Explicit teaching must take place in the consolidation part of the shared math lesson when working with EQAO type thinking questions. To be most effective, teachers need to know the learning goal. As Dr Marian Small says the learning goal should be connected to understanding and less about doing. When … More Explicit Teaching – Timing is Everything! »
Recently in a Gr 5-6 classroom the teacher gave this question (see photo) to his students to solve in pairs. Some students had different numbers to work with. This is an example of a thinking type question found yearly on EQAO. These questions are the most difficult for … More EQAO Thinking Questions »
I love games that require very little preparation and materials but really focus on important math concepts and skills. Here is one that will allow students to identify different coins and understand their value. In addition they are developing an understanding of equal groups and unitizing … More Money Race Games »
How often do we make assumptions about students’ mathematical understanding in the younger grades because they are able to compute equations such as 5+7 or 12-7? In a Gr 2-3 class we asked the students to independently solve the following question: 8 + 4 = _ + 5 Just … More What does = mean? »
Recently a primary teacher asked me for suggestions for hands-on activities for balance and equality. As I mentioned in a previous post we have a tendency to focus more on patterning and less on algebra, but here is a Grade 1 teacher understanding the importance of moving beyond. In … More Understanding Equality Using Pattern Blocks »
Observing people of all ages enthusiastically engaging in mathematical tasks is what fuels my passion for the work I do. I had such an experience recently at a K-8 elementary school on a PA Day. Last year I had been involved in a Ministry of Education Spatial Reasoning Inquiry and … More A Spatial Reasoning Task Using Pentominoes »
As a result of my numerous opportunities to be in junior classrooms I have noticed that many students are able to create, identify and extend patterns. The challenge that I have observed over and over again is the difficulty these students have making future predictions based on the identified pattern. … More Solving for “x” but “y”? »
“In mathematics the art of proposing a question must be held in higher value than solving it.” (Georg Cantor) The art of proposing a question is critical in our math classes because as educators we want to promote thinking and reasoning. Some questions posed by adults can be very closed … More Everybody Has Questions! »
