To cultivate budding mathematicians in the elementary classroom, I would HIGHLY recommend you try Peter Liljedahl’s Thinking Classroom structure. The Thinking Classroom structure is designed to foster a collaborative and dynamic learning environment that encourages students to actively engage with mathematical concepts.
This teacher does a great job of summarizing the key elements of chapter 1 in this video:
The first chapter sets the foundation for how we as teachers should be engaging with students and asking questions. If we want to enhance understanding in our students, we need to be providing them with richer tasks and less content. The skills that students will acquire by grappling with a really challenging task will stay with them much longer than simply regurgitating what the teacher wants them to know.
Later in the book, Liljedahl discusses how you can give feedback and assess learning using this modern approach to learning. One big takeaway that resonated with me was the idea of using a 2-point rubric where the students generate what it looks like to be doing the desired practice and what it looks like to not be doing it.
One grade level that I was coaching decided to put this into practice last year. The students generated what it would look like and what it wouldn’t look like to persevere. They brainstormed items the chart below, and then used that frequently when working to refer back to if needed. At any moment, they could self-assess and determine if their behavior was more aligned with perseverance or not.
The following graphic gives an overview of the 11 teaching practices that can enhance learning in your K-12 classroom. It all seems simple enough, and it is! But it does require a huge mindset shift when planning and teaching. One resource that was really helpful for me when trying to implement thinking tasks with my students was the community of teachers on Facebook. This Facebook group is great place to start for Grades K-2 Teachers. And this Facebook Group is a great place for Grades 3-5 teachers to collaborate and share resources.
If you have tried using Liljedahl’s Thinking Classroom structure or if you have any questions about it, let me know in the comments! I would love to hear about your experiences with this approach in nurturing mathematicians in the elementary classroom and if it feels like a solution to building mathematical problem solvers in our children.
