Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Periscope our #numbertalks

AFT's Thinking Math Common Core K-2 course changed my teaching and still impacts me today.  I have seen first graders explain their math thinking and convince me of a more efficient way to see simple math and they can still make me say WOW~I have been teaching for 23 years.  Each day we work through 5 mental math problems.  We look for patterns, connect to previous learning, and pose alternate strategies to showcase there is more than one way to solve math problems.  It truly is a highlight of my day.  When I first heard about Periscope I thought that is how I can showcase my class and impact learning for teachers and students across the globe.  So I took the plunge and here is our 1st Periscope.

I love these mathematicians!  They are using known facts, related facts, compensation, doubles, counting on, and making ten to name a few.  You don't get to see and hear all that in a worksheet!  If you are into Periscope make sure to follow @teachjwright @wrightsrippers @malloryclutter or #numbertalks  I plan on more Periscopes and set up https://katch.me/teachjwright today so you can watch them outside the 24 hour time. I hope you can use them to watch for strategies.  Maybe watch as I record their thinking or practice your own recording skills. Maybe use with your team to set a goal to try out #numbertalks.  Maybe show your class so they can hear how they can too talk through their thinking.  We are all in this together and I am so thankful for Amy Spies, Becky Pittard, Heather Williams, Diane LeJeune, Stephanie Hajdin, Cassy Jurgensen, Liz Lily, Christina Rajcoor, Mallory Clutter, Karen Lassiter, Kym Whitehurst, and the math mom for us all, Alice Gill for helping me realize my potential in sharing math.  Thank you to AFT-Alice Gill, VTO-Andrew Spar & Primrose Cameron Hall, and the Teaching Channel for helping me to really learn math and sharing it with the world.  More to come so watch for us...