Thinking and reasoning is always more powerful than rotely memorizing steps. In this episode Pam and Kim demonstrate how to help students reason about Order of Operations.
Talking Points:

• Nat Banting's "Oops, I Meant"
• Representing a context using the grouping symbols to communicate 
• Demonstrate how mathematicians communicate with symbols earl
• Using the equals sign correctly to mean "equal" vs "Do it"" 
• No more unnecessarily difficult practice

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In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on February 7, 2024. 

Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.

Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.

Twitter: @PWHarris

Instagram: Pam Harris_math

Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education

Want more? Check out the archive of all of our #MathStratChat posts!

Order of operations seems more rote memorizable than figure-out-able, or is it? In this episode Pam and Kim discuss the pitfalls of teaching order of operations as an acronym to memorize, and offer a better alternative.
Talking Points:

• It's about communication rather than a thing to memorize.
• The notation is social knowledge.
• The order is logical mathematical knowledge and therefore figure-out-able!
• Open-middle problems for meaningful practice.

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In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on January 31, 2024. 

Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.

Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.

Twitter: @PWHarris

Instagram: Pam Harris_math

Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education

Want more? Check out the archive of all of our #MathStratChat posts!

Finding a fraction of something can be a tricky concept. In this episode Pam and Kim run through two strings that help reason about using fractions as operators.
Talking Points:

• How are unit fractions related like halves, fourth and eighths? 
• Scaling and Over Strategy with unit fractions
• Fractions as operators
• Why is scaling a unit fractions critical? Knowing that three fourths is the same as three 1/4s? 
• Knowing non-unit fractions from fractions is a precursor.
• Thinking of fractions only as part-whole is not sufficient. 
• A different problem string using the operator meaning of fractions.

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Linkedin: Pam Harris Consulting LLC 

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on January 24, 2024. 

Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.

Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.

Twitter: @PWHarris

Instagram: Pam Harris_math

Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education

Want more? Check out the archive of all of our #MathStratChat posts!

Does it really matter what we call the whole?  In this episode Pam and Kim take a closer look at fraction problems where the unit matters.
Talking Points:

• Kim and the beach
• How can there be 2 possible answers to the question "What is 1/2?"
• Focusing on the unit
• Naming the unit
• What happens when the unit changes? 
• Help students focus on the unit, changing the unit, and finding a fractional amount of that new unit
• Even test writers struggle with fractions
• Re-unitizing will support students to reason through fraction multiplication

Check out our social media
Twitter: @PWHarris
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Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education
Linkedin: Pam Harris Consulting LLC 

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on January 17, 2024. 

Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.

Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.

Twitter: @PWHarris

Instagram: Pam Harris_math

Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education

Want more? Check out the archive of all of our #MathStratChat posts!

How many people do you know that shy away from fractions? In this episode Pam and Kim discuss why teaching students to use step by step procedures to solve fraction problems actually leaves them not able to think about fractions at all.
Talking Points:

• We love hearing your stories!
• What kind of reasoning do fractions engage?
• What happens when students learn to mimic steps rather than reason about fractions?
• What does reasoning about fractions look like?
• Are least common denominators really that important?

See Episode 5, 67, 68 for more about Development of Mathematical Reasoning

Check out our social media
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: Pam Harris_math
Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education
Linkedin: Pam Harris Consulting LLC 

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on January 10, 2023. 

Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.

Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.

Twitter: @PWHarris

Instagram: Pam Harris_math

Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education

Want more? Check out the archive of all of our #MathStratChat posts!