five dimensions of quality math instruction

Five Dimensions of Quality Math Instruction

SD Counts-Mini Foundations Summer 2007

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Welcome!

During today’s session, you will…1. …develop an understanding of the Five

Dimensions and Core Features of classrooms that promote understanding,

2. …experience the dimensions and features in your mathematics learning in this session,

3. …reflect on how to implement the dimensions and features in your teaching.


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Here are our group norms…

Honor each others’ thinking. Be willing to share your thoughts. Limit side conversations. Turn off cell phones. Take care of your own needs. Anything else?


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Introductions

Please take a couple of minutes to think about how you can introduce yourself using a representative object.


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Pretend that you are going to write a book and the list below is the beginning of your Table of Contents. What will you have to say about each of these topics?

The Nature of Classroom Tasks The Role of the Teacher The Social Culture of the Classroom Mathematical Tools as Learning

Supports Equity and Accessibility


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Most of the information provided in this session comes from the book Making Sense by James Hiebert et al.

All of this means that students must learn mathematics with understanding. Understanding is crucial because things learned with understanding can be used flexibly, adapted to new situations, and used to learn new things. Things learned with understanding are the most useful things to know in a changing and unpredictable world. There may be debate about what mathematical content is most important to teach. But there is growing consensus that whatever students learn, they shoud learn with understanding.


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A Framework for Thinking About Classrooms

The four sections of the framework are: Learning with Understanding Definition of Understanding Understanding Through Reflecting

and Communicating Is There a Trade-off Between

Understanding and Skill?


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Did you notice that there were two major cognitive processes

emphasized?

Communication

Reflection


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Dimensions and Core Features

Nature of Classroom Tasks Make mathematics problematic Connect with where students are Leave behind something of mathematical

value


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Role of the Teacher Select tasks with goals in mind Share essential information Establish classroom culture


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Social Culture of the Classroom Ideas and methods are valued Students choose and share their

methods Mistakes are learning sites for everyone Correctness resides in mathematical

argument


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Mathematical Tools as Learning Supports Meaning for tools must be constructed

by each user Used with purpose—to solve problems Used for recording, communicating, and

thinking


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Equity and Accessibility Tasks are accessible to all students Every student is heard Every student contributes


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Dimensions and Core Features of Classrooms

Please read pages 7-12 of your handout. Take notes on your graphic organizer as

you wish. Share notes and/or ideas at your tables

when you are asked to do so.


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Towers Problem

How many different towers--four cubes tall--can you build using two different colors of cubes? You will have approximately seven

minutes to work and then you will share with a partner.

You can use whatever tools you wish.


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Towers Video The researcher in the video will

interview fourth graders Michelle, Milan, Jeff who’s been absent for awhile), and Stephanie.

Filming takes place 16 months after their initial experience with this problem.

Notice the communication style and confidence!


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Apple Tarts Problem

Please use whatever method you like to solve the following problem:

“Mom makes small apple tarts, using three quarters of an apple for each small tart. She has 20 apples. How many small apple tarts can she make?”

Can you solve it using another method?


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Making Sense… These authors collaborated to write this

book… James Hiebert Thomas P. Carpenter Elizabeth Fennema Karen C. Fuson Diana Wearne Hanlie Murray Alwyn Olivier Piet Human


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Making Sense “The authors are all members of a working

group of the National Center for Research in Mathematical Sciences Education at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. The purpose of the group is to consider the teaching and learning of whole number arithmetic in elementary school. At the time of this publication, they had spent five years focusing on essential classroom features for facilitating mathematical understanding.”


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They all agree on the following principles… Understanding can be characterized by the kinds

of relationships or connections that have been constructed between ideas, facts, procedures, etc.

Two cognitive process are key in students’ efforts to understand mathematics: reflection and communication.

Five dimensions play a prominent role in defining classrooms in terms of the kinds of learning that they support.

There are core features within these dimensions that provide students with the opportunity to reflect on and communicate about mathematics.


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To Learn More…

Making Sense by James Hiebert, et al published by Heinemann ISBN 0-435-07132-7

five dimensions of quality math instruction

Documents

core features role

mathematics learning

core features of classrooms

core featuresequity

core featuressocial

learning supportsequity

learning supportsmeaning

new things