A leader in progressive education since 1921, LREI teaches children to be independent thinkers who work together to solve complex problems. Students graduate from our diverse community as active participants in our democratic society, with the creativity, integrity, and courage to bring meaningful change to the world. Continue reading Do Not Go Back to Normal
Category Archives: Math
What Do I Value?
The following are a set of questions and initial reflections that are framing my self-study inquiry. While these questions and reflections have an initial orientation towards students and subject matter, I think that they also have significant implications for my own practice as a teacher. Continue reading What Do I Value?
Math as Witness: who counts? and who doesn’t?
This post originally appeared on The Theological Engineer blog.
I ended the school year with a surprising burst of energy after the students left for the summer. I slogged my way through two straight days of comment-writing. Continue reading Math as Witness: who counts? and who doesn’t?
Really Listening
So back in January, I began to think about how best to gather information about what my math students know at any given point.
How to Pause?
Everyone is moving so fast from task to task. Sixty minutes surely flies by and 45 minutes sometimes feels like a blink. My plan book details the activities of each math class but I’m not always sure of my students’ experiences or what they REALLY gain in the time we spend together. Many things pull at their attention: the humanities presentation they just gave, the science test next class, the basketball game at 3:30pm. Hence, I’ve initiated a self-study about examining how best I pause to gather information about what my students know at any given point (formative assessment) and how math class is really going for them.
Global Shift
The news ruined my curriculum planning.
My plan was to continue our medieval Humanities studies by learning more about Feudalism and Christianity in Europe for the remainder of the second quarter. Then, after Winter Break, we would dive in to the origins of Islam and study the Middle East. But the news of the bombings in France could not be ignored. Continue reading Global Shift
A rich student-to-student discussion by first graders on the meaning of the equal symbol.
Max explains and demonstrates his interpretation of the equal symbol by saying, “This (the equal symbol)…is telling you the answer.”
What does:
1 + 7 = ___ + 6
have to do with:
3x + 9 = 5x + 5
…and why are first graders arguing with each other over the meaning of the equal symbol? Continue reading A rich student-to-student discussion by first graders on the meaning of the equal symbol.
Student-to-Student Mathematical Discussion in the Classroom
Young mathematicians need to be able to “Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others”, according to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. This philosophy aligns with LREI’s progressive educational goals of placing an emphasis on student voice, and creating a classroom culture of engaging student-to-student discussions. Students take on the role of leaders who believe that they can actively defend their own mathematical ideas, and help shape the ideas of their colleagues in a supportive, nurturing environment. Continue reading Student-to-Student Mathematical Discussion in the Classroom
Focusing on the Math Big Picture
While Curriculum Night is an opportunity to look at the big picture, it is also an opportunity to balance these ideas and the school’s approach to learning against ones own educational experience. This can often be complicated work as the memories and habits connected with how you experienced school may have been very different. One area in which this tension often occurs is with our approach to mathematics and the development of mathematical thinkers. I include below some “big picture” thoughts on math instruction at LREI and its connection to each student’s development as a learner. Continue reading Focusing on the Math Big Picture