How will supporting
teachers to implement number talks in their math classrooms inform my coaching
practice?
I am not sure if this post is really
supporting my question but I want to share the experience anyway because it just
so awesome to see. If anyone can ask questions that would support me in connecting
this experience to my research question it would be appreciated.
As I was shadowing my principal the
other day we went into a kindergarten classroom just as they sat down for a
number talk. This was not planned. This classroom is a CTT room. However, on
this day, only the special ed. teacher was present. This teacher is new to
number talks and at the beginning of the year questioned their purpose and effectiveness.
The number talk that she facilitated
on this day was amazing. It was a quick image number talk around seeing six. Students
were listening to each other, sharing their thinking, and reasoning about the
parts they saw and how they related to the total. I truly wish I had videotaped
it. The teacher asked thoughtful questions of her students that pushed them to
make connections and articulate their ideas clearly.
It was beautiful!
Have you worked with this teacher before?
ReplyDeleteIt looks like it is informing your coaching... you're identifying a teacher who can be a model or support for other teachers. Sharing best practices is totally coaching, even if you've stepped outside of the conversation you're still facilitating it.
Hi Katie, Yes I have worked with this teacher, as well as her co-teacher, in a complete coaching cycle (5 weeks). One aspect of our work was student talk and the role of the teacher in supporting student talk. I think it is a great idea to ask them to be a model classroom and share their best practices. Teacher leaders all the way! Thanks! Visiting this classroom could be really powerful for the teacher who is grappling with student engagement.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Katie—it definitely supports your question. You worked with this teacher and actually now have the opportunity to allow someone else to coach others. Perhaps she’d be willing to be videotaped at some future time and you can have it ready as a model for anyone new to number talks.
ReplyDelete