MATH MATTERS
Volume 2, Issue 1
February 2015
Welcome to Math MaƩers! Our goal is to support administrators with improving mathema cs in DPCDSB schools by
providing connec ons to news, research, resources and more as well as through crea ng opportuni es for
collabora on and inquiry.
The Importance of Rich Tasks in MathemaƟcs
Take a moment and ask yourself how you would you define a rich task in mathema cs? Is it a
contextualized word problem? An inves ga on? A game? A visual? All of the above?
At the recent winter Ministry SIM session the concept and importance of rich tasks were explored from both the criteria of the task itself and the impact of the pedagogy used to deliver
it. Learn more: (h p://sim.abel.yorku.ca/?page_id=3555).
“Student learning is greatest in classrooms where the tasks consistently encourage high level student thinking and reasoning and least in classrooms where the tasks are rouƟnely
procedural in nature.” (Boaler & Staples 2008; Hiebert & Wearne 1993; Stein & Lane 1996)
The Importance of Knowing the
Curriculum
Pedagogical content knowledge is an essen al resource for teachers in
regards to effec ve math instruc on. It is what allows educators to see
beyond a wrong answer and to determine the mathema cal thinking that
is present and where the student may need con nued support.
As a result suppor ng teachers in unpacking the curriculum expecta ons
is an important place to begin with regards to professional learning in mathema cs.
Here are some ideas to consider:

When unpacking the curriculum expecta ons for a par cular grade level it is always beneficial to look at the grade before and the grade a er. A useful resource to support this is
the Halton Catholic Curriculum Con nuum. (link)

Explore what stands out, its meaning and any wonderings about each expecta on.

Look at the “content” versus “processes” that are embedded in the expecta on.
e.g., Grade 2 Frac ons: (purple - instruc onal strategies and processes; blue - content/knowledge/skills
that are to be learned)
Determine through inves ga on using concrete materials, the rela onship between the number
of frac onal parts of a whole and the size of the frac onal parts
CALCULATING CONVERSATIONS...
Calculating
Conversations
Visit:DPCalculatingConversations
(http://goo.gl/ZqSc0j)
HIGHLIGHTS IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
Whatareyouwonderingaboutwithregardstoeffective
mathinstruction?Wewantyourvoice!Eachissuewewill
exploresomeofyourquestions.
WHAT’STHEBUZZ???
DID YOU KNOW?
There is a difference between
the “i.e.” and “e.g.” used in the
expecta ons.
An “i.e.” defines what has to be
taught whereas an “e.g.” is a
sugges on, o en a sample
problem or context:
“...iden fy and compare different types of quadrilaterals (i.e., rectangle, square,
trapezoid, parallelogram, rhombus)
and sort and classify them by their geometric proper es (e.g., sides of equal
length; parallel sides; symmetry; number of right angles)” Grade 4 Geometry and Spa al Sense, page 71. Expand your network of learning
Doing the Math
http://goo.gl/pCth36
Twi er is a great way to connect with other administrators, teachers, educators and researchers on what’s current and
trending in mathema cs educa on.
Join the conversa on!
Some worth following:
@LucyWestTLC ;@Edutopia; @MathInTheNews; @drcathybruce; @LTL_ED; @Joboaler; @ddmeyer
Co-LearningStance + Provocation = Professional Learning
RESOURCES
Jo Boaler’s YOU CUBED (www.youcubed.standford.edu)
 The goal of this site is to “inspire, educate and empower teachers of mathema cs, transforming the latest research on math learning into accessible and prac cal forms.” Carol Dweck’s new TED TALK—”The power of believing that you can improve.”
Math in Mo on bi-monthly newsle ers from Edugains. (h p://www.beta.edugains.ca/newsite/math/
systemleader/resource_collec on.html)
“A K-12 newsle er that fosters numeracy and mathema cs awareness and shares research, resources and ac ons” for system leaders. OAME 2015: Building Mathematical Mindsets
Keynote Speakers:
Featured Speakers:
Dan Meyer
Nora Newcombe
Dr. Marian Small
Ruth Bea y
Connie Gray
Mirela Ciobanu
Kathy Kabota-Zarivnij
Damian Cooper
Ron Lancaster
Brent Davis
Amy Lin
Indigo Esmonde
Connie Quadrini
Caroline Rosenbloom
Chris Suurtamm
www.oame2015.ca
Joan Moss
May 7th to 9th
Humber College
Toronto
North Campus