluency in reading is the ability to read a text accurately, quickly, and with expression. So how does this relate to math? Many people think fluency in math is knowing your addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division facts accurately and quickly without using your fingers.
I think of math fluency as a complete understanding of underlying concepts to forward our mathematical learning. Fluency is a progression of learning and sufficient thoughtful practice. It means more or less the same as when someone is said to be fluent in a foreign language. To be fluent is to flow: Fluent isn’t halting or stumbling oneself. A key aspect of fluency in this sense is that it is not something that happens all at once in a single grade but requires attention to student understanding along the way. (That means one teacher can't reel in all the past knowledge missed.
With that in mind how do we get students fluent and to grow in love for math? I've seen and heard of students that read and read and read all night long. But I've never heard of students that do math and math and math all night long. How do we build that love? That is what we will do together on this blog. We will answer that question. It may be a long journey but we have each other.
I will be posting my thoughts and teaching ideas for you to use in your math class. HERE WE GO!