Episoder

  • High School Mathematics Reimagined Revitalized and Relevant

    High School Mathematics Reimagined Revitalized and Relevant

    · Room to Grow - a Math Podcast

    In this episode of Room to Grow, Joanie and Curtis speak with leaders of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) about their recent publication, High School Mathematics Reimagined, Revitalized and Relevant. Latrenda Knighten, NCTM President and Kevin Dykema, NCTM Past-President share a great overview of how rethinking how and what we teach in high school math can be improved so that more students leave high school prepared. This preparation involves not only knowing more mathematics, but believing in their capability as math learners and in their preparation for whatever path they have chosen for themselves after graduating.

    The new “three Rs” of high school math build on NCTM’s previous high school publication, Catalyzing Change in High School Mathematics: Initiating Critical Conversations from 2018, and give practical examples and suggestions to engage students in mathematical and statistical modeling, make connections across major concepts, and using mathematical and statistical processes as a frame for student thinking.

    We encourage you to explore the resources below, referenced in this episode:

    o You can find NCTM’s webpage dedicated to supporting the book HERE

    o NCTM’s webinar about the book was recorded and is available to all HERE

    o More information about the Launch Years Pathways work out of the Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin can be found HERE

    o Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE) reports can be found HERE

    Did you enjoy this episode of Room to Grow? Please leave a review and share the episode with others. Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected] . Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy.

  • Asset-Based Teaching to Transform Math Class

    Asset-Based Teaching to Transform Math Class

    · Room to Grow - a Math Podcast

    In this episode of Room to Grow, Joanie and Curtis speak with Mike Steele and Joleigh Honey, authors of the recently released book transform your math class using asset-based teaching for grades 6-12. The book and the conversation explore what is meant by “asset-based,” and why shifting to more asset-based approaches supports a broader range of learners.

    Mike and Joleigh unpack ideas around asset-based language, including, the language of mathematics, the language students use to talk about math, and the language educators use to talk about students. They also explore classroom and instructional routines, many of which are already in common use in classrooms, and how to ensure these routines fall more on the asset side of the continuum than on the deficit side. Finally, the conversation shifts to the larger educational structures that could benefit from a more asset-focused lens.

    We encourage you to explore the resources below, referenced in this episode:

    · Mike and Joleigh’s book, Tranform your math class using asset-based teaching for grades 6-12 can be found here

    · Learn more about Mike Steele here or here and about Joleigh Honey here or here

    · Mike and Joleigh both serve on the NCTM Board of Directors

    Did you enjoy this episode of Room to Grow? Please leave a review and share the episode with others. Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected] . Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy.

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  • Teaching and Learning Math: Students’ Perspectives - Part 2

    Teaching and Learning Math: Students’ Perspectives - Part 2

    · Room to Grow - a Math Podcast

    In this episode of Room to Grow, Joanie and Curtis continue their conversations with middle and high school students to gain their perspectives on learning math. Our hosts interviewed six students from grades 7-12 in three different sessions. Because all of these conversations were rich with great comments, this is the second of two episodes of Room to Grow devoted to these students’ perspectives; if you haven’t already listened to part 1, we encourage you to do so.

    Part 2 focuses on these students’ perceptions on asking questions in class and managing when they don’t understand, as well as their thoughts about homework. Once again, these students shared some really powerful ideas, and we hope they get you thinking!

    We encourage you to explore the resources below, referenced in this episode:

    · Riya’s Ramblings podcast – find on your favorite podcast platform or HERE on Apple Podcasts

    · Not the article Joanie mentioned, but some other great ideas for teaching students how to study

    Teaching Students to Use Evidence-Based Study StrategiesFive Ways to Teach Students the Skill of Active StudyingTeaching Your Students How to StudyResources for thinking about homeworkNCTM resources related to homeworkIdeas for Assigning More Meaningful Math Homework

    Did you enjoy this episode of Room to Grow? Please leave a review and share the episode with others. Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected] . Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy.

  • Teaching and Learning Math: Students’ Perspectives - Part 1

    Teaching and Learning Math: Students’ Perspectives - Part 1

    · Room to Grow - a Math Podcast

    In this episode of Room to Grow, Joanie and Curtis have conversations with middle and high school students to gain their perspectives on learning math. They interviewed six students from grades 7-12 in three different sessions. Because all of these conversations were rich with great comments, the next two episodes of Room to Grow will be devoted to these students’ perspectives.

    Part 1 focuses on what the students said their teachers do or don’t do in the classroom that supports their learning. We heard about the importance of being able to talk to others during class, to move around and actively engage students in the lesson, and understanding, supporting, and normalizing that students learn at different paces. Future episodes center on the conversations around homework and the importance of their teachers in forming their own mathematical identity and the culture of learning in the classroom. You may be surprised at how much you learn from these students.

    We encourage you to explore the resources below, referenced in this episode:

    Riya’s Ramblings podcast – find on your favorite podcast platform or HERE on Apple PodcastsResources for getting students talking in math classBlog post on developing math language routinesBlog post with strategies for supporting mathematics discourse in your classroomResources for getting students up and moving in classBlog post with ideas for beginning, middle and end of classBlog post with easy to implement ideas

    Did you enjoy this episode of Room to Grow? Please leave a review and share the episode with others. Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected] . Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy.

  • Part 2: Wisconsin Math Council’s CALL to Action

    Part 2: Wisconsin Math Council’s CALL to Action

    · Room to Grow - a Math Podcast

    In this episode of Room to Grow, Joanie and Curtis continue their conversation from the Wisconsin Math Council’s annual conference.

    Wisconsin mathematics education leaders Mary Mooney and Lisa Hennessey share additional thoughts on the remaining pillars of their conference theme, A C.A.L.L. to Action, embracing the roles of Community, Advocacy, Leadership, and Learning. Additionally, we hear some questions from the session audience. If you haven’t already, be sure to go back and listen to the first episode, then enjoy this month’s conversation.

    We encourage you to explore the resources below, referenced in this episode:

    Wisconsin Mathematics Council: https://www.wismath.org/

    Did you enjoy this episode of Room to Grow? Please leave a review and share the episode with others. Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy.

  • Part 1: Wisconsin Math Council’s CALL to Action

    Part 1: Wisconsin Math Council’s CALL to Action

    · Room to Grow - a Math Podcast

    In this episode of Room to Grow, we join our hosts at the Wisconsin Math Council’s annual conference. Wisconsin mathematics education leaders Mary Mooney and Lisa Hennessey join Curtis and Joanie for a discussion focused on the conference theme, A C.A.L.L. to Action, embracing the roles of Community, Advocacy, Leadership, and Learning.

    Due to the extended nature of this great conversation, this month’s episode features Community and Advocacy. Stay tuned for next month’s continuation of the conversation, focused on Leadership and Learning.

    We encourage you to explore the resources below, referenced in this episode:

    Wisconsin Mathematics Council: https://www.wismath.org/

    Did you enjoy this episode of Room to Grow? Please leave a review and share the episode with others. Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected].

    Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy.

  • Making Sense of Mathematics

    Making Sense of Mathematics

    · Room to Grow - a Math Podcast

    In this episode of Room to Grow, our hosts discuss ways to support student sense-making in teaching and learning mathematics. Building out on the ideas shared in Episode 3 of Room to Grow, Curtis and Joanie dive more deeply into what it means for students to “make sense of mathematics.”

    They discuss what it looks and sounds like when students are making sense, as opposed to just repeating back learned ideas, and consider which classroom structures and teacher moves might best support students’ sense-making.

    They acknowledge that sense-making is not more or less important than learning mathematical skills and fluency, but that it is a part of deep learning and of a student’s ability to generalize their understanding.

    As Peter Liljedahl says in Building Thinking Classrooms, “The goal of building thinking classrooms is not to find engaging tasks for students to think about. The goal of thinking classrooms is to build engaged students that are willing to think about any task.”

    We encourage you to explore the resources below, referenced in this episode:

    The Standards for Mathematical Practice, now referenced in most states’ math standards and originally published by the Council of Chief State School Officers and the Governor’s Association;Jo Boaler’s Math-ish book and website;Peter Liljedahl’s book and website Building Thinking Classrooms, and Robert Kaplinsky’s blog post about why you should read it.

    Did you enjoy this episode of Room to Grow? Please leave a review and share the episode with others. Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy.

  • Balancing Instructional Modalities

    Balancing Instructional Modalities

    · Room to Grow - a Math Podcast

    In this episode of Room to Grow, our hosts look for the balance between instruction that is teacher-driven, traditional lecture-style, and inquiry-based, discovery-style lessons. They recognize the value of both types of teaching, understanding that there is a time in learning for both exploration and for direct and explicit teaching.

    The conversation offers explanation of what conditions may require different teaching strategies, based on the goals and content of the lesson as well as how students are responding to and progressing (or not) toward intended learning.

    The common theme between these approaches is student sense-making, and our hosts each share a personal example of taking opportunities to encourage sense-making in students.

    We encourage you to explore the resources below, referenced in this episode:

    NCTM President Kevin Dykema’s President’s message that sparked this episode: https://www.nctm.org/News-and-Calendar/Messages-from-the-President/Archive/Kevin-Dykema/Balancing-Instructional-Strategies-in-the-Math-Classroom/ TI’s Building Concepts lesson on structure in solving equations: https://education.ti.com/en/t3-professional-development/for-teachers-and-teams/online-learning/on-demand-webinars/2016/building-concepts-foundations-for-success-in-expressions-and-equations A sample problem-based curriculum for middle school (NOT the one Curtis’ son uses!): https://curriculum.illustrativemathematics.org/MS/teachers/what_is_pbc.html

    Did you enjoy this episode of Room to Grow? Please leave a review and share the episode with others. Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected].

    Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy.

  • A conversation with the National Teacher of the Year

    A conversation with the National Teacher of the Year

    · Room to Grow - a Math Podcast

    In this episode of Room to Grow, our hosts share conversation with Rebecka Peterson, the 2023 National Teacher of the Year (NTOY). Rebecka is a high school math teacher at Union High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on leave for the 2023-24 school year to fulfill her NTOY responsibilities. She views the NTOY not as an award, but rather a job, that of spokesperson and ambassador for the teaching profession.

    In this conversation, we learn about her teaching journey and the lessons she learned along the way that have shaped her focus in the classroom. She shares how she focuses on connections with students – connections to each other, to school, to the content, and to their communities. She reflects on current struggles facing math education systems, and her belief that choice could drive better student engagement, more student learning, and less teacher burnout.

    We encourage you to explore the resources below, referenced in this episode:

    Learn more about the National Teacher of the Year program HERE See Rebecka’s NCTM Handout with more detail about her “Connections” talk and resources she uses in her own classroomLearn more about Explore Mathematics by Sam Shah, mentioned by RebeckaLearn more about Rebecka’s End-of-unit creative summary projectVisit Rebecka’s NTOY webpage HERE Direct link to press kit (including photos) Direct link to request RebeckaConnect with and learn more about Rebecka Peterson Instagram - @Rebeckapeterson_X (formerly Twitter) - @RebeckaMozdehMedium blog - medium.com/@rebeckapeterson

    Did you enjoy this episode of Room to Grow? Please leave a review and share the episode with others! Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected].

    Be sure to connect with your hosts on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy.

  • Uncovering Student Thinking

    Uncovering Student Thinking

    · Room to Grow - a Math Podcast

    In this episode of Room to Grow, Curtis and Joanie consider ways to uncover how students are actually thinking about the mathematics they are learning. Using a real-life, recent incident between Curtis and his sixth grade son, our hosts consider the challenging fact that many students think that success in math class means figuring out what answer the teacher (or the computer program/app, or the back of the book) is looking for.

    They posit that when educators are always focused on the mathematics of the moment – what is being learned in a single lesson, week, or unit – we can focus students on the smaller grain size ideas instead of helping them to place their learning in the bigger picture of mathematics as a whole. As always, the episode recognizes that teachers work very hard at a very complex task: teaching young minds to deeply understand important mathematics!

    We encourage you to explore the resources below, referenced in this episode:

    “Listening to and Learning from Student Thinking,” by Elham Kazemi, Lynsey K. Gibbons, Kendra Lomax, and Megan L. Franke from Teaching Children Mathematics, October 2016.“Making Student Thinking Public,” by Shari Stockero and Laura R. Van Zoest from The Mathematics Teacher, May 2011.“Attending to Evidence of Students’ Thinking during Instruction,” by Miriam Gamoran Sherin and James Lynn, from Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, May 2019.The Five Practices for Orchestrating Productive Mathematical Discussions by Margaret Smith and Mary Kay Stein, ISBN: 978-1-68054-016-1

    Did you enjoy this episode of Room to Grow? Please leave a review and share the episode with others. Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy.

  • Deep Mathematical Thinking Using Math Milestones Tasks

    Deep Mathematical Thinking Using Math Milestones Tasks

    · Room to Grow - a Math Podcast

    In this episode of Room to Grow, special guests Sandra Lightman and John Staley help Joanie and Curtis understand the Math Milestones. These one-page resources include 12-14 math tasks that provide a visualization of and engagement with the math standards of each grade. The Math Milestones tasks present grade level math, not as a list of standards or learning outcomes, but as a groups of math tasks, a language understood by teachers and students.

    The Math Milestones project was supported by Student Achievement Partners with Sandra and John as critical members of the team. The resources, available for free online, include a set of teacher notes that support using these tasks to better understand the math of each grade level, and to engage educators in conversations that get to the depth of the intended learning. Additional work is being done to provide “asset maps,” resources that allow educators to use student work and responses to the Math Milestones tasks to better understand and build upon students’ strengths.

    We encourage you to explore the resources below, referenced in this episode:

    Learn more about the Math Milestones project on their website HEREFind the grade level grids (sets of tasks) HEREReview the teacher notes for each grade level HEREExplore additional resources to support teaching the standards from Student Achievement Partners

    Did you enjoy this episode of Room to Grow? Please leave a review and share the episode with others. Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected] . Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy.

  • Impacting Teaching Practice with Routines for Reasoning

    Impacting Teaching Practice with Routines for Reasoning

    · Room to Grow - a Math Podcast

    In this episode of Room to Grow, Curtis and Joanie continue their conversation with Grace Kelemanik and Amy Lucenta. In follow-up to our previous episode, this conversation shifts to a focus on teachers and how the Reason Routines help them to be more effective with more students.

    We begin by talking about what makes teaching hard – including the fact that teachers make a million decisions every day in response to the students in the room and how they are engaging with the content; and that doesn’t even include the day-to-day challenges of interruptions, meetings, grading papers, and on and on! The routines are a support for teachers to use a structure for learning that frees them up to be responsive to the students in the moment.

    As we learned in the previous episode, the routines help teachers to (a) focus on student thinking, (b) get out of the middle of learning, and (c) support students’ productive struggle. These concrete strategies engage all learners in mathematical thinking, supporting special populations from the start rather than requiring an additional set of approaches to support them. Additionally, the routines create student agency in mathematics, providing ways for students to listen to, engage with, and learn from one another.

    We encourage you to explore the resources below, referenced in this episode:

    Be sure to explore Grace Kelemanik and Amy Lucenta’s website, Fostering Mathematical Practices 

 and their books, Routines for Reasoning and Teaching for Thinking.Explore infographics, tasks, and more for the Connecting Representations routine.See the Connecting Representations routine in action in this classroom video.

    Be sure to go back and listen to Part 1 of this conversation if you haven’t already!!

    Did you enjoy this episode of Room to Grow? Please leave a review and share the episode with others. Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected] . Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy.

  • Routines for Supporting Student Thinking

    Routines for Supporting Student Thinking

    · Room to Grow - a Math Podcast

    In this episode of Room to Grow, Grace Kelemanik and Amy Lucenta join Curtis and Joanie to talk about how routines can provide the “opportunity and support for each and every student develop mathematical thinking and reasoning.” Although routines are used by most educators for a variety of reasons, Grace and Amy focus on “Routines for Reasoning,” which are specifically designed and structured to surface the ways that students are thinking about the mathematics and to better understanding the reasoning of their classmates to reinforce the mathematics content and thinking goals.

    In this extended episode, Amy and Grace dive deeply into the “Four Rs” and “Annotation,” two of the five “Essential Strategies” that teachers employ within the routines, with an emphasis on how these strategies provide access and opportunity for all students to engage in the deep thinking of the lesson. Then, they describe the “Connecting Representations” routine in detail to help listeners understand the power of the routines in action. As Grace shares, the power of the routines and essential strategies is that they help teachers to “hand over agency to the students. Teachers are no longer are the sole authority in the classroom... it’s the students doing the heavy lifting.”

    We encourage you to explore the resources below, referenced in this episode:

    Be sure to explore Grace Kelemanik and Amy Lucenta’s website, Fostering Mathematical Practices 
...and their books, Routines for Reasoning and Teaching for Thinking. Explore infographics, tasks, and more for the Connecting Representations routine.See the Connecting Representations routine in action in this classroom video.

    Be sure to join us for part 2 of this conversation next month!

    Did you enjoy this episode of Room to Grow? Please leave a review and share the episode with others. Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy.

  • How Important is Teacher Content Knowledge?

    How Important is Teacher Content Knowledge?

    · Room to Grow - a Math Podcast

    In this episode of Room to Grow, Joanie and Curtis host special guest Dr. Katey Arrington to discuss the importance of teacher content knowledge.

    Dr. Arrington is the Associate Director of the UTeach Institute at the University of Texas at Austin. She is also serving in the Presidential line for NCSM: Leadership in Mathematics Education from 2022-2026. Previously, she led the K-12 system services work at the Charles A. Dana Center, served as a mathematics coordinator for a growing, diverse district in Texas, instructional coach, and taught in both K-12 and community college systems. Katey earned a Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Planning, Master of Arts in Mathematics Education, and Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. She has extensive experience in leading networks for growing impact and designing and implementing system-level change for increasing equitable outcomes.

    Early on in the conversation, it is agreed that caring about students in a non-negotiable and important component of effective teaching, but caring without math content knowledge is not likely to result in student learning. Our hosts and their guest explore the ideas of pedagogical content knowledge, math content for teaching, and approaching mathematics as ways of thinking, not just ways of getting answers. Expanding learning is presented as a group endeavor, but also something a teacher can pursue on one’s own.

    We encourage you to explore the resources below, referenced in this episode:

    The Developing Mathematical Ideas (DMI) professional learning programNumberphile on You Tube is one of Curtis’ favorite sources to explore mathematical curiosityThe Coherence Map from Student Achievement Partners on the Achieve the Core website provides a clickable visual map of how content standards connect and build on one another

    Did you enjoy this episode of Room to Grow? Please leave a review and share the episode with others. Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy.

  • Learning Experiences Aligned to Post-Secondary Goals

    Learning Experiences Aligned to Post-Secondary Goals

    · Room to Grow - a Math Podcast

    In this episode of Room to Grow, Joanie and Curtis talk about an important role of math education: preparing students for the life they want to pursue after high school. Whether it’s college, trade school, the military, or directly into the work force, a student’s goals and desires should drive their learning experiences throughout their PK-12 years, and the course offerings, counseling and advising, and school system overall should, ideally, prepare all students for the outcomes they desire.

    They recognize early in the conversation that this isn’t just about high school, isn’t just about courses, and isn’t just about math. They dive into ideas around career choices, advocating for students’ best interests, and the challenges in creating a system with the depth, breadth, and flexibility required to truly prepare all students. There aren’t easy answers to these questions, but we hope the conversation sparks thinking, discussion, and actions in your setting that support more students to be better prepared for their chosen futures.

    We encourage you to explore the resources below, referenced in this episode:

    American Progress Math Pathways: The Way Forward report: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/math-pathways/ NCTM’s former President Robert Berry’s blog post on Mathematics Pathways from December, 2019: https://www.nctm.org/News-and-Calendar/Messages-from-the-President/Archive/Robert-Q_-Berry-III/Lets-Talk-About-Mathematics-Pathways/ EdWeek article challenging calculus as the “peak of high school math” https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/calculus-is-the-peak-of-high-school-math-maybe-its-time-to-change-that/2018/05 Just Equations report on calculus and college admissions: https://justequations.org/resource/a-new-calculus-for-college-admissions-how-policy-practice-and-perceptions-of-high-school-math-education-limit-equitable-access-to-college

    Did you enjoy this episode of Room to Grow? Please leave a review and share the episode with others. Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy.

  • We Don’t Just Teach Math, We Teach Students

    We Don’t Just Teach Math, We Teach Students

    · Room to Grow - a Math Podcast

    In this episode of Room to Grow, Joanie and Curtis explore ideas around the emotional side of learning and how it impacts students in their academic growth. Because we and our students are humans - and humans have emotions - it is impossible to learn without a connection to our emotions, whether those emotions are positive or negative. As educators reflect over the summer and begin to plan for the upcoming school year, we hope you’ll consider the emotional side of your students’ experiences in math class.

    Joanie and Curtis suggest planning for the emotional experiences alongside planning for content. As a teacher, how might you consider the ways students will feel in sharing their early thinking, perceiving their responses or others as “incorrect,” or being influenced by previous traumatic experiences with math? With some thoughtful planning and attention, these emotional experiences can be managed and leveraged to support learning for all student in the classroom, including those who are traditionally successful and may have positive feelings about math.

    We hope the content in this episode will help you consider ideas you may not have thought about before, and spark discussion with your educator friends.

    We encourage you to explore the resources below, referenced in this episode:

    Special issue of Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK-12 on Social and Emotional Learning and Mathematics Learning from November, 2022 (membership required).Access, Power, Identity, and Healing in Mathematics by Sara Gartland, Shellee Wong, and Laurie Silverstein (membership required).Our previous conversation on Room to Grow with Juliana Tapper in August, 2022. Rough Draft Math by Amanda JansenJo Boaler article on connection between timed tests and math anxiety

    Did you enjoy this episode of Room to Grow? Please leave a review and share the episode with others. Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy.

  • Don’t Lose the Mathematics

    Don’t Lose the Mathematics

    · Room to Grow - a Math Podcast

    In this episode of Room to Grow, Joanie and Curtis talk about teaching strategies for remembering in mathematics, such as mnemonic devices, tricks, and gimmicks.

    They challenge the notion that teaching with tricks is inherently bad, and discuss how to determine when a strategy intended to help students learn might actually work against their understanding of the underlying mathematics. For instance, “FOIL” and “SOH-CAH-TOA” are both frequently taught in high school math classes, yet one is a way to remember mathematical definitions (not a trick!) and the other is a random association for a limited procedure (a trick!). So what about if a student creates their own strategy or trick while learning math?

    Join our hosts in trying to make sense of how and when remembering strategies are helpful and when they might be more harmful.

    We encourage you to explore the resources below, referenced in this episode:

    Nix the Tricks – available to download for freeThirteen Rules that Expire is an article from Teaching Children Mathematics (NCTM membership required) about commonly taught ideas in elementary school that don’t support long-term learning. This blog about the article does not require NCTM membership.Twelve Math Rules that Expire in the Middle Grades is a similar publication from Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School (NCTM membership required) with middle school-specific ideas.This EdWeek article includes a commentary from Dr. Hilary Kreisberg about “nixing tricks.”

    Did you enjoy this episode of Room to Grow? Please leave a review and share the episode with others. Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy.

  • Hot Takes on Important Math Topics

    Hot Takes on Important Math Topics

    · Room to Grow - a Math Podcast

    In this episode of Room to Grow, Joanie and Curtis share a friendly debate about which math topic is the most important for students to learn.

    There are many math topics that could be argued as the most important, and we’d love to hear your hot take, too!

    Take a listen to Curtis explaining why the meaning of the equals sign is crucial and Joanie arguing that proportional relationships are especially important. Then reach out to agree with one of them, or share a different topic that you find most important.

    We encourage you to explore the resources below, referenced in this episode:

    Resources related to the meaning of the equals sign:

    Texas Instruments Building Concepts activities around the equals sign and the meaning of equationsMarilyn Burns’ take on The Equals Sign: What it Really MeansIf you are a research-y type, you might enjoy this research article Understanding the Equals Sign as a Gateway to Algebraic Thinking or this thesis paper Making Sense of the Equal Sign in Middle School MathematicsGeorge Strait song All My Exes Live in Texas 😊

    Resources related to proportional relationships:

    The progressions document on Ratios and Proportional Relationships from the University of Arizona supporting how proportional relationships develop in middle school standardsThe Coherence Map from Achieve the Core showing how the concept of proportional relationships is connected to many other important math conceptsA blog post titled Proportionality Confusion which explains how common methods for teaching about proportion often loses the big idea of proportional relationships

    Did you enjoy this episode of Room to Grow? Please leave a review and share the episode with others. Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy.

  • Unleashing the Mathematical Brilliance of All Students

    Unleashing the Mathematical Brilliance of All Students

    · Room to Grow - a Math Podcast

    In this episode of Room to Grow, Joanie and Curtis talk with Rachel Lambert, known for her research on teaching mathematics to students with disabilities.

    Rachel’s passion and enthusiasm is matched by her knowledge, and the combination makes for a powerful conversation full of great resources, ideas, and suggestions for classroom teachers. If you haven’t heard Rachel speak before, you are in for a treat!

    We encourage you to explore the resources below, referenced in this episode:

    Rachel’s website where she provides free access to her research: https://mathematizing4all.com/ Jay T. Domage’s book on Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Academic Ableism. Choose the “Open Access” or “Audio Download” versions which are free.General information about Universal Design for Learning HERE and HEREEdmund Harriss’ website and a really cool mathematical adult coloring book he co-created Learn more about neurodiversity and what it means for teachers and schools HERE and HERE

    Did you enjoy this episode of Room to Grow? Please leave a review and share the episode with others. Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected].

    Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy.

  • Teaching and Learning Math from an Assets Perspective

    Teaching and Learning Math from an Assets Perspective

    · Room to Grow - a Math Podcast

    In this episode of Room to Grow, Joanie and Curtis discuss and asset-based approach to teaching and learning mathematics.

    They emphasize that all students bring strengths to learning mathematics, whether it be from a cultural, language, or ways of thinking lens, and that by assuming that all students have and bring strengths, math educators invite even more learners to be successful. As usual, our hosts share their personal experiences, anecdotes and ideas that they hope you’ll relate to.

    We encourage you to explore the resources below, referenced in this episode:

    Classroom practices that compliment and asset-based approach to teaching and learning math https://www.ifl-news.pitt.edu/2021/09/three-practices-that-compliment-an-asset-based-approach-to-teaching-and-learning-in-math-classrooms/ Edutopia article on setting a high bar for all students https://www.edutopia.org/article/using-asset-based-approach-instruction-and-assessment/Research from the Journal for Research in Mathematics Education about asset-based mathematics instruction https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5951/jresematheduc.49.4.0373

    Did you enjoy this episode of Room to Grow? Please leave a review and share the episode with others. Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy.

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