Math is Figure-Out-Able!

A huge part of any teacher's life is classroom management, setting expectations, and compliance. In this episode Pam and Kim consider when compliance might or might not be helpful in a math classroom. Talking Points: Sucked down the Math Is Figureoutable vortex Would you rather have compliant students? Or have students who question? There are times when compliance is important Kim and Pam&apo...

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on February 14, 2024.  Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies. Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation. Twitter: @PWHarris Instagram: Pam Ha...

Thinking and reasoning is always more powerful than rotely memorizing steps. In this episode Pam and Kim demonstrate how to help students reason about Order of Operations. Talking Points: Nat Banting's "Oops, I Meant" Representing a context using the grouping symbols to communicate  Demonstrate how mathematicians communicate with symbols earl Using the equals sign correctly to mean...

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on February 7, 2024.  Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies. Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation. Twitter: @PWHarris Instagram: Pam Har...

Order of operations seems more rote memorizable than figure-out-able, or is it? In this episode Pam and Kim discuss the pitfalls of teaching order of operations as an acronym to memorize, and offer a better alternative. Talking Points: It's about communication rather than a thing to memorize. The notation is social knowledge. The order is logical mathematical knowledge and therefore figure-ou...

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on January 31, 2024.  Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies. Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation. Twitter: @PWHarris Instagram: Pam Har...

Finding a fraction of something can be a tricky concept. In this episode Pam and Kim run through two strings that help reason about using fractions as operators. Talking Points: How are unit fractions related like halves, fourth and eighths?  Scaling and Over Strategy with unit fractions Fractions as operators Why is scaling a unit fractions critical? Knowing that three fourths is the same as thre...

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on January 24, 2024.  Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies. Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation. Twitter: @PWHarris Instagram: Pam Har...

Does it really matter what we call the whole?  In this episode Pam and Kim take a closer look at fraction problems where the unit matters. Talking Points: Kim and the beach How can there be 2 possible answers to the question "What is 1/2?" Focusing on the unit Naming the unit What happens when the unit changes?  Help students focus on the unit, changing the unit, and finding a fractional...

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on January 17, 2024.  Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies. Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation. Twitter: @PWHarris Instagram: Pam Har...

How many people do you know that shy away from fractions? In this episode Pam and Kim discuss why teaching students to use step by step procedures to solve fraction problems actually leaves them not able to think about fractions at all. Talking Points: We love hearing your stories! What kind of reasoning do fractions engage? What happens when students learn to mimic steps rather than reason about...

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on January 10, 2023.  Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies. Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation. Twitter: @PWHarris Instagram: Pam Har...

Minus-minus, plus-plus, or is integer subtraction actually figureoutable? In this episode Pam and Kim use a Problem String to build real understanding of integer subtraction. Talking Points: The importance of having multiple contexts Seeing the negative symbol as "opposite of" Using distance Understanding takes time, but is so worth it! See Episodes 181-183 for more about Integer operati...

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on January 3, 2024.  Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies. Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation. Twitter: @PWHarris Instagram: Pam Harr...

Tracking students and sorting them into 'higher'/'lower' tracks is a topic that we have really, really firm feelings about. In this episode Pam and Kim discuss the unintended consequences of tracking students and offer some ideas to consider. Talking Points Who does tracking benefit, who does it hurt? Distaste for the vocabulary used to describe tracks of kids Everyone can do m...

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on December 27, 2023.  Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies. Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation. Twitter: @PWHarris Instagram: Pam Ha...

Happy holidays! Pam and Kim invite you to revisit Ep 87, it's super important! How do you navigate teaching math that is figure-out-able if your standards include the teaching of algorithms? Talking Points:  All year long invest your time wisely helping kids learn to reason, increasing their sophistication of relationships and solving more difficult problems.  Students can and will perform we...

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on December 20, 2023.  Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies. Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation. Twitter: @PWHarris Instagram: Pam Ha...

Can integer subtraction feel intuitive without rote memory? In this episode Pam and Kim delve into a Problem String and explore integer subtraction relationships. Talking Points: Integer chips? Students reason about subtracting integers Distance versus removal  Problem String subtracting integers in context When context is less helpful Don't go to rules, stay in reasoning See Episodes 149 and...

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on December 13, 2023.  Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies. Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation. Twitter: @PWHarris Instagram: Pam Ha...

Mimicking rules for integer operations does not help students become doers of Real Math, and frankly doesn't often stick in their long term memory. In this episode Pam and Kim walk through a Problem String that helps students develop an intuitive understanding of integer addition! Talking Points: Exploring the beach as a context Equations and number lines in context Carefully chosen numbers t...

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on December 6, 2023.  Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies. Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation. Twitter: @PWHarris Instagram: Pam Har...

How can we help students reason about integers? In this episode Pam and Kim discuss fun and natural ways to explore and understand both positive and negative integers. Talking Points: The Pen/Pencil argument continues 5th graders can reason about integers Games do develp understanding of integers Clothes line math with integers Exploring four useful contexts for integers See Ep 242 for more inform...

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on November 29, 2023.  Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies. Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation. Twitter: @PWHarris Instagram: Pam Ha...

How do you label fractions on an open number line? How do you label a fraction of a candy bar? How many cuts do you make to cut a candy bar into fourths? Pam and Kim invite you to revisit episode 138, this time with an ear towards fractions.  Do your students ever get confused about counting obects vs counting distance? In this episode 138 Pam and Kim use a Problem String to help build intuition a...