Our students can learn to approach math problems like mathematicians! In this episode Pam and Kim look at one of the most sophisticated multiplication strategies that many mathematicians use. Talking Points: Creating an equivalent problem by Doubling and Halving. What makes a problem reasonable to solve without a calculator? Double/Halve; Triple/Find a Third; Quadruple/Find a fourth What makes Doubling and Halving one of the most sophisticated multiplication strategies Flexible Factoring - for m...
Oct 17, 2023•34 min•Ep. 173
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on October 11, 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 Harris_math Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education Want more? Check out the archive of all ...
Oct 12, 2023•6 min
Some subtraction strategies can only get you so far, but with a little more sophistication complex problems become really nice to think and reason about! In this episode Pam and Kim build and discuss the Constant Difference strategy for subtraction and use it to solve a really gnarly problem. Talking Points: Equivalence strategies are more sophisticated Hallmarks of sophisticated stategies Modeling Constant Difference Relational Thinking Routine Check out the Instructional Routine called Relatio...
Oct 10, 2023•39 min•Ep. 173
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on October 4, 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 Harris_math Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education Want more? Check out the archive of all o...
Oct 05, 2023•7 min
What makes a strategy sophisticated? In this episode Pam and Kim build the most sophisticated strategy and talk about how and why to develop it with students. Talking Points: What are the most sophisticated strategies? Strategies that require more simultaneity require more time to develop Simultaneous versus sequential Representing Give and Take We need more than one strategy
Oct 03, 2023•36 min
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on September 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 Harris_math Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education Want more? Check out the archive of al...
Sep 28, 2023•8 min
Kids learn best with support from their parents, and helping with math has never been easier! In this episode, Pam and Kim are excited to share some tips about how to encourage your children as they grow in mathematical thinking and reasoning. Talking Points: Wait a little longer Resist the urge to tell the right answer Ask questions to cement the thinking Counting on and back from numbers other than one Guess my Number Discuss fractions by their unit fractions Compare fractions using landmarks ...
Sep 26, 2023•25 min•Ep. 171
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on September 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 Harris_math Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education Want more? Check out the archive of al...
Sep 21, 2023•8 min
This one's for all you, parents! How can you support your children in becoming mathematicians? In this episode Pam and Kim go over their favorite ways to explore math at home in fun game-like activities. Talking Points: Speak about math positively Wondering Doubling and Halving Using 10s to find 9s and using 10s to find 5s I Have, You Need Get the free download: https://www.mathisfigureoutable.com/parenttips Check out our social media Twitter: @PWHarris Instagram: Pam Harris_math Facebook: Pam H...
Sep 19, 2023•31 min•Ep. 170
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on September 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 Harris_math Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education Want more? Check out the archive of al...
Sep 14, 2023•6 min
Can you reason about what it means for a point to be within a given quadrant? Can your students? In this episode Pam and Kim discuss weather and geography to develop understanding of the quadrants in the cartesian coordinate system. Talking Points: Understanding points relative to their quadrants and the y = x line Kim's connection to Alaska What makes Australia so unique Graphing inequalities is Figure-Out-Able! See Ep 242 for more information on Integer Multiplication Check out our social medi...
Sep 12, 2023•30 min•Ep. 169
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on September 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 Harris_math Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education Want more? Check out the archive of all...
Sep 07, 2023•5 min
Let's do some guessing! In this episode Pam and Kim develop some functional reasoning by analyzing the relationships between their guesses and reality. Talking Points: Pam's guesses using her pop culture knowledge How would you know if you are a good guesser? Graphing guesses and actual age as an ordered pair Using the data to discuss the meaning of y=x The parent function for building all functions Check out our social media Twitter: @PWHarris Instagram: Pam Harris_math Facebook: Pam Harris, au...
Sep 05, 2023•30 min•Ep. 168
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on August 30, 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 Harris_math Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education Want more? Check out the archive of all o...
Aug 31, 2023•6 min
What does it mean for math to be figure-out-able? What will you teach? How? Why? In this episode Pam and Kim discuss their thoughts to changing the "how" and "what" of math education around the world and explore the "why". Talking Points: "What" math we teach should come first "How" the math should be embedded in the "what" What Pam and Kim think about "Why" make the change? Check out our social media Twitter: @PWHarris Instagram: Pam Harris_math Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics educati...
Aug 29, 2023•26 min•Ep. 167
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on August 23, 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 Harris_math Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education Want more? Check out the archive of all o...
Aug 24, 2023•7 min
What role does terminology have in math teaching? How do we want students to approach problems? In this episode Pam and Kim discuss when to teach vocabulary how we can prepare students to tackle problems with confidence. Talking Points: "Just In Case" vs "Just In Time" vocabulary Social Knowledge vs Logical Mathematical Knowledge Anchor Charts to cinch learning Rejecting key words for operations Wrong answers are opportunities for good teacher feedback For more about Anchor Charts check out Epis...
Aug 22, 2023•24 min•Ep. 166
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on August 16, 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 Harris_math Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education Want more? Check out the archive of all o...
Aug 17, 2023•7 min
There is so much that is good happening in the math teaching community! In this episode Pam and Kim discuss how we can determine how much of which good things to put into our classrooms. Talking Points: Going beyond nixing tricks Social versus logical knowledge Nixing the tricks is more than explaining the math better The dangers of going all in on any good teaching practice Number Talks Exploding Dots Manipulatives Keep asking for clarification and refining your craft in order to create mathema...
Aug 15, 2023•28 min•Ep. 165
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on August 9, 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 Harris_math Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education Want more? Check out the archive of all of...
Aug 10, 2023•5 min
Who does not love a quick, easy routine that gives students useful problem solving relationships? In this episode Pam and Kim revisit I Have, You Need and apply it with different target numbers. Talking Points: Kim and Pam play I Have, You Need often with clocks and marathons It's not about speed Goal is reducing cognitive load in the midst of solving other problems Another goal is building fluency Other important target numbers for early elementary and even middle and high school students Get t...
Aug 08, 2023•22 min•Ep. 164
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on August 2, 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 Harris_math Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education Want more? Check out the archive of all of...
Aug 03, 2023•5 min
What exactly is a Problem String? In this episode Pam and Kim dig into that question and give examples of what a problem string is and is not. Talking Points: Pam's conversation with Howie Hua - Problem Strings are not strategies Example of a helper clunker structure Problem String What is structure vs strategy? Example of an equivalent structred Problem String The power of owning multiple strategies If you want to hear more about Problem Strings, check out Episodes 71, 72 and 260. Check out our...
Aug 01, 2023•30 min•Ep. 163
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on July 26, 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 Harris_math Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education Want more? Check out the archive of all of ...
Jul 27, 2023•7 min
What are some important relationships that students can use to do Real Math with fractions? In this episode Pam and Kim discuss some important relationships that can help develop deeper understanding about fractions for fractional equivalence and comparison. Talking Points: A listener's review Using benchmark fractions to compare Using a number line to compare fractions How does understanding unit fractions help compare ugly fractions? Why we use symbols to represent complex ideas Check out our ...
Jul 25, 2023•18 min•Ep. 162
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on July 19, 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 Harris_math Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education Want more? Check out the archive of all of ...
Jul 20, 2023•5 min
What if your students could think and reason about the relative sizes of fractions? In this episode Pam and Kim think about where fractions go on clotheslines to show how you can help your students compare fractions without a memorized procedure. Talking points: A podcast listener shares her perspective of mathematics as a student Clothesline Math examples using fractions and percents Connecting fractions and percents Generalizing about comparing fractions using reasoning Help students clarify t...
Jul 18, 2023•25 min•Ep. 161
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on July 12, 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 Harris_math Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education Want more? Check out the archive of all of ...
Jul 13, 2023•5 min
How we teach and what we teach are both really important. In this episode Pam and Kim wrap up their discussion on Peter Liljedahl's book Building Thinking Classrooms and how it meshes with the Math Is Figure-Out-Able movement. Talking Points: When we suggest to defront the classsroom Don't let language hamper the math for students during a Rich Task Consolidation versus Math Congress Use hints and extensions to keep students at the edge of the Zone of Proximal development and that requires knowi...
Jul 11, 2023•26 min•Ep. 160
In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on July 5, 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 Harris_math Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education Want more? Check out the archive of all of o...
Jul 06, 2023•6 min
