Coaching the Math Team: Students, Parents, and Colleagues

As math teachers, parents, and students, we need to coach each other forward when it comes to student learning.

The Internet gives us easy access to almost all families and colleagues, and this medium can be used to coach each other forward. Yet we don't want to overuse the medium so much that no one takes notice or everyone becomes agitated. This is a tricky area of coaching--when to send an email to all and when to contact a few.

I've decided to err on the area of more than less when it comes to coaching my big team of families, students, and colleagues since I need their help in order to help every child gain skill, confidence, and knowledge. Truly I can't do it alone.

First, I need students to know what's expected. I tell them in class, but we know that many don't hear or listen due to a large number of factors that may range from leftover thoughts about a playground game, an in-class crush, daydreaming about the holidays, physical discomfort, and more. So our team keeps an online document with homework assignments and resources that students are able to access 24-7 to aid their learning and study.

Next, if parents and colleagues understand what we're doing and why, they're able to coach the students well too. For example today I noticed a problem that many were having with this week's homework. It was a minor issue related to how to write numbers when you round. Many students were adding unnecessary zeroes and digits after the place they were rounding to and the online program deemed that incorrect. I wrote an email to all parents and then clarified the email after one parent asked a good question. Even if only 50% of the parents help their child to complete these assignments and check their work, it's still better than fewer parents. Every little bit of parent coaching and support possible helps the whole class move forward with interest, investment, and skill.

Further, when the whole team knows what's going on and their questions are welcome, then I'm able to better work with the team to organize, plan, and present the program in ways that matter.

There's many ways to teach math well, and all of those ways are deepened and enriched when the team is aware of the goals set, learning expected, and venues used. As noted by many, "Education is a team sport."

Math Teaching: Practice What You Preach

I've devoted significant time to teaching and learning related to math education this semester as I led two classes of teacher candidates at a local university and by teaching three sections of math at fifth grade. The more I study math teaching and learning, the more enthusiastic and engaged I become. There's a sea of wonderful information, tools, and resources out there when it comes to teaching math well, and the key is to orchestrate that potential into engaging, meaningful math teaching and learning.

As I travel down this road, I can see more than I can do, but instead of fretting over that challenge, I want to move forward with renewed effort as I we begin our December computation and problem solving unit.

How will I make this unit matter in ways that invigorate student learning and success?

First, the preparation matters.

Vocabulary Cards
I need to make vocabulary cards that are easy to see from our "math talk" space (traditional desk set-up) and also easy to access from multiple collaborative work spaces (desk groups, tables, and comfy chairs/rugs around the room). I also have to make time to explicitly review that language with students through whole class, small group, and individual efforts.

Manipulatives and Learning Tools
Next, I have to organize all the related manipulatives and learning tools for this learning. These resources need to be organized in places that students can readily access with ease. I also have to regularly model the use of these tools as I introduce lessons and problems.

Next, I need to think of the roll-out of the unit, a roll-out that embeds past learning and provides new learning, review, and enrichment. This is a step-by-step plan with the culmination being an assessment to see who has learned what after the three-week effort. Throughout the unit I will gather numbers and problem scenarios from the news and students' interests to make the learning meaningful and relevant.

Addition and Subtraction
Students who have not solidified these skills are working in RTI groups twice a week to practice and study these skills in conjunction with problem solving strategy and practice. I know students are making good progress with this.

Multiplication
We'll begin with a review of multiplying with powers of ten. Then I'll review area model and partial product multiplication. After that we'll quickly move to learning the standard multiplication method combined with lots of problem solving and practice. I suspect students will move through this quite quickly since their fact knowledge is solid and many already know how to multiply with ease and precision. For students who struggle, we'll employ manipulatives, base-ten frames, and other systematic efforts to build their strength in this area. We'll also focus on fact review in this regard to support those students.

Division
We'll review divisibility rules. Study the area model and partial quotient, and then introduce and/or review the standard division algorithm. Students, similar to multiplication, will practice a lot while solving word problems. The goal as with all of the algorithms will be precision and fluency.

Operation Study and Practice
Finally we'll return to a review of order of operations, problem solving, and knowing which operation to choose as students practice all operations. Finally, students will take an assessment to assess what they've learned. We'll use the assessment to inform our next RTI rotation and future core teaching as we move into studying fractions in the new year.

Teaching Math: Differentiation

Now that I know my math students well, I am beginning to differentiate more. Yesterday the teaching team met and we were able to discuss math learning and teaching for many students. We came up with a large number of specialized accommodations to better instruction and practice for students.

Some of the accommodations we decided on included the following:

• Shortlist math goals. Don't focus on too many learning goals at once.
• Using a more targeted learning plan to reach goals.
• More time for practice.
• More time for one-to-one and small group support.
• Better design of learning modules and resources. Providing enough space on the page. Focus on one skill per page. Provide high-quality resources with regard to vocabulary, number facts, and other helpful information.
• Targeted, personalized homework mostly using the online resources we have available.
• Using coding for enrichment.

Fortunately we have a terrific teaching team, eager students, a supportive parent group, and terrific tools and resources. The key is to manage all of this in ways that result in engagement and learning success.

Let me know if you have other ideas for moving all students ahead in math in ways that matter. 

Math Enrichment: Coding

For my math students who want more, I've been suggesting that they learn to code using Khan Academy, Code.Org, or beginning with the Hour of Code activities.

The school tech coordinator is introducing every class in the school to coding via Hour of Code activities.

Many students already SCRATCH and some code with other languages. Kindergartners use SCRATCH Jr.

A young boy came up to me yesterday and said, "I did the coding last night. I finished Khan Academy's Hour of Code snowman project. Can you tell me where I can learn more code like that?"

I suggested Khan Academy's Learn to Code lessons as my students are already using Khan, in part, to develop their math skill. I also suggested Code.org and the Hour of Code extra activities. Last year a parent in our school and founder/creator of CampCodeKidz introduced students to his terrific learn to code app--students loved it so that's another possibility.

What else would you suggest for my eager, enthusiastic math students with regard to learning to code? Thanks for your consult.

Learning/Teaching Resources: Sometimes Simple is Better

As university students shared a large host of geometry center activities last night, I was reminded of the fact that sometimes simple, easy-to-use materials and activities are better than complex, creative materials. Why?

Simple materials that are well designed allow for a lot of teacher/student voice, creativity, and thought. Those materials do not take a lot of time to manipulate, but leave a lot of room for problem solving, discussion, and creativity.

On a similar note, it isn't necessarily better to make your own materials thought it can be beneficial from time to time. With an Internet filled with magnificent teaching/learning ideas, models, and lessons, it's better to know where to find the best materials than it is to make all of your own resources. Yet, to personalize and create can help the students in your context contribute more investment and gain better learning.

As we find, create, and embed learning/teaching materials into our classrooms it's important that we make some time to discuss our process for finding/making materials and what matters most with respect to optimal student learning.