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ERIC Number: EJ1177853
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Mar
Pages: 8
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1072-0839
EISSN: N/A
Assembling the Puzzle of Mathematical Strengths
White, Dorothy Y.; Gomez, Carlos Nicolas; Rushing, Fred; Hussain, Nicholas; Patel, Kristina; Pratt, Jason
Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, v23 n5 p268-275 Mar 2018
Take a moment to think about the students class. What are their mathematical strengths? How can a teacher know a mathematical strength when they see it? Can teachers identify at least one mathematical strength for every student? More important, how are teachers using students' strengths in their mathematics classrooms? Teaching is a complex endeavor that requires teachers to tackle many problems of practice. Through five middle school mathematics teachers from the same district and two mathematics teacher educators, this group of authors formed a professional learning community (PLC) to support their students' learning by examining and building on their mathematical strengths. By recognizing and valuing the strengths and contributions of every student, they empower them mathematically in the classroom. As a PLC they see these strengths as pieces of a puzzle to be assembled and used as they plan lessons, design group-worthy tasks, and implement interventions to meet the needs of their students. This article describes how this group of teachers has worked together to answer the questions presented at the beginning of this article by pausing to reflect on their students, and their beliefs about their mathematical strengths. By collaborating, they are constantly learning and growing in their understanding of their students. A Bibliography is included.
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. 1906 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191. Tel: 800-235-7566; Tel: 703-620-9840; Fax: 703-476-2570; e-mail: NCTM@nctm.org; Web site: http://www.nctm.org/publications/mathematics-teaching-in-the-middle-school/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: Teachers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A