Have you ever wondered how to further encourage a mathematical mindset in your classroom? If so, join us for a four week book study of Mathematical Mindsets: Unleashing Students’ Potential Through Creative Math, Inspiring Messages and Innovative Teaching, by Jo Boaler. We will explore the book’s recommendations on questioning for deep understanding, setting mathematical norms, and lesson design. Also, we will learn more about the power of brain elasticity, mistake-valuing, and student wonder for math.
Q0: Welcome to our last discussion of Jo Boaler's Mathematical MIndsets. Did you get what you wanted from reading this book over the summer? #d25mathmindsets
Hi, Kathy Brady, second grade teacher from Greenbrier. One thing we did a lot last year was use Seesaw to document our learning/math strategies.#d25MathMindsets
A1: This is a tricky part of teaching! But, just at Boaler suggests, feedback should be written when it is most helpful to students. It doesn't have to be to all students, all the time. #d25MathMindsets
A1: I’d like to learn more about A4L-it sounds like a powerful way help Ss use self assessment and be more in charge of their learning. Teachers are guiding and empowering Ss. #d25MathMindsets
A1: The value of feedback is unmatched when given at the right time. Notice your students everyday. Engage instead of grade. Hopefully your workload of grading will go down the
more you understand your students. #d25mathmindsets
A0: Yes! I learned new things, read things that reinforced what I already believe to be good pedagogy & feel excited to start the new year...just not in 3 weeks 😖 #d25mathmindsets
Q2: In talking about Growth Mindset, Boaler discussed honoring the logic of our students' thinking (p. 179). She recommends finding the logic in our students misconceptions to help move them forward. What are some ways you can do this in your classroom? #d25mathmindsets
A2: Whenever a students makes mathematical error-, the teacher should positively acknowledge the thinking(honor the logic), so the student feels ok and the mistake can be celebrated/used as a teachable moment. #d25MathMindsets
A2: You can try saying, “I love the way you are thinking...I see what you are doing here...
You haven’t learned the strategies you need for that, but you will soon.” Using these statements scaffold learning for students in the most respectful way. #d25mathmindsets
A2: My first step would be to slow down and not be quick to correct the issue and move on...look for the logic and discuss what/why Ss were thinking a certain way. I loved Jo's quote, "You haven't learned the strategies you need for that yet, but you will soon." #d25MathMindsets
A2: Error analysis has always been the most informative part of student work for me. This was my undergrad textbook; I realize now it was pretty spot-on for a healthy math mindset! #d25mathmindsets
A3: Instead of falling into the role of being the rescuer, T’s can have students draw a picture to see if the student can figure it out. Great suggestion to ask Ss, “Do you want my brain to grow or do you want to grow YOUR brain today?” #d25mathmindsets
A3: This point made me realize I need give the question back to my struggling Ss-have more think/wait time. Loved the phrase-”Do you want my brain to grow or do you want your brain to grow today?”#d25MathMindsets
A3: I loved the strategy of first asking students to draw the problem instead of the teacher jumping right in to break down the problem. Lots of models! #d25MathMindsets
Q4: Boaler presents 9 suggestions for helping to "open" the mathematics in your classroom. Which of these suggestions would you like to focus on during this school year? #d25mathmindsets
A4: I would like to focus on making sure I teach math as a subject of patterns and connections. I think it would open up how Ss view math and help them to see the real world context of math. #d25MathMindsets
A4: Participation Mathematics Goals was interesting. I love that the group targets are defined & the group is clear that no one is good at all of these things, but everyone is good at something! We need all group members to be successful at today’s task! #D25mathmindsets
A4: My biggest change will be offering more open, complex math work for my students, and building the growth mindset math culture in my classroom. #d25MathMindsets
Ss are so aware of others' performance, abilities, etc. I think this helps Ss to recognize that everyone has a strength to contribute. #d25mathmindsets
A4: Also, depth over speed. Too many students seem to have only a cursory understanding of concepts. Depth can be achieved through number talks & other approaches that encourage deep thinking. #d25mathmindsets
Q5: Resource round up! What resources are you planning on using to support your work in carrying out the messages presented in Mathematical Mindsets? #d25mathmindsets
A5: I love the idea of Doodling! Not only increases pathways in the brain, but it’s fun. Vy Hart has inspired many of my former students and me! Check out her youtube videos! https://t.co/3t8Fm4HqAv#d25mathmindsets
A5:I plan to use the youcubed tasks and look for other books/resources that have second grade level complex math tasks. Also looking through MIF and being more selective about which problems/pages we work on.#d25MathMindsets
A5: The resources in the appendix are a good starting point. I plan to amp up the way I use exit slips/reflection questions to help make sense of their learning, ask questions, and reason. #d25MathMindsets
A5: T’s Please DON’T say that you are not an ARTIST when drawing your solutions to math. The message is just as strong as saying you aren’t a math person. #growthmindset#d25mathmindsets
A5: Number Talks are my big thing for the coming year. Once I get them mastered, I’d like to get a few clsrm Ts on board to try them!! #d25mathmindsets
It was interesting to hear how mathematicians use drawing/doodling to solve problems. Personally, I always like to draw pics to solve story problems,#d25MathMindsets
A6: I would love to explore any PD related to these theories. I will first start exploring youcubed, reading some of the papers/articles and watching the videos to see some of the strategies in action. Working on rich tasks related to MIF would be great, too! #d25MathMindsets
A2: I love when she talked about changing our communication with students more to "I love the way you are thinking about that problem." It honors their thinking but allows them to re-think and evaluate their thinking #d25mathmindsets
Practical - I love a book study that helps change my thinking, but also allows me to change my practice or implement new strategies without feeling overwhelmed. #d25MathMindsets
A3: This is sooo hard for me! I always want to help my students so I have to learn to be comfortable with the struggle and let them do the thinking without re-wording things for them. I need to stop breaking down the problem for them and instead use guiding ?'s #d25mathmindsets
A7: REFLECTIVE: I used to think that math was the one subject that stayed the same, but now I think it’s a growth subject like all the others.The same feedback, assessment & norm setting we use in other subjects is at the heart of math. Change your mindset! #d25mathmindsets
Thank you so much for joining us this summer! Keep your eyes peeled for additional PD around this topic in the fall. Enjoy the rest of your summer! #d25mathmindsets
A4: Valuing depth over speed (it's easy to think about the pacing guide and how we have to keep moving on) and encouraging students to be mathematicians (so many of them come with an idea they "aren't good at math") #d25mathmindsets
A7: Reflection. If anything this book and chat has allowed me to reflect on all of my math practices in the classroom. It has allowed me to evaluate some things and think about how I want to take more risks and make some changes next year! #d25mathmindsets
