The section below tells you how our grade 7 math class works. There is some research behind the methods I'll use in class this year. I share that here in case you wish to learn more about it. I read a great book this summer that will serve as a foundation for our learning practices. The overarching thing it impressed upon me can be shared with ONE word; "studenting". It was a word I'd never heard before, yet it perfectly explains what we often do in school. As an adult, I look back and realize I was great at "studenting". I diligently took notes, studied hard, and did extremely well in class. But I learned very little and didn't think very often. As a parent, I told my kids that I wanted them to learn.  I understood all too well that one could earn stellar marks but learn very little. I'm thrilled to share that my kids didn't copy what I did as a child. Both genuinely learned things (and even remember those things now that they are out of K-12 and onto college and beyond). They were pretty good at "studenting" themselves, but managed to also learn!

In our class, I'll strive to encourage you to be a strong thinker who is comfortable taking risks, work well with others, and learn concepts fully. 

Read about Building Thinking Classrooms and how we're applying it to our math class.