Forgot password
  • Home
  • Chapter 4 – Option 2 (Connection)



 
 

Chapter 4 – Option 2 (Connection)

02/03/2019 10:56 PM | Anonymous

The teacher in the extended vignette, Mr. Smith, uses display materials and certain handouts during the lesson.  How do Mr. Smith’s decisions about how many handouts to provide engage the individuals and groups within his class?  How would you do it with your students?


Comments

  • 02/04/2019 8:27 PM | Marianne Springer
    Mr. Smith made thoughtful decisions about providing copies to pairs of students from special populations and the reasons were sound and articulated. I wonder, however, whether providing copies to all students wouldn't be beneficial. In our classrooms, we would typically project a task on a smartboard as opposed to chart paper or whiteboards. During the routines I've tried so far, I've needed to manipulate the display of the task with the displays of sentence starters and such. Handouts make this much easier to handle and shorten the time that is consumed by logistics. So would providing all students with handouts have any downside? There were clearly some advantages for the students and for Mr. Smith's observations of the student discussion and this would ease logistical challenges for my classroom.
    Link  •  Reply
    • 02/04/2019 9:18 PM | Sarah Giaquinta
      Marianne-
      I also always lean towards giving each student a copy of the handout I'm using. I see why Mr. Smith did what he did, but I wonder if there is any harm in giving each student one? Although, your post reminded me of the time that both you and I were trying to write out a defense for a problem we were working on in one of the workshops and we both ended up writing on the same paper together (and it worked out nicely that you are left handed while I am right, so we could show, talk and write together very easily!). We each had our own, but we gravitated towards this, so maybe he is on to something? I do think it was nice that when it was our turn to present our findings, we had one paper with both of our thoughts written out. It made it easier for both of us to explain what was going on in the problem.
      Link  •  Reply
      • 02/05/2019 10:07 AM | Todd Butterworth
        I think it depends on your kiddos. When I have my AP kids working together on a free response, I give them two copies. For some pairs that means one copy is blank and they work together on the other. For others, they work on both copies and then merge their thoughts onto one (as I only collect one) toward the end. So I guess the only downside of giving extra copies is wasted paper? I know for some of the routines they want the kids to be talking and not writing, so by giving them limited paper access, that forces them to use their math language, so perhaps that's a benefit of not giving them paper? And...now I haven't committed at all...
        Link  •  Reply
        • 02/21/2019 3:26 PM | Katie Chuchul
          I agree that it depends on the students and possibly the task. As previously mentioned, I also worry that giving each student his/her own copy will discourage partner work and talking (which is extremely important for these routines). I teach 5th grade and I am leaning towards trying one paper per partner group with possibly either modeling or showing an exemplar after the first time I use this routine.

          When working on this routine with my 4th graders last year, I didn't use any handouts but had all of the students up on the rug close to the tasks so they could see them easily. I didn't feel that they needed a handout for the tasks we did but I am leaning towards trying it out this year with the 5th graders. (It is much harder to fit all of them up front only one year older!)
          Link  •  Reply
    • 02/08/2019 5:59 PM | Karen Campe
      I noticed that in the early part of the class, Mr. Smith gave a few handouts to students whom he felt needed an additional support to focus or communicate thinking. I would advocate doing this for every pair of students, because being able to write or draw is one way to help some students can process their thinking on the scenarios, and I would want to give everyone that opportunity.

      Later, when the students are creating a new representation, Mr. Smith gives one handout with labeled X & Y axes to each pair of students. I thought this was a brilliant way to give each pair a place to work, but *require* them to work together. I've had experiences where individual papers give students permission to work separately, despite instructions (and if one student is confident but wrong, and the other is timid, the stronger personality can take over). The group paper encourages group collaboration.
      Link  •  Reply
  • 02/08/2019 8:34 AM | Dave Johnston
    There's already a great discussion here about what handouts are appropriate. I think it's important to allow students to approach a problem in the way that makes sense for themselves. Providing a blank graph is safe, but when I begin directing students to certain graphic organizers, I run the risk of imposing my thinking on them.

    Providing each student (or each pair) a copy of the graphs does change the classroom culture. It is less of a community project and more of a partner task. I believe Mr. Smith's approach helps students focus on the class-wide discussions as the class annotates (amazing, but the way) and describes the graphs.
    Link  •  Reply
    • 02/08/2019 6:05 PM | Karen Campe
      Dave,
      I agree that prepared graphic organizers can do too much of the thinking for students, so they should be used thoughtfully. I think by the time Mr. Smith gives the labeled X & Y axes to students late in the vignette, that part of the representation has been used already and seen as useful (in other words, it isn't adding anything new to the discussion of connecting the stories to the graphs).

      I can imagine another class taking on the concept of slope directly as (change in Y)/(change in X) or even discussing first off how one should label axes for these stories (what are the independent and dependent variables). In those cases, perhaps I would hand out a blank graph without labels.
      Link  •  Reply
      • 02/13/2019 8:30 AM | Dave Johnston
        I love the conversations we are having as teachers about the nuances of these procedures - making intentional decisions based on how they will impact student learning.

        I agree with you, Karen, that each version of the handout will have a different effect, and each is appropriate for some class at some level of development.
        Link  •  Reply
  • 02/19/2019 9:01 AM | Michele DeMaino
    Usually when I do Connecting Representations in my class, I don't give out any handouts that go along with it. I have the 3 visuals and representations that go together on chart paper. When I have done other routines, I have given out a handout. I think the important part in all of the routines is to have the independent think time first so everyone can gather their own thoughts. Then I have given a handout before but let them use 2 different colors so we can tell which part of the work is each partner. I also like to have the handout double sided so when they are done drafting their idea, they can turn it over and revise their thoughts on the second copied side. (I guess that is more a part of the Decide and Defend routine.) I also agree with some other posts that it is most important to have that mathematical discourse and use the mathematical language appropriately.
    Link  •  Reply
  • 02/28/2019 12:23 PM | Michele Hanly
    It appears as though Mr. Smith has made the decision as to who will get the handout for this lesson. In some cases, that might be the best thing to do initially. Depending on the class you may want to offer one copy/ per two students and let them decided if they would find the handout helpful during the discussion period. I think that is what I would do because I know if I were a student I would find the handout helpful.
    Link  •  Reply

The ATOMIC Mission is to ensure that every Connecticut student receives world-class education in mathematics by providing vision, leadership and support to the K-16 mathematics community and by providing every teacher of mathematics the opportunity to grow professionally.

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software