GETCA 2020

Number Talks have been a game changer for teachers across North America. Teachers are finding that students are able to solve operation questions at higher level and their mental math skills are improving. Number Talks require students to engage in mathematical discourse to justify and prove their thinking. They feel empowered when they are able to share their own strategy and promote the learning of their peers. Teachers will leave this session knowing how to utilize Number Talks in their classrooms. Prompts, questions and tasks will be provided to assist teachers in using the Number Talk Framework to teach other strands such as geometry and patterns.

Would you like to incorporate Art into Math? So many students don't think math has any room for creativity but it is not true. Come get some new project ideas! Part 1 will look at math outcomes involving patterns, factors and geometry.

This presentation will discuss one school's journey to develop a whole school mathematics intervention across grades 1-6 to develop student skill in computational fluency. The model that we built allows for students to practice fluency skills with immediate feedback from staff members as well as to engage in meaningful discussions about mathematical concepts. Students progressed from concrete to representational to abstract mathematical thinking. The teacher explicitly helped students bridge the gap between the three types of representations of mathematical problems. The presenter will provide a case study of one school's example and provide suggestions for generalizing this to other school settings.

Come and play some math games and have some fun!! We will go over some math games that can be used to "change it up" in your classroom. Your students will have so much fun playing these games that they won't even realize that they are developing numeracy skills! The games that we go over are geared for Div 2 and 3, but most games can be modified for other divisions.

The 'aha' moments are why many teachers teach! We want students to 'get it', not just blindly follow a list of rules. But, how do we get there more consistently with more students? The answer can be as simple as changing a single lesson within a unit or cycle of study. In this session, you will learn how to collaboratively develop a conceptually-based lesson through the use of a high-cognitive-demand task that promotes productive struggle. We will talk about how to group students to maximize conceptual understanding, how to engage students through questioning, and what not to say/do to ensure we're not emptying tasks of their cognitive demand. Much like reading comprehension is key to success in literacy, understanding WHY a procedure works is key to success in numeracy. A single lesson can make the difference between blind obedience and sense-making in mathematics!

Teachers can use Math Warm-Ups to engage their students in mathematics as soon as they enter the classroom. They provide a space for all students to be successful and encourage mathematical discussion. The open-ended nature of Math Warm-Ups allow teachers to gain insights into student thinking and understanding. Math Warm-Ups can also be used to spiral curriculum and review concepts. In this session, participants will experience a variety of different Math Warm-Ups. They will also leave with links to Math Warm-Up resources that will include all the mathematical strands.