Using Integer Vocabulary to Get Students to Talk in Math | Free Resource

I don't like just introducing new concepts in math without talking about real-world implications. When introducing integers, we start with talking about vocabulary that show positive and negative situations. 

On the day you introduce integers, display this slide to your class and ask them to pick one word with their group that means positive and one that mean negative. 

Having your students talk in math class is important. Not just to explain math, but to build skills of sharing ideas in respectful ways with their classmates. This is a low floor questions where most students will be able to find at least 1 word that they can explain as positive or negative. It is also important for ELLs to practice their academic vocabulary with their peers. 

Talking in math class doesn't always have to be about explaining how to solve a problem. This is still math talk! It will also help students be able to connect math class to outside the classroom. 

You could even extend this to a writing activity and have students write what about the words their groups talked about. 

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CAMT 2016

I was selected to present at the Conference for the Advancement of Mathematics Teaching next summer. I am so excited and now I am nervous.

My session is on Thursday June 30 at 10 am. My room will hold 180.

One Hundred Eighty.

I will have a microphone. I am nervous and anxious. I have 8 months to plan and change plans and plan some more.

My topic is on Writing in Mathematics. Something I've tried to be better at in my classroom this year. The students find it difficult at first, but they get better with practice and scaffolding.

So, if you are at CAMT next summer, come see me!

Classroom 2015

Here are some pieces in my classroom. 

I have seen poster/bulletin board in several places. It goes with Standards Based Grading which I am not doing. (But one day I would like to.) One of my focuses this year is to emphasize the importance of mistakes. I want students to not be afraid of it. 

This is the big filing cabinet that I really don't want in my room. But am using it to store extra papers and work for absent students. 

This is my sentence stem area. Students reflect daily and last year I wasn't the best at helping students build on their reflections. This is my first step to remedying that!