This past school year, I had the pleasure of going through Principles to Actions again with another group of teachers involved in the book study. We had great discussions, and the wonderful, adventurous teachers I work with collaborated, created, and tried new things. In the end, our students had improved success on the state test–not an end in itself, but a nice confirmation we are moving in the right direction.
The eight effective teaching strategies for math outlined in Principles to Actions should be evident throughout all math classrooms everywhere at every level. These are not new ideas. Sadly, though, these practices are not common in math classrooms across the country. Most of us were not taught this way, so we may not have good mental models for what this type of teaching looks like.
But we can learn. We can do better. Keep growing. Follow some great people on Twitter. This list can get you started:
Join the Math Twitter Blogosphere (#MTBoS).
There is so much information out there. Let’s act on it. Our students are counting on us. It’s no longer negotiable.
Everyone is a Math Person 