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Building Classroom Climates for Mathematical Learning

In this series of videos and downloadable practitioner guides, Inside Mathematics invites you to explore the teaching practice of two engaging practitioners, Mia Buljan (2nd grade) and Patty Ferrant (8th grade). Neither teacher considers herself a perfect practitioner, but an educator who continues to learn from and with her students and colleagues each year. Through the documentation of their classrooms multiple times during the school year, they open up new conversations for us— around the daily work to help children begin to see themselves as mathematical thinkers who can draw on their own strategies and those of others to understand and find solution pathways in various problem settings. No matter what day it is when you read this, for you, it can be Day One for you. Today, you’re deciding to explore some other teachers’ practices so you can rethink your own. Welcome! 

Each of the guides can be accessed either as a PDF or as an iBook with embedded videos in the materials of each section.

Mia (2nd grade): "I love my job!"

Patty (8th grade): "You have to believe that every single student can learn."

 

Taking Responsibility for Learning

Modeling perseverance in thinking for students. 

See Taking Responsibility for Learning in Elementary School 

Inviting students to document and reflect on their learning. 

See Taking Responsibility for Learning in Middle School

Making Sense of One’s Own and Others’ Learning

Calling learners' attention to the structure of a problem.

See Making Sense of One’s Own and Others’ Learning in Elementary School

Building from students' answers to strategic understandings. 

See Making Sense of One’s Own and Others’ Learning in Middle School

Engaging in Mathematical Discourse

Students modeling their strategies for each other. 

See Engaging in Mathematical Discourse in Elementary School

Creating norms for peer mathematical discourse. 

See Engaging in Mathematical Discourse in Middle School

Supporting the Learning Community

Pairing students to share and extend each other's thinking. 

See Supporting the Learning Community in Elementary School

Pairing students to share and extend each other's thinking. 

See Supporting the Learning Community in Middle School

Using Tools in Support of Mathematical Thinking

Differentiating tools from each other. 

See Using Tools in Support of Mathematical Thinking in Elementary School

Peer and group work to advance and deepen thinking. 

See Using Tools in Support of Mathematical Thinking in Middle School