One of the things I seriously SUCK at is allowing my 2nd and 3rd graders (yes...I have a combo this year) time to reflect and think about their thinking. I have read/heard hundreds of times how important it is to give students time to really think about what they are learning. I do it myself, all the time. Every day after the kids leave, I think about how the day went. How did the new Math lesson go today? The kids had a hard time with that writing activity, how can I "fix" it and make that lesson better? Should we revisit a concept or move on? Teachers reflect like we breathe...without even thinking about it.
We had some "extra" time today after our Bridges Work Places time (we have adopted the Bridges math program this school year...so far, so good. But I'll save that for another post), so I decided to ask my students a question..."Which /math/ activity was your favorite and how did it help you think mathematically?" |
I was actually very proud of myself! I asked my students to think about their learning and even introduced the term "mathematical thinking"! WooHoo for me! Honestly, I wasn't expecting very much. I figured that for this first try, I really wouldn't get much out of my kids at all. Yes, I did get a few "I like the _______ activity because it was fun and mathematical." And I got a few responses that skipped over the whole "mathematical" part entirely..."I liked the pattern blocks because I made a flower and it was fun." Kind of like the journal you see below...Ugh!
But as I continued to read what my students wrote, I found that there were a few who did seem to get the whole "think about my learning" concept! One student wrote about building a tower and using a ruler to measure the height. Another student actually built a tower that was taller than the ruler and asked me "How do I measure this? The ruler is too small!" and as I smiled and said, "Wow...I don't know. What do you think you could do to measure your tower?" Another student came right to the rescue and gave her a really good suggestion (I just LOVE it when they solve each other's problems!).
This student talked about using pattern blocks and figuring out which shape/color would come next!
This student is a 3rd grader and reads at a beginning first grade level but clearly understood the concept of math helping to "grow his brain"! Way to go "growth mindset"!
So after today, I think I will ask my students to reflect and think about their learning MUCH more often! I feel like this was a great way to start this conversation about how we learn best.