Week 5 Goal and Reflection
Goal
The past few weeks my goal has been to strengthen student-led mathematical discourse. This week I will continue that goal, but specifically focus on students connecting, responding and linking to each other's thoughts and arguments (something I noticed was not happening this past week). I plan to do this by continuing to try and strengthen whole group conversation by having students use their journal responses (where they have been justifying their answers, explaining their thinking and justifying/explaining why they chose to use a particular strategy over another) and going back to the conversation starters I made last semester as a way for students to initiate and continue the conversation.
Reflection
This week, I did continue to notice a difference in our whole group conversation when my students referenced their responses to start or participate in a conversation. I also noticed that encouraging every student to show all of their work as they solve problems helps start and strengthen mathematical arguments because they can look at their own paper and compare their own work to the person who is sharing with the class under the ELMO. It is so exciting to see them evaluate a peer's work and/or strategies, compare it to their own and then make a decision about which they prefer, which is more efficient or effective. While this is all great improvement for my class, I still would like to see more "linking" in conversation. Next week, I would like to add to my conversation phrase list, "What I heard ________ say was....". I think asking students to summarize what a peer said would make them become accountable and really listen to what other students are sharing.
Goal
The past few weeks my goal has been to strengthen student-led mathematical discourse. This week I will continue that goal, but specifically focus on students connecting, responding and linking to each other's thoughts and arguments (something I noticed was not happening this past week). I plan to do this by continuing to try and strengthen whole group conversation by having students use their journal responses (where they have been justifying their answers, explaining their thinking and justifying/explaining why they chose to use a particular strategy over another) and going back to the conversation starters I made last semester as a way for students to initiate and continue the conversation.
Reflection
This week, I did continue to notice a difference in our whole group conversation when my students referenced their responses to start or participate in a conversation. I also noticed that encouraging every student to show all of their work as they solve problems helps start and strengthen mathematical arguments because they can look at their own paper and compare their own work to the person who is sharing with the class under the ELMO. It is so exciting to see them evaluate a peer's work and/or strategies, compare it to their own and then make a decision about which they prefer, which is more efficient or effective. While this is all great improvement for my class, I still would like to see more "linking" in conversation. Next week, I would like to add to my conversation phrase list, "What I heard ________ say was....". I think asking students to summarize what a peer said would make them become accountable and really listen to what other students are sharing.