What’s Your Mindset About Math?
Do you have mathematical discussions with your students? I would think that you do it regularly. Consider the following questions and how they resonate with you. Have you read a good book lately? What book are you reading now? Have you done a good math problem lately? What math problem are you working on now?… Continue Reading
The Power of a “Counting-All”
Today we are going to watch a video of Sarina. This video was taken August 28, 2018. She is a great example of what productive struggle looks like in a student. She is going to solve 8 + 5, 9 + 4, and 8 + 6. Some questions to think about are: Did she solve… Continue Reading
I am a Mathematician
On October 7, The Global Math Project kicked off its annual week of promoting mathematics with a symposium on the campus of Santa Clara University. This dynamic work consists of a global community of mathematics teachers and supporters who want all learners across the globe to experience joy and wonder in school-relevant mathematics. Sponsors of… Continue Reading
There’s Always That One Kid
This blog is related to a multi-part series titled “Creating Centers in the Classroom.” If you have missed that series, you can read part 1 HERE, part 2 HERE, part 3 HERE, part 4 HERE, and part 5 HERE. You are ready!! You’ve planned your centers and are excited about differentiating them based on student… Continue Reading
Driving in the Fog
Currently, I am in the midst of raising a 16-year-old who has been learning to drive. Recently, I was reminded of what it feels like to do something new while I was doing a math demo lesson in a classroom and how circumstances can bring us back to those early behaviors. Fog. Here in the… Continue Reading
Really? You’re Still Counting (Part 5)
Counting. Nothing in mathematics gives us more of a return on our investment. In my first blog post in this series, we briefly looked at beginning counters, who start with rote counting and then move on to count concrete items. These types of counting are huge investments in their mathematical futures. In the second post,… Continue Reading
That Moment You Realize…
Have you ever had one of those “aha!” moments when the light bulb goes off, and you come to understand something that makes your whole life easier? Or better yet as a teacher, you witness your students have one of those “aha!” moments. For us, at the AIMS Center for Math and Science, we have… Continue Reading
Mathematical Strategies: The Chicken or the Egg?
Which came first: the chicken or the egg? This is an age-old question based on the observation that all chickens hatch from eggs, and all chicken eggs are laid by chickens. The problem is it’s difficult to answer because it is not clear which of the two events is the cause and which is the… Continue Reading
Math of Zada: Foundations for Addition
In our work at AIMS, we have opportunities to see many students do some pretty remarkable things. Sometimes we experience students doing exactly what we’ve come to expect them to do, but it is no less remarkable to witness. I’d like to share with you some of my experience with a student named Zada (pseudonym).… Continue Reading
They Are Curious
Albert Einstein once said, “The important thing is to not stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” We are curious about many things in the world around us. We follow our curiosities which in turn helps us to make discoveries. School and the classroom are places where kids make discoveries and satisfy their… Continue Reading
