Reflect:
- Video Link: Part 1: Fast Does NOT Mean Fluent
- Graham Fletcher's Ignite Talk: From Memory and Memorization - There IS a Difference
Consider the following questions:
- Which of the 10 alternative ways to build math fluency have you already tried? (or which ones are you considering trying?)
- How do/when will you fit these alternative ways into your school day?
- What caused you to pause and think during this video?
After watching the videos, please post your response to one {or more} of the prompts above.
Interact:
Read your colleagues' reflections. Feel free to respond to someone by sharing a comment, insight, or interesting possibility.
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Of the 10 alternatives I am currently using math games, and building number sense. I currently teach 4th grade and our current Chapter of Math is all about multiplication. We have been playing a few of the math games from the TSD 4th grade website. The kids really like Pick a Product and Product 1200. I also have some 20 sided dice in my classroom along with the regular 6 sided and some 10 sided dice so we have been making up other target numbers to try to multiply close to as well. To fit this into our day, we have a soft start to our day when kids are eating breakfast so instead of doing a morning worksheet students can get out math manipulatives to build with, play math games, or other no prep beginning of the day options. I have been surprised by how many kids want to play a math game first thing in the morning and that is going well.
ReplyDeleteTo build number sense we have spent a lot of time looking at numbers and breaking them apart into their values and really learning how much a 1, 10, 100, 1000's is worth and how the place value system works. By spending the time really learning the place value system my students are now more comfortable breaking numbers apart to multiply them and work with the numbers in other operations as well.
I am going to start personal journals for the students to keep track of their fluency. I have folders made up with a chart for them to graph their progress on learning their multiplication facts, but I need to find the time to actually implement the assessment of facts (untimed, no pressure way to assess the kids) and have the students start graphing their progress. I agree this needs to only be known to the student and teacher- there is no need to publicly show who knows which facts.
I love that your kids are starting their morning with math games. What an engaging way to begin a day! 💙
DeleteI would love to connect with you on the morning routines you have since mine have run dry and I really want students working on something that is helping them academically but low stress for us all. These are awesome ideas!
DeleteAfter watching the video, a key idea that I took away was that kids should be able to play with numbers. It has been proven to be highly effective to use math games in the classroom and that is something that I have started to try to implement more in my classroom. I think it is really important for students to understand why the answer to a problem is what it is and not just off of memory of what it is on a flash card. I have my students model with equal groups often for multiplication and I think it is helpful for kids to see the expanded form of numbers to understand place value. I think it is a good idea to have students keep track of their progress because then they can see their own growth.
ReplyDeleteIn the MAP room we definitely try to use most of the fluency techniques, especially games, which are very popular, and lots of manipulatives to visualize strategies. Developing number sense and flexibility in thinking is a huge goal for our students. As a new MAP para this year, I am still working to familiarize myself with all the materials and try to use them more and more as I'm creating lessons. I am currently trying to do more number sense routines with each group.
ReplyDeleteI have been really focusing on the Fast and Accurate pieces of building fluency, but leaving out the Flexibility. I have been using a lot of what she talked about in the video as being harmful for students unfortunately. I have used visual goal boards and photos to celebrate those who made it into my "math wiz club" and there wasn't a single year that every student made it; typically there were at least 2 or 3. I counted this as a win because at least most of the got it and those that didn't were significantly closer than they might've been. Although true, I'm sure it was really disappointing and defeating for those who didn't pass the fluency tests. I have also used timed tests, but I think I can still use them just as more of a stopwatch system rather than beating the time. That way the students are only in a race with themselves and they have ample time to finish. I am interested in more ways to have students work hands on with numbers to build that flexibility. I am noticing that using the math flips and mental math practice in class is showing students really digging into their own number sense and the fast and accurate doesn't have anything to do with it. My students who have great flexibility lack the fast and accurate pieces. Finding ways to bridge this will be interesting!
ReplyDeleteI focused on the fast and accurate for A LOT of years, Ashlie. Unfortunately, it wasn't until I was out of the classroom when I learned that flexibility is also a BIG part of being fluent. Her example of being fluent at cooking and speaking a second language makes so much sense to me. I just wish I would have realized this sooner...I would have recycled my timed tests years ago!! :/
DeleteGreat perspectives on math method! Both presenters hit home with how I learned Math growing up. Finding ways to reach all students, grasp an understanding and a background knowledge of how they got there. Amazing!
ReplyDeleteIn my room, I typically start with direct instruction, independent practice, into choices of Math around the room, early finisher cards, Math games and Math computer choices.
I thought this was great! I am new to teaching so I have not tried many of the strategies, but I think that the experience with hands on manipulatives are so important. I also like the idea of giving students a game that helps them practice just as many problems as a worksheet. Today I gave my students a game where they rolled dice and counted the number on the dice, they thought it was so much fun. When I was in 3rd grade, we had timed multiplication tests. I never moved very far because I was not fast enough. This made me think I was not good at math but that was not true, I was just not fast. I would not want my students to feel this way.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciated the break down of each "damaging" practice and instruction being presented along with suggestions and ideas for more effective strategies. I am definitely guilty of using a number of these with students partly because it's familiar and also because it's what is provided within the curriculum. On the other hand, I have also used a variety of the more effective methods and when thinking back, these are the lessons that stand out in my head as being more fun, engaging, and memorable. One take away routine I would like to use in my classroom are the Math Flips. I like how these encourage relational thinking rather than memorization and I think they could be a great math warm up and ignite some great number talks. Lastly, the explanation of the difference between memorization and from memory was really useful and helped me think more about the importance of flexibility and how it benefits students in all areas of math. I look forward to using these suggested methods and challenging myself to improve my own instructional practices to help students build a stronger math mind. :)
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