Reflect after you have implemented a task in your thinking classroom:
Give it a try! Implement the strategies that you have learned to provide your students with a rich math experience in your thinking classroom.
Consider the following questions:
- What might you do differently next time?
Respond and Interact
After implementing a task in your classroom, please post your response to one {or more} of the prompts above. Read our colleagues' reflections. Feel free to respond to someone by sharing a comment, insight or interesting possibility.
I implemented some of the random grouping strategies in our August staff days. It was really fun to watch the excitement among the staff of having a clear group that they belong to and not have to worry about finding a group. The first day I used the card strategy to make groups for pictionary to solidify our learning around PLC+. The next day I used colored teddy bears from a kindergarten classroom to make groups to do some thinking around the crosscutting values. Each random grouping strategy was fun and very easy to do!
ReplyDeleteI also implemented random grouping to pick our partners to do the first activity in our new math curriculum. I edited the cards Christel sent out with cute animal pictures and the kids were SO excited to see what animal they got and who their partner was. They have already asked to use these cards again soon. :) I think this strategy a lot because it takes the pressure off finding a partner and the drama that can sometimes come when picking partners. It allows kids to work with partners outside of their friend group and hopefully make some new friends. I am definitely excited to use these cards again soon! I also cannot wait to try out the wipe books in the next couple of weeks! :)
ReplyDeleteMy first implementation has been random partners. I felt like this was an easy first step, even though the book recommended the first three practices be implemented simultaneously. I wasn't ready to truly jump in with a deep thinking task, nor was I ready to implement using the wipebooks (which I am truly thrilled about!). Since the first day of school, all of my groupings and partnerings have been randomly assigned. I thought that absolutely for sure there would be push back about not being with our friends, however I have been delightfully surprised at their responses. This group, I can tell, will be a group that I will have to implement new things very slowly with. Having missed the end of Kindergarten, and experiencing much of 1st grade as remote or hybrid (which relied heavily on parent buy in) , these new thirdlings are working on what it looks and feels like to be a student. I attempted to jump in and use the strategy of giving a (light) thinking task verbally and while standing, but it was clear that we needed to work on some other important pieces of being mathematicians first. I am truly looking forward to seeing how changing my own thinking of how math instruction should be like, and implementing it, changes the thinking of my students.
ReplyDeleteMy 2nd grade class did their first thinking task today using random groups and the vertical wipe books. It was incredible! I used the "Farmer John" problem from the BTC book. Students needed to figure out how many chickens and pigs could be on the farm if there were 22 legs total. I gave the problem orally while they stood (I definitely saw higher engagement while doing this). They worked in groups of 3 for about 20-25 minutes. I expected more students to say "I'm done, now what?" since this was our first try at problem-solving, but out of the 6 groups, I only had one! When I asked them if they thought they found all of the solutions, they told me, "No" and were able to continue working. I also noticed a few groups looking at each other's boards and attempting to copy some of what the other groups were doing. They weren't really conversing with one another, but I was delighted that they were looking to each other for ideas instead of me. I saw attempts at many different strategies: equations (some even used multiplication!), drawings, repeated addition, etc. For the next time, I may try a less complex problem. Only one group of students was able to find correct solutions for this problem, which I didn't expect, but I guess it's still pretty early in the year. :) I loved that there were multiple solutions to this problem, so I will try to find one similar for our next task. Overall, I think it went well and I can't wait to see how they grow as mathematical thinkers and problem-solvers over the next year.
ReplyDeleteI love this so much Renee! I can imagine that "math buzz" in your room was contagious. Yay you!
DeleteI immediately implemented random groups. Using popsicle sticks, I intentionally put them in groups of 3, or triads. Thinking about the conversation about partners versus triads. We did it with all areas of our school day, and they were very clear it is random and you just never know who you are going to work with so you better be ready to work with everyone. We were intentional about our body language when partners are chosen. We talked about their reactions and how a negative one to their partners chosen can seriously impact their partner work. One aspect I have already done as well is defront the classroom when I am using easel work. It is intentionally in the back of the room. I am wondering how to best prioritize what to do next. Finishing lesson 1.2 of Illustrative Math, I easily see how creating levels of problems can be instituted, increasing rigor and challenge for students. We created all the arrays for a number. While each group got 2 numbers, one number was "easier" or prime, while the other number was more complex/composite. It will be interesting to do in a morning activity on Monday with a more complex number to see how many of the different arrays they can build.
ReplyDeleteWe tried out our wipe books this week as well! I immediately saw the impact they had on student engagement. The best part, was seeing my students persevere as thinkers through some very challenging tasks. I also noticed the sense of collaboration and accountability that spread throughout my classroom community. We started with a less tricky problem, and my goal was to see my students as critical thinkers, and also to build a sense of team work early in the year. The problem I chose was "What color am I?" a seemingly simple task that caught my attention early in our reading, pg. 69. I posed the problem to the group verbally, and printed the problem with visuals for my students with unique abilities and my ELL students. Many students underestimated the complexity of the task. Students collaborated intently - deliberating a plan, implementing trial and error, marking up to show what worked and what did not. I could also see the inter-group transfer of strategies as students began to really chip away towards the solution. Based on our Unit 1 pre-assessment, there was also a need to review addition and subtraction with regrouping. Our class used the wipe books to draw pictorial models for regrouping, I was also able to easily differentiate by changing the amount of digits each group was working within. I look forward to continue to use my knowledge from "Thinking Classrooms" and our new wipe books to build my community of thinkers this school year.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that the wipe books worked out well. I want to use it more. From your success story, I hope to incorporate it more. I
DeleteAfter several days of implementation, I can say confidently that Wipebooks are a regular and readily requested routine in our math bock. Our routine includes a standing huddle to review the task with visual cues to ensure all learners feel confident they understand the expectations and rationale for the task, the formation of visibly random groups through popsicle sticks, a myriad of different vertical (and non-vertical due to space limitations) surfaces students have found work best for our classroom, and knowledge mobilization through gallery walks/presentations/strategy presentations, and other forms of sharing. While it has not been without its fair share of mishaps (marker wars, frustration with sharing the Wipebooks, and some unrelated doodling...), every task has lent itself to rich, teachable moments. Students are tangibly more open and honest with their thinking, more willing to take on difficult tasks that may require skills they do not yet possess, and are eager to engage and increase stamina throughout the duration of our math block. Printed mini-versions of the tasks at the end of each chapter of our BTC book have been easy to tape to the top of Wipebooks for those groups demonstrating mastery and the capacity to extend their thinking with a new challenge. As much as I had anticipated the positive outcomes of this shift in our learning routines, I had not expected the level of acceptance my students had for such a radical shift from past years of mathematic instruction. A line from page 284 from the final chapter resonated with me, "...the students allow themselves to change, to be different, to deviate from their normal mimicking behaviors, and to begin to really think." I have begun to recognize that it is not my imposition of these new modalities of learning that have facilitated the greatest transformation of their lives as mathematicians but rather their willingness to use these tools and opportunities for thinking as fuel for their own learning. While there are many components of the "Rebuilding Thinking Classrooms Framework" (p. 284) I have yet to integrate and refine within my own teaching practice, I know what is necessary and what it looks like in actuality. I know the work we have done as a cohort is improving the lives of our learners and my competency as a guide on their paths for the better.
ReplyDeleteTwo strategies I have tried so far this year are random grouping and defronting the classroom. Although it has taken my students and I some time to get used to our classroom set up, I love having different places for instruction and think my students also benefit from flexible seating in different spots. Random grouping has gone well, I have used popsicle sticks and even a wheel of names. This has really helped build our classroom community as students get the opportunity to work with all of their peers. Another idea I have reflecting on and implementing is the type of hints I give in my classroom. As we practice math routines and begin to lay the foundation for math I have been very aware of the type of hint and how it helps my students. I am so excited to try wipe books soon and so are my students. 😊
ReplyDeleteI've loved implementing many of the ideas with my students in the past few days. We've tried random grouping, which students responded positively too, and this increased engagement and agency. We also used the wipe boards around a number routine. They worked as teams to represent their strategies and used color coded expo markers to ensure everyone was able to contribute/participate. We did a silent museum walk, sparking new strategies and ideas that students could add to their own wipe boards, and then shined the spotlight on each group to share their thinking and make connections. The most impactful move on my part this week has been defronting during math lessons, and throughout the day. The first time I implemented it was pretty funny b/c they had gathered at the carpet and they were all facing the whiteboard, and I stood at the opposite side of the room to begin the lesson. They were giggling as they spun around on their bottoms to try to find me. After that, they knew that they had to be on their toes, and ready to adapt to where and how the lessons would unfold. I could see my students' faces light up as they realized things weren't going to be the "same" way they'd always done things. I've loved learning about these powerful moves and look forward to practicing a bit more and sharing with my colleagues.
ReplyDeleteThe strategies I've learned from this book have been so helpful in implementing the Illustrative Math curriculum these first two weeks! I have begun to use each of the 3 strategies in the first toolkit: give thinking tasks, frequently form visibly random groups, and use vertical non-permanent surfaces. I love that Illustrative Math has thinking tasks built in to its units. I've been using Class Dojo to form the random groups; I appreciate that it is very quick and easily displayed. We are still working as a class on what it looks and sounds like to work in a group, and practicing those skills. While I haven't used one yet, I can see how having students help construct a rubric on a continuum that helps them see how they are doing as a teammate would be beneficial. For now, I am complimenting group members who are following the norms and seeking compliments from peers. As students begin to "operate with a rhythm of routines, expectations, and patterns" (p.283), I hope to feel more comfortable adding in some of the teacher moves of the second toolkit, as well.
ReplyDeleteSo I tried to do the highly thinking tasks and it went ok. The kids were put into random groups ( I used blocks) and we spread all over the carpet. I had not set up the whiteboards yet. I tried the squares from the book on page 21. It was very interesting to see that all the groups got all the same numbers. Then I tried to give some hints and ask them what a square was and so forth. Some kids started to think while others still saw the same amount. From this, I am going to try this again and try the thinking tasks ( not related to curriculum) on Mondays. I am really interested in this where kids can have conversations and work together. I want to try the math thinking tasks on the other days. I also tried random grouping and I loved that. I have been using plastic colored squares. I want to use a deck of cards ( as soon as I find them). I hope to continue to practice this technique and be more confident. Thanks. I have really enjoyed this book!
ReplyDeleteI am still a firm believer in the gospel from BTS, but found that I needed to dial back a bit for my particular group of learners. On the second day of school, I pulled out my random grouping cards (which the kids LOVED) but they weren't quite ready to jump in and try somethings so new with their new peers. I really should have given them a little bit longer to get to know their peers a little, but it has already gotten better. I'm thinking what I want to do is have kids draw their card and go directly to a predesignated work space as kids (of course) were trading so they could be in a group with someone they knew. We tried one of the activities from the book (how many 7s would you write between 0-100. They had fun, but weren't pleased when I would drop an "Are you sure you have them all?" and walk away. But I did!
ReplyDeleteI am not at the phase of defronting my classroom - too reliant on slides right now, however, I was able to have kids standing near me for directions and they did really well when it was time to work with their buddy. I'm not sure if it was the strategy or the directions that were more clear - but it worked! More practice will definitely be in store with these strategies for math!
I have tried out random groups with name sticks and giving verbal directions while standing. My class tried a task where they created math models with a set of numbers such as 3,4,7. I sent them to different areas around the room and used a smaller whiteboard. I need to get the wipe books out and up - I'm not sure how I can get them against a flat surface for my students with the furniture I have. I'm collecting large cardboard to clip them to in the mean time!
ReplyDeleteThe most successful piece for me has been pulling my class to a huddle for directions - this is working beyond just math. The engagement and transition time is fast, which I love. They also don't expect it, which is fun.
I like your idea of using large cardboard to clip the wipe boards to! That would free up a lot of space for me.
DeleteI implemented several of the strategies from the book so far in my classroom. I have set up 8 whiteboards for groups to work at and this has been a nice change. I really can see more kids actively engaged then previously. I have started with bringing the students to one spot so they can "huddle" around and listen to instruction then they go off with there randomly selected partners to complete the problem. Usually it is a warm up or math talk problem but I have started to take questions from their student journals and had then work together on those. I also have to say, having the whiteboard work spaces has also been useful for science and I used them for a couple gallery walks already. The next thing I am going to try is creating a rubric of our math unit that I post using anchor charts and have the kids reflect on where they are at. This isn't quite what the book suggests, but at this time it really is all I have time to do and i think it will get the kids started on self reflecting on their understanding.
ReplyDeleteThe hardest part so far is the finding the additional time to plan and then to complete the group work in our math block. Another thing that I have found harder to do than I thought it would be is, not helping them to answer questions. I find sometimes I want to do like a little mini lesson instead of just a hint. This will all take some time to get more comfortable, but I am finding that I enjoy the new things I have added to math this year.
My kids absolutely love the Wipebooks! The first few times were a little rocky as we learned what our routines and expectations were for using them, but all good now! I used random grouping and plan to do so the rest of the year as student quickly got used to the idea that they would be working with different students and that it was luck of the draw! I spent a lot if time observing student's and the way they navigating in their groups, giving me the opportunity to help support students and their different needs. Like Rachel said, I love pulling students to other parts of the room and they do too! It's almost like we have a secret mission to accomplish together when giving them the problem prompt!
ReplyDeleteAs others have said, I feel like implementing these strategies have really helped build a classroom community full of collaborative teammates. We have also spent quality time thinking about what it looks like to be risk takers, show perseverance, and collaborate. I think I plan to use the rubrics for these in the future as well. Overall, I am really happy with how implementation is going so far and I can't wait to continue to bring more ideas into my math classroom!!!
I feel like a better educator from having read this book. I have recommended it to my teacher friends and family and I cannot wait to continue implementing my new learning and evolving ideals. I started off the school year with non-curricular thinking tasks on the Wipebooks and it was so exciting to see students collaborating, preserving, and solving problems, right away! There was so much joy and enthusiasm in the room. Kiddos were so proud of themselves and their partners. In reflecting on the experience a student shared, “that was so hard, but it felt so good!” It was so awesome to hear students acknowledge the joy that comes with perseverance! As I moved forward and continue to dive into the new curriculum, I have been challenging myself to find opportunities within each lesson to get students up and using the Wipebooks. I cannot wait to see how they continue to impact learning and students' perceptions of math.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the "that was so hard, but it felt so good!" quote. Such great stuff, Ky! I'm excited for your students.
DeleteI've implemented several strategies from the book. The visible random grouping which I've always used in the past, just not exclusively. I was surprised how hard it was for me to let a few of the random groups just be what they were and not make a few swaps. That made me realize that I was less comfortable with random groups in math than in ELA. We also spend some time coming up with a set of 'norms' for math. We spent a few days thinking about how we want our math community to look and feel. They shared the behaviors they don't like in math and we came up with a nice list of what we DO want and will value. We revisit the list almost every day and as things have come up we add to it. Just today, a student said we should add "don't say 'this is so easy' because it can make others feel they they aren't good at math if it doesn't feel easy to them. So we had a quick chat and everyone agreed we don't want our friends to feel discouraged. I used my new Wipebooks (thanks Renae!), for a non curricular thinking task. I read the directions while standing and handed out one marker per group. It went ok, but due to our schedule for the day we did it after a division lesson earlier in the morning and kids were being perfect little mimickers. Most just assumed that since we had practiced division then it must be a problem solved by division. This gave me ample opportunities to practice my 'smile and walk away' from the stop thinking questions. Most groups needed a keep thinking question. I'm anxious for our next task to compare their thinking. Reading this book has forced me to really reflect on my teaching, and more importantly, the thinking vs studenting that takes place in my classroom.
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