Without problems, we would not have mathematics. The challenge for teachers is to teach students not only to solve problems but also to learn about mathematics through problem-solving. While many students may develop procedural fluency, they often lack the deep conceptual understanding necessary to solve new problems or make connections between mathematical ideas. Students acquire their understanding of mathematics and develop problem-solving skills as a result of solving problems, rather than being taught something directly (Hiebert1997). The teacher’s role is to construct problems and present situations that provide a forum in which problem-solving can occur.

At the heart of any effective math program are the Process Standards. The Process Standards describe the ways in which students will individually and collaboratively engage with the mathematics in the content standards. Our state has identified 7 of these standards, and they heavily emphasize problem solving:

1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

2. Reason both contextually and abstractly.

3. Use critical thinking skills to justify mathematical reasoning and critique the reasoning of others.

4. Connect mathematical ideas and real-world situations through modeling.

5. Use a variety of mathematical tools effectively and strategically.

6. Communicate mathematically and approach mathematical situations with precision.

7. Identify and utilize structure and patterns.

Math stories are much more appealing to students than word problems. After all, who wants to have problems? By simply changing what we call them, we can make word problems more accessible to students. In addition, adding in elements of storytelling will tap into skills they are familiar with from reading - visualizing, predicting, asking questions, and making personal connections. Ultimately, we want students to read like mathematicians. To learn more about how each of these storytelling techniques can be applied to math problem solving, check out the video to the right and the resources below.

Storytelling Techniques:

1. Tell the story like you talk.

2. Make it visual.

3. Make it personal and easy to relate to.

4. Create suspense.

5. Add surprise.

District Resources Storytelling in Math Class Blog Post

Mathematical Storytelling Video 3 Read Protocol Simplified for 5K-1st Grade

60 Second Strategy: 3-Read Protocol 3rd Grade 3 Read Strategy Lesson Launch

How can you stop students from number plucking and slow them down enough so they can make sense of problems? Take out the numbers! Numberless word problems are a scaffolded approach to presenting word problems that gets students thinking before they ever have numbers or a question to act on.

What are some of the benefits of using numberless problems:

• Numberless word problems shift the focus from solving to understanding.

• They engage students and help them visualize the story.

• Numberless problems start students off in a nonthreatening and less stressful way - this allows them to build confidence before ever having to solve anything.

• They help students develop a better understanding of the underlying structure of word problems.

• Numberless problems allow for differentiation.

• They encourage reasoning and promote discourse between students.

• They teach students to think instead of just plucking numbers.

District Resources Numberless Word Problems Blog

Using Numberless Problems with Fractions 2nd Grade Numberless Problem Video

Video of 5K Numberless Problem Launch