Room to Grow - a Math Podcast

As we approach the end of the school year, this episode of Room to Grow addresses using self-reflection to celebrate the learning of the year. Our hosts use this definition: “Self-Reflection is the evaluation or judgement of one’s performance and the identification of one’s strengths and weaknesses with a view to improving one’s learning outcomes (Damore, 2017),” and start with unpacking this quote from John Dewey: “We don’t learn from experiences, we learn from reflecting on our experiences.” 

In the conversation, Curtis and Joanie suggest that reflecting at the end of a lesson, unit, month or school year provides the opportunity to be energized by and to benefit from what we’ve experienced and how we use that learning to continue to improve.

After making the case for self-reflection, the discussion shifts to specific ideas for student and teacher self-reflection. Ensuring that students understand the purpose of self-reflection is integral to making the process meaningful for students, and increases the likelihood that their reflective practices will contribute positively to owning their own learning, and to building positive mathematical identities. Some specific reflection questions and protocols are discussed, giving you ideas you can apply in your own setting as we all wrap up the 2021-22 school year. 

We encourage you to explore these resources, mentioned and referenced in this episode:

• Dewey quote and Damore’s definition of Self-Reflection came from this post: Routines for Self-Reflection: https://thinkingpathwayz.weebly.com/routinesselfreflection.html 
• Journal of Practitioner Research article on reflection as a tool for continuous improvement: https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1044&context=jpr
• Edutopia article with specific ideas for engaging students in self-reflection: www.edutopia.org/article/frameworks-reflection   
• Tuning protocol as a way for groups of teachers to reflect specifically on student work: http://essentialschools.org/horace-issues/the-tuning-protocol-a-process-for-reflection-on-teacher-and-student-work/ 
• Teachers and Change: The Role of Reflective Practice: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042812039870 

Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy. 

In this episode, we discuss considerations for providing meaningful feedback to our students. We think this is a great follow-up to our last episode on grading! In preparing for our discussion, we learned about the research supporting effective feedback for learning, which includes suggestions around the type of feedback to give, when to give it, and how meaningful feedback is separate from grading. 

Our research articles suggest that feedback is not advice or criticism, but information that helps the receive to understand their next actions. Although it makes sense that students must engage with feedback in order for it to be meaningful, we were intrigued by the suggestion that the receiver of feedback should work harder as a result of the feedback than the giver of the feedback! In other words, our students should work harder than us, their teachers! 

We explore some concrete ideas for making your feedback more meaningful, reflect on our own mistakes around providing feedback, and emphasize the fact that in all aspects of a teachers work, relationships matter most. 

We encourage you to explore these resources, mentioned and referenced in this episode:

• Blog post from Edutopia. The five suggestions here are backed by research. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/tips-providing-students-meaningful-feedback-marianne-stenger
• Article from the South Carolina Center for Teaching Excellence. This resource is general for all content areas, is a quick read, and includes a list of specific ideas for effective and efficient feedback. https://sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/cte/teaching_resources/grading_assessment_toolbox/providing_meaningful_student_feedback/index.php 
• Article from ASCD (free if you haven’t already accessed your limit of free articles). Grant Wiggins authors this article that Curtis and Joanie refer to multiple times during this episode.  https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/seven-keys-to-effective-feedback
• Article/research summary from the Tang Institute. Although this resource appears longer than the others, the summaries and graphics make it very readable. This would be a great resource for a PLC or professional learning setting.  https://tanginstitute.andover.edu/files/Feedback-in-Practice.pdf

Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected] . Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy. 

In this episode, we discuss grades in mathematics courses. Although we don’t claim to have a recommendation or even an opinion about what might be the right way to handle grades, we hope to bring up considerations for our listeners to talk about and think through as they reflect on their own grading practices.

We wonder if many grading practices are in place are just legacy practices, handed down and sustained by teacher teams and departments, or schools with prescribed grading requirements, and we recognize the challenges of balancing grades with academic performance as well as other classroom contributions that we value.

We wrestle with what grades communicate to different audiences. What does a grade tell a student? The student’s family? Other school personnel? The student’s next school? How does a student’s participation in the academic work of math class shift based on the value they put on their grade in math class? And we consider the guiding question of “what is the impact of…?” as educators consider the structure and components of their grading practice.

We wrap up by reflecting on the impact of COVID-19 on our educator friends. We believe that the last two years have brought incredible challenges to educators already giving everything they have to their students and communities. We are in awe of you, we admire you, and we thank you for all that you do each and every day. 

Additional resources to explore:

• Blog Post: “Grading Is Due for an Overhaul” https://www.nais.org/magazine/independent-school/winter-2022/grading-is-due-for-an-overhaul/ 

Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected] . Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy

In this episode, we build on our previous conversation about fostering curiosity in our students by focusing on the role of math teachers in encouraging students to be curious and creative in math class. With full awareness that we are teaching and influencing students who will leave our classrooms and schools to go contribute to the world, and that we are preparing our students for jobs that don't exist now, we acknowledge how important it is to attend to a culture of curiosity and creativity in math classrooms. We talk about the importance of fostering intrinsic motivation so that a passion for learning follows them into their lives beyond school.

We wrestle with the challenge of wanting to provide structure and efficiencies in ways that can sometimes unknowingly stifle students' creative freedoms. We acknowledge that in our desire to make learning meaningful and impactful, we can inadvertently provide too much structure or control, stealing students' "lightbulb" moments in their learning journey. We know that no teacher creates classroom practices that detract from learning, and that there are appropriate times and situations where more structure and more directed learning is the best way for students to learn. But we also challenge that a teacher should always be the sole source of knowledge and learning in the classroom. We also recognize that teachers' tendency to control the classroom is based in a feeling of responsibility for students' learning. We suggest that fostering creativity and curiosity allows students to take more responsibility for their own learning, which can be freeing for us as educators.

We wrap up by sharing some practical ideas for fostering curiosity and creativity. We know that this will look different in every classroom and would love for you, our listener, to share how you do this in your setting! 

Additional resources to explore:

·       Ken Robinson’s Ted Talk Do Schools Kills Creativity? https://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_do_schools_kill_creativity?language=en

·       Daniel Pink’s Drive – Book: https://www.amazon.com/Drive-Surprising-Truth-About-Motivates/dp/1594484805; RSA Animation summary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc

·       Peter Liljedahl’s Building a Thinking Classroom in Mathematics – https://us.corwin.com/en-us/nam/building-thinking-classrooms-in-mathematics-grades-k-12/book268862 

·       Creativity by asking questions: https://www.creativityatwork.com/teaching-for-creativity-asking-questions/ (100 questions activity)

·       Ways to develop creativity in our students: https://www.edutopia.org/article/4-ways-develop-creativity-students

·       NCTM article - Graphing Portfolios in Calculus: Reinforcing Concepts and Inviting Creativity: https://pubs.nctm.org/view/journals/mt/98/6/article-p404.xml?tab_body=pdf (Members only access)

Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected] . Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy. 

In the first episode of Season 2, Curtis and Joanie discuss one of Curtis' favorite ideas - fostering curiosity and exploration in the math classroom. It's a common idea that math teachers can support students in "exploring the world through math," but in this episode we think about turning that phrase on its head and wondering how we can "explore mathematics through the world?" With this goal in mind, educators could provide experiences where they are asking the questions that drive their learning. 

Creating these experiences for students requires intentional teacher planning, and doesn't mean that we allow the learning to be a free-for-all! Teachers will need to find balance between providing the structure required to keep the learning focused, while allowing students the freedom to explore, question, and engage in the learning. And since math classrooms are already packed with content, we discuss how to find the time to include curiosity as part of the learning experience.  We hope these ideas help you to pass along a legacy of curiosity to your students!

Resources to explore:

• To help identify the big mathematical ideas for your course or grade level, check out the Focus By Grade Level documents from Achieve the Core: https://achievethecore.org/category/774/mathematics-focus-by-grade-level
• For more practical steps on developing student curiosity in your math classroom, check out this blog post from David Wees: https://davidwees.com/content/how-do-you-help-develop-mathematical-curiosity/
• Read about the brain research that supports the importance of curiosity in education: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/why-curiosity-enhances-learning-marianne-stenger

Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy. 

In this episode, Joanie and Curtis consider the balance between conceptual understanding and procedural fluency in mathematics teaching and learning. Acknowledging that this idea is like a pendulum that has swung back and forth over several decades, they unpack the meanings of these terms and discuss the impact and implications on student learning.

They use the 2001 publication Adding It Up to describe how conceptual understanding and procedural fluency come together with three other ideas to form an understanding of mathematics proficiency, and share examples of what happens when students have one type of learning without the other. 

You’ll hear our hosts wrestling with differing perspectives to better understand how educators can support students’ conceptual understanding and their procedural fluency together in ways that support deep learning and readiness for future math experiences. 

Listeners are encouraged to consider these additional resources mentioned in the episode:

• The book Adding It Up can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Adding-Up-Helping-Children-Mathematics/dp/0309069955/ref=asc_df_0309069955/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312695266310&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6263244698394065341&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9026941&hvtargid=pla-384970287053&psc=1 
• A PDF overview of Adding It Up  that includes the five strands of mathematics proficiency: https://www.nctm.org/Handlers/AttachmentHandler.ashx?attachmentID=GcfUPPya8lw%3D
• Grant Wiggins’ blog post on conceptual understanding: https://grantwiggins.wordpress.com/2014/04/23/conceptual-understanding-in-mathematics/ 

Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy. 

In this episode, Joanie and Curtis continue their conversation with Robert Ahdoot, founder of Yay! Math. We continue the conversation from Episode 9, digging into how teachers can address students’ math anxiety. We discuss the idea that teaching could be considered a service profession, and how that perspective can support teachers in building trust with their students. Robert shares a powerful story of a discipline issue in his classroom, and how approaching the situation with the humanness we share with students supported a positive outcome. Although Robert’s creative, outgoing, and exuberant personality are part of who he is as a teacher, he reminds us that any personality type can be a profoundly impactful educator by working to connect with and understand students. After all, Robert suggests, students just want to know that we have their backs.

Listeners are encouraged to consider these additional resources mentioned in the episode:

• Robert Ahdoot’s website, https://www.yaymath.org/  where you can find videos, courses, Robert’s blog and more to help inspire the students in your care;
• Robert’s Algebra 1 lesson on ratios and proportions for Texas Instruments’ “Smart Space” video series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5itAHkH0YH4&list=PLQa_6aWmaC6AebhOVkKXC8Vags6D1TVaz ;
• Jo Boaler’s research article on timed tests: https://bhi61nm2cr3mkdgk1dtaov18-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/nctm-timed-tests.pdf 

More about our guest, Robert Ahdoot: Robert Ahdoot is a math teacher and founder of YayMath.org, a free online collection of math video lessons filmed live in his classroom, in the studio, and even as street performance art, using iconic costumes and characters. Robert has given TEDx talks and travels to schools and conferences promoting his message of achieving positive learning through meaningful human connections. He is the author of One-on-One 101: The Art of Inspired and Effective Individualized Instruction, and the creator of online Algebra and Geometry math courses.

Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy. 

Joanie and Curtis host their first guest on this episode of Room to Grow. Robert Ahdoot taught high school math and found his strength in connecting with and engaging students, leveraging his enthusiasm and creativity to build strong relationships with students. He found that his humor, compassion, and excitement for mathematics content helped students overcome their anxiety about and struggles with learning math. 

Robert brings a contemplative and self-reflective spirit to our conversation, bringing in knowledge about the physiology of stress and the workings of our brains alongside his passion for human connection and relationships, making this a conversation unlike any other. 

We tackle issues that almost every math teacher has dealt with: supporting students who struggle, who are unengaged, and who experience math anxiety, causing them to underperform. Robert gives practical and actionable tips, and reminds us to not take ourselves too seriously along the way. You’ll leave wanting more, and you’ll get it! This episode is the first of two conversations with Robert. You won’t want to miss a minute of this conversation!

Listeners are encouraged to consider these additional resources mentioned in the episode:

• Robert Ahdoot’s website, https://www.yaymath.org/  where you can find videos, courses, Robert’s blog and more to help inspire the students in your care;
• Robert’s Algebra 1 lesson on ratios and proportions for Texas Instruments’ “Smart Space” video series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5itAHkH0YH4&list=PLQa_6aWmaC6AebhOVkKXC8Vags6D1TVaz ;
• YouCubed video on the importance of struggle: https://www.youcubed.org/resources/the-importance-of-struggle/ 
• One of Robert’s favorite riddles: You have 9 marbles. One is slightly heavier than each of the other 8. Using a balance scale only twice, how can you determine which is the heavier marble? The answer is elegant and without "out of the box" thinking, which is generally welcomed of course, but no need here. No weighing marbles with your hands, dropping them, using water somehow, etc. You can determine which is the heavier marble using the balance scale twice.

More about our guest, Robert Ahdoot: Robert Ahdoot is a math teacher and founder of YayMath.org, a free online collection of math video lessons filmed live in his classroom, in the studio, and even as street performance art, using iconic costumes and characters. Robert has given TEDx talks and travels to schools and conferences promoting his message of achieving positive learning through meaningful human connections. He is the author of One-on-One 101: The Art of Inspired and Effective Individualized Instruction, and the creator of online Algebra and Geometry math courses.

Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy. 

In this episode of Room to Grow, Joanie and Curtis discuss the challenge of pandemic “learning loss” and provide ideas for math teachers to reframe this concept. They speak about the potential negative impacts of deficit language as students return to classrooms across the country, and emphasize the importance of creating a positive classroom culture for learning, grounded in beliefs that all students can and will be successful. Acknowledging that educators are facing significant pandemic-related challenges, our hosts also talk about the power of collaboration and how it is even more important for the success of teachers and students in the 2021-22 school year.

Listeners are encouraged to consider these additional resources for managing learning in the new school year:

Continuing the Journey: Mathematics Learning 2021 and Beyond – joint publication from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM) and the Association for State Supervisors of Mathematics (ASSM).

Learning Acceleration for All: Planning for the Next Three to Five Years – TNTP’s resource for educators responding to Covid-19’s impact on learning

These blog posts on The False Construct of Readiness in Mathematics and A Process to Address Unfinished Learning in Middle School Math (which has ideas applicable to all grade levels). 

Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy. 

The article referred to in the podcast for building back better can be found here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lindadarlinghammond/2021/04/05/accelerating-learning-as-we-build-back-better/?sh=33b314156722&fbclid=IwAR2QaW5oCyel5PxBECCziT9c6bKr3osAUSTj81ZP5gdi09cyvIJQN8JmT7U 

Restart and Reinvent report: https://restart-reinvent.learningpolicyinstitute.org/

Effortful Thinking: https://www.edsurge.com/news/2021-06-28-better-questions-in-the-classroom-lead-students-to-think-harder-and-learn-deeper

Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy.