Reflect:
- Video Link: Part 2: Helping Kids Learn Math Facts
- Mathigon Flash Cards: Multiplication by Heart and Toy Theater Ten Frames: Which Equation Matches the Dots?
- Graham Fletcher's Post: Subitizing to Foster Multiplicative Thinking (we have these Subitizing Cards as well as the Math Flips on the Fluency Pages of our Math Sites!)
Consider the following questions:
- How do visuals and/or context help with fluency?
- What might you do differently in regards to "strategy building" this year?
- What caused you to pause and think during this video?
Respond:
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.
There were many parts of the video that stood out to me. First, I like how she pointed out that memorize doesn't equal the ability to recall and we can not use these words interchangeably. Being able to recall comes from making connections and being flexible. I do think that the "old way" of teaching math is missing the flexibility aspect. I think flexibility comes from learning and teaching new strategies for finding answers. Like she said in the video, it is so important for students to realize patterns when looking at addition and multiplication facts and their sums and products. I think that using visuals really helps students make those connections and see those patterns. I use subitizing cards in my classroom and I have found them helpful in modeling problems and and showing patterns. I really want to start using Mathigon more and I could see myself using it as morning work.
ReplyDeleteOne idea that stood out to me in the video was having discussion vs drills. Remembering that it's important for kids to explain their thinking behind how they get their answers is even more important than the drill work of getting the answers. If we can get kids flexible in their math thinking in the elementary ages we are better setting kids up for success in the higher grades because they can manipulate the numbers and understand the background of the math. It helps kids understand the "why do we do math like this" question. I use multiplication by heart in my classroom on an almost daily basis. Once we are done with the math lesson and it is practice time after the math journal, Multiplication by Heart is the first thing they must do. Then the can go into the Chapter Choice Board and pick a different math game or choice for the rest of the class time. There is typically only 15 minutes or so for this time but a little bit of daily practice can add up over time. I am curious if after using the Subitizing cards and kids seem to master those, would you ever use a standard math facts flashcard to see if the skill has transferred to seeing numbers and not pictures representations of the facts?
ReplyDeleteI was wondering the same thing about the flash cards. I would think using the regular fact cards would be a good connection after using the subitizing cards so they are connecting the visuals with the abstract representation of numbers. I guess we'll find out!
DeleteHonestly, I don't think there is a need to use regular fact cards. I think you will see the transfer in their daily work as they solve mullti-digit addition & subtraction as well as mulit-digit multiplication & division problems. Stick with the visual flash cards for strategy building. 😊
DeleteI am so stoked to use the subitizing cards in my classroom. The computations she was making with the facts she wasn't as comfortable with were so familiar in the sense that my students, who have that flexibility component down but struggle with the fast and accurate, are making those same connections. This is just such an easy way to build in that flexibility piece to bridge what I am already doing. I can also see how using these cards to build multiplication fluency would also be beneficial for division as well!
ReplyDeleteYAY! I'm so excited that you are going to use the subitizing cards. 🎉
DeleteI could not love this more! My main focus for my third graders right now is fact fluency. The definition is challenged by new ways of making it work for each student. Fact fluency means accuracy, efficiency and flexibility. It is not just memorizing, establishing the understanding behind it is what is key for our students. I am excited to try these cards with my students also. Great visuals for them to use!
ReplyDeleteThe helping kids learn math facts video was interesting. When I was in school, I feel like a lot of math was memorization. All I can remember is timed test on multiplication and I never made it very far. Explaining your thinking and how you came up with the solution makes so much more sense. Having a discussion around math gives students a stronger understanding. In kindergarten we talk about how we found our solution and the strategies that were used. We have been doing this in class with subitizing and the start of addition. It is great to hear what different students come up with.
ReplyDeleteThese resources are great and super helpful when thinking about building fluency with students. I am a very visual person so the subitizing cards and math flips would have been so valuable to me as a student. I started doing some of the math routines on the collaborative site with my students this year and I loved the discussions they sparked. It is such a meaningful way to engage students and to assess their understanding. They also work so well for differentiating for different levels of learners since students get to share their thinking and their strategies. I appreciated seeing the live example of the subitizing cards and love these so much! These can be used for both addition and multiplication practice and I look forward to utilizing them in my classroom!
ReplyDeleteAfter watching this video, I really started to move away from worksheets and repetition in traditional ways and have embraced using the subtilizing flash cards and really encouraging more conversations about each student's strategies. I'm definitely still using lots of games to get in the repetition in a fun way, but the lessons revolve more around understanding how we get to the answers.
ReplyDelete