Teaching Numeracy: 9 Critical Habits to Ignite Mathematical Thinking

by Margaret M. Pearse, Kathleen M. Walton

Overview

Transform mathematics learning from “doing” to “thinking”

American students are losing ground in the global mathematical environment. What many of them lack is numeracy—the ability to think through the math and apply it outside of the classroom. Referencing the new common core and NCTM standards, the authors outline nine critical thinking habits that foster numeracy and show you how to:

• Monitor and repair students’ understanding
• Guide students to recognize patterns
• Encourage questioning for understanding
• Develop students’ mathematics vocabulary

Included are several numeracy-rich lesson plans, complete with clear directions and student handouts.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781412992237
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	03/23/2011
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Margie Pearse has over 30 years of teaching experience with certifications in mathematics, elementary education, English as a Second Language (ESL), and Pennsylvania Quality Assurance Systems (Certified Instructor – PQAS 2014). She is presently at Chester Community Charter School as a Math Coach and in graduate education, training pre-service teachers how to create deeper, more numeracy based lessons.

Margie’s passion is to share a love of math with teachers and students! Her goal is to empower every student with the tools and strategies needed to be fluent and flexible with numbers. Margie’s educational philosophy can be summed up as such, “Why NOT reinvent the wheel! Yesterday’s lessons will not suffice for students to succeed in tomorrow’s world. We need to meet students, not just where they are, but where they need to be. There is great potential in every child. It is our job to empower students to discover that potential and possess the tenacity and self-efficacy to reach it.”

Published Books: Teaching Numeracy: 9 Critical Habits to Ignite Mathematical Thinking, released by Corwin in 2011; Learning That Never Ends, released by Rowman & Littlefield in 2013; and Passing the Mathematics Test for Elementary Teachers, by Rowman & Littlefield, February 2015.

Kate Walton has taught at both the elementary and middle school levels for twelve years. Although Kate’s primary passion and expertise is with language arts, she feels Numeracy transcends and is, at its very core, deep, logical thinking, which she has always encouraged in her classroom. She believes that a well crafted lesson and a healthy obsession with creativity are the keys to inspiring students to think deeply. Currently, she coaches teachers and conducts original professional development days on best practices.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Arthur Hyde
Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
Introduction: Numeracy: What Is It, and Why Is It Important?
Part I. The 9 Critical Habits to Ignite Numerate Thinking
Habit 1. Monitor and Repair Understanding
Habit 2. Develop Schema and Activate Background Knowledge
Habit 3. Identify Similarities and Differences, Recognize Patterns, Organize and Categorize Ideas, Investigate Analogies and Metaphors
Habit 4. Represent Mathematics Nonlinguistically
Habit 5. Predict, Infer, Recognize Trends, Use Patterns, and Generate and Test Hypotheses
Habit 6. Question for Understanding
Habit 7. Summarize, Determine Importance, Synthesize: Using Note Taking and Journaling
Habit 8. Develop Vocabulary
Habit 9. Collaborate to Learn
Part II. The 5 Essential Components of a Numeracy-Based Mathematics Lesson
Component 1. Purpose and Focus
Component 2. Ignition
Component 3. Bridge to the Learning
Component 4. Gradual Release in Mathematics
Component 5. Debrief: Tying It All Together
Conclusion: Our Debrief
Appendix A. Sample Numeracy-Based Lesson Plans
Sample Lesson 1: Introduction to Division (Grades 2-3)
Sample Lesson 2: Elapsed Time (Grades 5-6)
Sample Lesson 3: Surface Area of a Right Rectangular Prism (Grades 7-8)
Appendix B. Anticipation Guide: The 2010 Census
Appendix C. Clock Reproducible for Clock Partners
References and Further Reading
Index

Editorial Reviews

"This is a well-thought out book pulling in a wealth of materials on research and practical application in the math classroom at all levels. It is a must for every classroom teacher. "

Jo Ann Hiatt

"This book removes any excuses for not making the changes we need to make in our approach to teaching math. It provides a rich and thorough meta-analysis of respected mathematical research to back up its case for a much-needed new focus in math instruction. And it provides the necessary tools to make it happen in real classrooms now."

Judith A. Filkins

"Teaching Numeracy is the book that all math teachers should get their hands on! The authors share their own classroom experiences in an easy-to-read, heartfelt way, and they give readers the opportunity to move from theory to practice the very next day. After reading this book, teachers will understand how to help students actually think through the math instead of just doing the math. "

Elizabeth Ann Moorcones

Higher math courses are considered gateway classes for students to achieve to higher levels. This excellent resource makes math accessible for all students and ties it all to best practices!”

 

Rina F. Vassallo

"Margie Pearse and Katie Walton have given us a rich treasury of research-based best math practices. This resource is filled with new tools to enhance the skills of teachers at all grade levels. This book offers practical, engaging, numeracy strategies to support our struggling students, and sets the bar high for our advanced young mathematicians. "

Mary Dunwoody

"This book gets to the heart of how students really learn, then connects that to mathematics. It provides teachers with practical strategies that will empower students and allow for long-term retention and application in mathematics classrooms. "

Noël Klimenko

"Teaching Numeracy is refreshing and unique.  Written in a conversational tone, every teacher will at some point see themselves or their classroom situation discussed in this book. It is a well-organized "filing cabinet" of research, methods, activities, suggestions, and lesson plans that align well with every elementary math curriculum. "

Kathleen Eross

"This book is for every math teacher who has ever been frustrated and confused about why many math students 'just don't get it'. Pearse and Walton have compiled clear, concise techniques in a straightforward approach to teaching math in the 21st century. Teaching Numeracy is a must-read, must-implement guide that teachers can utilize for every math lesson. "

Nancy Paterni

Much like the efforts undertaken in literacy, we must take students on a journey through the process of mathematics. Pearse and Walton have presented a book to help us develop depth of knowledge and understanding through the practical application of research-based best practices.

Jeffrey Ryan

"This book gets to the heart of how students really learn, then connects that to mathematics. It provides teachers with practical strategies that will empower students and allow for long-term retention and application in mathematics classrooms. "

Noël Klimenko

"This is a well-thought out book pulling in a wealth of materials on research and practical application in the math classroom at all levels. It is a must for every classroom teacher."

JoAnn Hiatt

"This book gets to the heart of how students really learn, then connects that to mathematics. It provides teachers with practical strategies that will empower students and allow for long-term retention and application in mathematics classrooms. "

Noel Klimenko