Developing Mathematical Thinking - Information to Support Your Child

In the last few years teachers in Middleton and across the state have been enrolling in professional development to improve their mathematical practice, instruction and their own understanding.  This training, offered by the State through Boise State University's Center for School Improvement, has challenged many of us in our thinking and how we look at your child's understanding of mathematics and make instructional decisions to help them grow.

The Developing Mathematical Thinking Initiative is soundly rooted in research and creates opportunities for teachers to meet the needs of diverse learners; including our students who are gifted in mathematics and crave opportunities to grow.  But this way of looking at mathematics might be very different from how you were taught.  Students are taught to use traditional algorithms, but not until they can understand the thinking that supports the use of those algorithms.  Instead the emphasis is on deeply understanding what is happening in a math problem, using a strategy to solve the problem, and being able to clearly explain your thinking.  All three are increasingly important skills for the world of work that our kids will be entering.  No longer will they be able to just "do" the math and get by.

For some of us this may be a large shift in thinking from our own experiences and beliefs about mathematics.  I would like to encourage you to read and know more about this initiative and to ask lots of questions.  Mrs. Ingersoll and I are glad to email or meet with you to explain more.  I'm also attaching a few documents that might help as you begin to understand this shift in mathematics instructions.

Miss Young

Homework Questions
This document contains a list of questions you can use to prompt your child's thinking when they are working on a math problem at home.
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B_VBXnTxMgiVNGU4Njc5ZjgtYWQyYS00MDE0LTkxNDAtYTdjZDE2ODQxNDg3&hl=en

Newsletters
The following are newsletters that give more background and information on how addition, subtraction, and multiplication thinking might look in elementary age children.  These are written by the Boise State Developing Mathematical Thinking Group.

Addition
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B_VBXnTxMgiVMzExNTcwYjktMWVlOS00ZjdmLTg5YjItZDQ4NDA3YjRiZTQ0&hl=en

Subtraction
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B_VBXnTxMgiVYzFhZWU2MGMtMDYzMi00NjE2LThhNDYtMWQxZmJhZGUxY2Fh&hl=en

Multiplication
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B_VBXnTxMgiVYzZlNTU4ZjEtMzAzMC00YjllLWIzOTYtZjBhZGFjODJlNTc1&hl=en