Making Math Work For Underachieving Students

Making Math Work for Underachieving Students (Grades 4-8) Read Me First These are general notes and thoughts, typed as I attend this presentation. Mistakes in content and grammar are to be expected (I typed that wrong the first time and it took three tries to type first correctly....). Connections to my own thinking will be highlighted to stand out from presenters content. Making Math Work for Underachieving Students May 2, 2008 Holiday Inn, Southgate, MI Steve Leinwand [email protected] [email protected] SDR www.SDResources.org Sensible Math A Guide for School Leaders Random Thoughts Context is key. Make connections between real objects and math concepts. Curriculum is set up so that smart kids get smarter and dumb kids get dumber. There is only one right answer. Instructional patterns need to change. Kids need to learn what is important in mathematics and what is important for kids to understand. Students start out loving math and end up hating it. Change the Rules of the game. Thinking and Reasoning all the time. Divergent Thinking Negative number makes sense when you use money In regards to standards Singapore has 18 key ideas per grade level (Top of the world in Education) Florida has 81... Limit yourself to 25 key ideas and thoughts for the year. Model for the day Play, Model, Inform, Stimulate, Challenge Good math begins with an answer. How? Convince me? Why? What's another way? Tell it to your neighbor... Obstacles

isolation beliefs ignorance fear of change unwillingness to change time pressure of the test Lack of confidence Antidotes Sharing Risk taking

Humorous Quotes Free 3 Muffins when you buy 3 at the regular 1/2 dozen price Actual Dunkin Donut Ad from 1991 Algebra is the intense study of the last three letters of the alphabet Iowa Test of Basic Trivia

The Need for change Worksheets are safe because no one questions their thinking. Similar to Ken Robinson kids lose intelligence and creativity as they get older. If you want Speed and accuracy = technology Formulas are useless, need to know where to find the formula and how to use it. Almost all tests provide formula sheets. Go beyond the first answer, multiple answers Need a reason to do the mathematics Need to show multiple ways to solve problems Make it work for the kids at the bottom of the barrel. More to life than the one right answer and the one right way to solve it Students from other countries approach the same problem in a different way to get the correct answer.

Key Questions: Ask this question in classWho doesn't want to be called on.... Takes the sting away from those who do not know the answers. But... if they know the answer they may take a risk next time. When students want you to just tell you THE ONE way to do it...Instead Ask students what works for you?

Ten Practical Strategies (page 71, 14,15,16) Strategy 1 Embed the math in contexts and problems Here's the math I need to teach.(standards) Ask yourself when and where do normal human beings encounter this math? See example from page 8. Here is another example Which problem is more interesting... F=4(s-65)+10 Find F when S=81 or The Speeding fine in Vermont is 4$ for every mile per hour over the 65 mph limit plus $10 handling fee. Put formula into words Facts are more important than ever... but facts with context facts with materials, even fingers (kids don't use them when they don't need to) facts through strategies (give tools to make sense of the facts) facts through problem solving circumstances facts through non routine problem Strategy 2 Incorporate on-going cumulative review into instruction every day Quick mini math quiz to start the day (1-6) can be oral, written, never get into a rut. Keep the kids on toes. Parents of infants bombard their infants with language all of the time... Math class should be the same. Strategy 3 Create a Language Rich Classroom Too many of our students don't speak English at home, don't have the language of Math in their lives. Vocabulary, terms, answers Math wall-just like a word wall with math concepts Key Question- What do you see? Like all languages, mathematics must be encountered orally and in writing. Terms must be used repeatedly until they make sense and understanding. Strategy 4 Use every number as a chance to build number sense and reasonableness. If number sense is critical our students must develop a comfort with numbers facility estimating computing mentally a sense of order and magnitude well developed sense of place value Strategy 5

Draw pictures, create mental images, foster visualization so that numbers make sense. Strategy 6 Build from graphs, charts and tables Play with the data, reveal it slowly Graphs provide a real-world context. Real world uses data, charts and graphs Make up the data and think what kinds of questions can you make up. Use the McDonald's Menu and nutrition data Strategy 7 Tie the Math to How big? how much, how far? Strategy 8 Adapt what we know from Reading. Incorporate literal, inferential, and evaulative comprehension to develop stronger neural connections) How did you get that answer? Why? Can you explain? Convince me? Is it reasonable? Have the kids make sense of the data. Play out the different approaches to solving each problem. When done extend concepts with homework. Responsive Reading... Strategy 9 Omit What is no longer important Strategy 10 Make why, how do you know, can you explain, convince me as classroom mantras Building Effective Tasks Give students a reason to care about the math Summary and Challenge Resources and weblinks Feel free to add resources and links to this section.