Where to Start: Specific Strategies
We want students to view math class as a time to think, reason, and problem solve – not simply to remember facts and formulas. To do this, we must be intentional with our planning. In general, when we think about students coming to understand specific mathematical concepts, the role of the teacher is to:
1) Use math tasks that are inviting and rich, and
2) Use questioning to probe and develop students’ understanding as they problem solve.
There are many structures that engage students in interesting math tasks while at the same time provide opportunities for teachers to ask probing questions to check student understanding. A number of these are listed below, many of which are taken from the book, Necessary Conditions, by author Geoff Krall.
Head back to the Math Culture Strategies page.