5-4-3-2-1

My understanding of numeracy has come a long way in the last few years, thanks in large part to these amazing educators. Think you know math? Check them out, just to be sure.

5 People to follow

1. Christina Tondevold - The self-dubbed "recovering traditionalist" Christina has had a significant influence on the way I teach math. From her freebies to her paid content, she shares so much wisdom about how we used to teach math and what we should be doing. Although she specifically targets K-5, I have found her content super helpful all the way up to grade 8. Definitely give her a follow.
2. Graham Fletcher - Fletchy's 3 Act math tasks are sure to get your students engaged and talking about math, while his progression videos will have you thinking about how you teach math in new ways. If you want to get away from memorization and in to deep thinking about math in your classroom, Graham's your guy!
3. Jo Boaler - Jo believes, really and truly believes, that everyone can learn "maths". Transforming how we see and think about not just math but the world around us, Jo is an incredibly influential figure in the world of numeracy education. Check out her website and then, if you want to dive in deeper, consider taking one of her MOOC courses offered through her home base of Stanford University. Just want the quick and dirty? Follow her on Twitter.
4. Jon Orr - Jon is an innovative high school math teacher looking to empower students to become resilient problem solvers. I love how he shares his classroom openly and offers up a variety of resources any teacher can use. He also happens to be one part of the Make Math Moments that Matter podcast, website and course team with...
5. Kyle Pearce - Kyle's focus on making math visual - through videos, slide decks and images - is the component that many math textbooks and teachers miss. He also creates amazing math tasks that encourage kids to think about math contextually, visually and concretely.

4 Apps/Websites to check out

• SFUSD Math Department
• Math Central
• Mashup Math
• National Library of Virtual Manipulatives

3 Things to Try

1. Number Talks - having kids share their thinking around solving math problems helps them to see that there are many different ways to solve a problem. Number talks can be used at any grade level and are a great way to kick off your lesson. Check out this post from The Brown Bag teacher for more info.
2. White Boards - Whether it's the lack of permanence or the novelty, white boards are amazing at getting kids to take risks and try new things, especially with math. I use these handy sleeves to slip graphic organizers into or let kids use them with a blank or grid printed piece of paper inside.
3. 3 Act Math Tasks - A 3 Act Math Task is an engaging 3 part task that requires students to slowly and methodically work through gathering information and solving the problem. They are usually accompanied by still images that slowly but surely provide more information as students ask questions or posit theories. Graham Fletcher has a wealth of 3 Act Tasks on his website as well as links to a wide range of tasks created by others, including the originator of 3 Act Tasks, Dan Meyer. For tips and tricks on how to best implement them, see this blog post from Kyle Pearce.

2 Quotes to Consider

- Mathematics is not about numbers, equations, computations or algorithms. It is about understanding. William Paul Thurston

- In mathematics the art of proposing a question must be held of higher value than solving it. Georg Cantor

1 Question to Answer

How do you handle mistakes and questions in your math class? Are they celebrated? Avoided?