“The Traditional Algorithm” I’m sitting here listening to Steve Leinwand state that everyone in the room wishes we could return to our districts and ban the traditional algorithm. In my case, he’s right. Because the truth is, there is no such thing as THE traditional algorithm. He is inspiring, energetic, and makes conceptual math teaching … Continue reading “The Traditional Algorithm”
River Stones
A school support person sat with me in the school’s staff room today and told me her math woes. Her daughter is her 3rd and youngest to attend the school we were sitting in - a 4th grader whom she deemed “bad at math.” Lately I’ve been reading Mathematical Mindsets and Building A Better Teacher, both of … Continue reading River Stones
Multiplying Decimals with Area Model Lesson
I recently participated in a 5th grade lesson on multiplying decimals. The team had wanted to inquire about dividing fractions and decided this was the prior learning students were lacking to build a solid foundation. So a team of 6 of us spent a day researching standards, discussing the learning sequence, then collaboratively planning the … Continue reading Multiplying Decimals with Area Model Lesson
What’s In a Name
Who can ever remember which is the minuend and which is the subtrahend? Why couldn't they be called something easy, like “addends,” where both have the same name!? So simple. It makes sense that they have different names since commutative property doesn’t apply to subtraction. The two numbers at play have different roles. Sure. I … Continue reading What’s In a Name
“Well, when I wrote it myself I thought about it more.”
The most recent blog by Exit 10A references Dan Meyers’ suggestion that we all “be less helpful.” Tracy Zager talks about her frustration with homework in a way that struck a chord with me. This is all related, I swear… So often I meet with teachers. We cover topics such as formative assessment, standards-based lessons, academic discourse, … Continue reading “Well, when I wrote it myself I thought about it more.”
It’s not about Common Core…
After yet another Common Core diatribe on Facebook yesterday, I invited a friend to a conversation to discuss the new curriculum. I offered to send articles, if that would be helpful. The response I got back was, “Sure! I am not well read in that area so any articles that have been peer reviewed would … Continue reading It’s not about Common Core…
