Mathematical Tasks The Bridge Between Teaching And Learning

If we want our pupils to develop fluency, understanding and the ability to solve complex problems, then it is vital that teachers develop the ability to select, adapt and design appropriate mathematical tasks. In 'Mathematical Tasks: The Bridge Between Teaching and Learning', Chris McGrane and Mark McCourt a range of practical approaches, strategies and principles behind the design and effective use of tasks in the mathematics classroom that lead to all pupils becoming successful learners. First-hand interviews with world class mathematics education experts and practicing teachers bring to life the ideas behind how tasks can act as a bridge between what the teacher wants the pupil to make sense of and what the pupil actually does makes sense of; tasks are how we enable pupils to enact mathematics - it is only by being mathematical that pupils can truly make connections across mathematical ideas and understand the bigger picture. This is a book for classroom teachers. Chris McGrane offers a range of practical examples for nurturing deep learning in mathematics that can be adapted and embedded in one's own classroom practice. This is also a book for those who are interested in the theory behind tasks. Chris and his interviewees examine the key role tasks play in shaping learning, teaching, curriculum and assessment. Suitable for teachers at all stages in their careers and teachers are encouraged to return to the book from time to time over the years to notice how their use of tasks in the classroom changes as they themselves develop.

Teacher education seeks to transform prospective and/or practicing teachers from neophyte possibly uncritical perspectives on teaching and learning to more knowledgeable, adaptable, analytic, insightful, observant, resourceful, reflective and confident professionals ready to address whatever challenges teaching secondary mathematics presents. This transformation occurs optimally through constructive engagement in tasks that foster knowledge for teaching secondary mathematics. Ideally such tasks provide a bridge between theory and practice, and challenge, surprise, disturb, confront, extend, or provoke examination of alternatives, drawn from the context of teaching. We define tasks as the problems or activities that, having been developed, evaluated and refined over time, are posed to teacher education participants. Such participants are expected to engage in these tasks collaboratively, energetically, and intellectually with an open mind and an orientation to future practice. The tasks might be similar to those used by classroom teachers (e.g., the analysis of a graphing problem) or idiosyncratic to teacher education (e.g., critique of videotaped practice). This edited volume includes chapters based around unifying themes of tasks used in secondary mathematics teacher education. These themes reflect goals for mathematics teacher education, and are closely related to various aspects of knowledge required for teaching secondary mathematics. They are not based on the conventional content topics of teacher education (e.g., decimals, grouping practices), but on broad goals such as adaptability, identifying similarities, productive disposition, overcoming barriers, micro simulations, choosing tools, and study of practice. This approach is innovative and appeals both to prominent authors and to our target audiences.

Everything you need to promote mathematical thinking and learning! Good math teachers have a robust repertoire of strategies to move students’ learning forward. This new volume from award-winning author Page Keeley and mathematics expert Cheryl Rose Tobey helps you improve student outcomes with 50 all-new formative assessment classroom techniques (FACTS) that are embedded throughout a cycle of instruction. Descriptions of how the FACTs promote learning and inform teaching, including illustrative examples, support the inextricable link between instruction and learning. Useful across disciplines, Keeley and Tobey’s purposeful assessment techniques help K-12 math teachers: Promote conceptual understanding Link techniques to core ideas and practices Modify instruction for diverse learners Seamlessly embed formative assessment throughout the stages of instruction Focus on learning targets and feedback Instead of a one-size fits all approach, you can build a bridge between your students’ initial ideas and correct mathematical thinking with this one-of-a-kind resource!

Tasks in Primary Mathematics Teacher Education is intended to advance relevant research and innovative international practices in the preparation and professional development of mathematics teachers. Emerging from discussion at the ICMI study on teacher professional development, this volume, focused on primary and elementary teachers, culls a richness that can only be found by gathering wisdom from varied experiences around the world. The choice of tasks, and the associated pedagogies, is a key aspect of teaching and learning mathematics. Arguing that what students learn is largely defined by the tasks they are given, several major themes are presented. One such major strand, the form, function and focus of tasks, is discussed throughout several chapters, offering analysis, discussion of implementation, and exemplars of a broader category of illustrative techniques for developing critical understanding.

Transform mathematics learning from “doing” to “thinking” American students are losing ground in the global mathematical environment. What many of them lack is numeracy—the ability to think through the math and apply it outside of the classroom. Referencing the new common core and NCTM standards, the authors outline nine critical thinking habits that foster numeracy and show you how to: Monitor and repair students’ understanding Guide students to recognize patterns Encourage questioning for understanding Develop students’ mathematics vocabulary Included are several numeracy-rich lesson plans, complete with clear directions and student handouts.

Some teachers think that there’s little to say about teaching with examples – after all, everyone uses them. But here are just some of the questions you might have about teaching with worked examples: How do we introduce an example? What do we ask students to do when studying a solution? Should a solution be presented all at once or revealed step-by-step? After we study an example, what comes next? Does it matter if the solution is presented as if from a fictional student, a real student in class, or from the teacher? How do we help students move from understanding someone else’s ideas towards using it on their own to solve problems? How do we write a solution in a clear way, that students can learn from? When is a good time to offer a worked example? When is it better to let students try a problem? Are worked examples more useful for some mathematical content than others? This book will answer all of these questions. In some cases, research offers answers. Other questions represent gaps in the research literature and the book offers solutions arrived at through experience and trial-and-error and the author’s own process of classroom problem solving. Welcome to the world of teaching with examples!

Formative assessment plays an important role in increasing teacher quality and student learning when it’s viewed as a process rather than a tool. Emphasizing the instructional side of formative assessment, this book explores in depth the use of classroom questioning, learning intentions and success criteria, feedback, collaborative and cooperative learning, and self-regulated learning to engineer effective learning environments for students.

​This book is about how teachers can use classroom mathematics tasks to support student learning, and presents data on the ways in which teachers used those tasks in a particular research project. It is the product of research findings focusing on teacher practice, teacher learning and knowledge, and student learning. It demonstrates how teachers can use mathematics tasks to promote effective student learning.​