Instructional Routines That Support Mathematics Identity Development with Dr. Fawnda Norman

ROUNDING UP: SEASON 5 | EPISODE 5

Supporting students' math identity has become a priority for many elementary mathematics teachers. But recognizing the importance of helping students build a positive math identity is not the same as knowing how to make that happen on a day-to-day basis. During this episode, we'll talk with Fawnda Norman from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh about the ways educators can integrate identity-supporting practices into daily math routines.

Bio:

Dr. Fawnda Norman is an assistant professor of mathematics education at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. She teaches elementary and secondary mathematics methods and action research courses. Her teaching emphasizes culturally responsive mathematics instruction, integrating practices that provide students with multiple ways to access, represent, and engage with mathematical concepts. She prepares future teachers to create safe, inclusive, and equitable learning environments for all students. Her central focus with preservice teachers is mathematics identity development. She designs opportunities for teachers to critically reflect on their own experiences as mathematics learners and examine how those experiences shape their emerging teacher identities. To support positive mathematics identity development in K–12 classrooms, Dr. Norman has developed five classroom routines that help students see themselves as capable and valued mathematics learners.

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction • Building Math Identity in Students
07:23 - Notice and Wonder & Worked Examples
14:48 - Exploring Worked Examples
18:04 - Understanding Worked Examples
23:21 - Wrapping Up • Engage with Rounding Up

ROUNDING UP: SEASON 5 | EPISODE 4

Recently, there's been a great deal of debate around the role digital manipulatives should play in an elementary math classroom. In this episode, we'll talk with Patrick Vennebush and Natalie Crist about the role physical and digital manipulatives can play in a classroom. We'll try to clarify the opportunities, the limitations, and the questions teachers should ask themselves when they consider using these powerful tools.

BIOGRAPHIES

Patrick Vennebush is the chief learning officer at The Math Learning Center, where he manages the development curriculum products and professional learning services, including the newly released Math MultiApp by MLC.

Natalie Crist is the director of content development at The Math Learning Center, where she leads the development of curriculum products, including Bridges in Mathematics. In addition to her work for MLC, Natalie is an adjunct faculty member at Towson University and McDaniel College.

RESOURCES

Math MultiApp by MLC app

"Meet the Math MultiApp by MLC: All Your Math Tools in One Place" webinar

"The Benefits of Virtual Manipulatives" article

CHAPTERS

00:00 - The Role of Manipulatives in Math Education

02:27 - Physical vs. Digital Manipulatives

05:40 - Benefits of Physical Manipulatives

10:05 - Exploring Digital Materials

14:13 - Limitations of Manipulatives

21:36 - Choosing the Right Manipulative

24:46 - Planning for Effective Instruction

27:58 - Introducing the Math MultiApp

32:19 - Accessing the Math MultiApp

TRANSCRIPT

Click here for a full episode transcript.

ROUNDING UP: SEASON 5 | EPISODE 3

Representations, language, and symbols are all important ingredients in building students' conceptual understanding and fluency. But how can we understand the relationship between those three ingredients? And what happens if we leave any one of them out of the recipe?

In this episode, we explore these questions with Dr. Patrick Sullivan, professor of mathematics at Missouri State University.

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Patrick Sullivan teaches mathematics content and methods courses for future K–12 teachers at Missouri State University. His work focuses on helping teachers unleash children's mathematical brilliance, particularly in the areas of number, fractions, multiplication, and mathematical reasoning. He has published in the areas of elementary mathematics education, mathematical authority, technology-supported learning, and statistics education.

Dr. Sullivan is the author of See It, Say It, Symbolize It (Solution Tree), which challenges educators to rethink how mathematics is taught and learned. He is also the past president of the Missouri Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the founder and director of the Young Mathematics Teacher Academy, a program designed to encourage and mentor high school students interested in becoming mathematics teachers. Formerly, he served as a school leader and high school mathematics department chair. He has received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching and the Missouri Teacher Educator of the Year Award.

RESOURCES

See It, Say It, Symbolize It book

Unleashing Mathematical Brilliance website

CHAPTERS

00:00 - Introduction • Building Mathematical Understanding

00:32 - Grandma Edna's Math Lesson

05:44 - See It, Say It, Symbolize It

09:21 - Concept Images & Fractions

14:07 - Language as the Connector

21:46 - Equal Exchange

26:02 - Making Sense of Symbols

32:51 - Connecting Math Across Grades

37:43 - Wrapping Up

TRANSCRIPT

Click here for a full episode transcript.