This is a question that I’ve thought about for a while. It seems that I embrace the same pedagogical approach with both, but I know there are differences. I think I have some clarity now. Read on.
During a Listening to Learn interview, when asked to figure out mentally the missing number in the problem 90 – ___ = 75, Meeyah and Rocco explained their reasoning in different ways. Listen to how they thought and how I used these two videos for a class lesson.
When asked in a Listening to Learn interview which fraction was greater, it was clear to Adrian that 5/6 was greater than 1/4. His explanation, however, was anything but clear. Listen to Adrian reason and learn how I used this video in a class lesson.
Rebecca solved 7 – 3 by adding, demonstrating the important numerical reasoning strategy of applying the inverse relationship between addition and subtraction. Read about what happened when I used the video clip of Rebecca in a class lesson.
In a Listening to Learn interview, Nathan knew from memory that 6 x 5 equals 30. He explained to Rusty Bresser, "So, 6 divided by 2 equals 3, and you just add a zero behind it." Here's a suggestion for using that video clip in a lesson and what happened in two different classes.
I love incorporating children’s books into math lessons. Since most of my teaching focuses on math, it’s a treat for me to read a book aloud to a class. After the students have a chance to enjoy the story and respond to the illustrations, then I use the book as a springboard for a math lesson.
Over the years, I’ve collaborated with Lynne Zolli and Patty Clark on a variety of math education projects. For this blog, we worked together to share our thinking about how Listening to Learn math interviews can serve teachers and students.
David Brooks wrote an opinion column in The New York Times on November 19, 2020, “Nine Nonobvious Ways to Have Deeper Conversations.” K–5 math wasn’t his focus or even hinted at in his message, but his suggestions jumped out at me as useful and important for connecting with students.
Yes, that’s a photo of me, taken about 30 years ago when I was conducting my first ever math interview. That was an extraordinary experience. It dramatically shifted my professional focus and, after all these years, has finally resulted in Listening to Learn, a digital interview tool to help K–5 teachers learn about how their students reason.
On Wednesday, May 5, 2021, I posted the sixth in my Wednesday Twitter series of video clips from Listening to Learn math interviews. The response to this Tweet amazed me―it received over 100,000 impressions! I was appreciative of the many supportive and insightful replies. Read more.