MATH ROUTINES:
There are some things that should occur in a Math classroom everyday. Everyday students should have mathematical discourse, practice with fluency, and independently practice skills with high-quality materials. Read below for some of my favorite routines.
DISCOURSE:
Mathematical Discourse is a vital part of every effective Math classroom. Students should be given the opportunity to explain their thinking, listen to their peers thinking, justify their reasoning, and attend to precision in their communication.
These Mathematical Discourse Routines have made a difference in my classroom. Many of these, I have been using for years. Some of the routines I found and some of them I created. However, recently I was not using the routines strategically and routinely. So I decided to change that. I knew how important these routines are and the positive things that I personally witnessed from my students. There are many Mathematical Discourse routines that are effective. However, these that are listed below are some of my favorites.
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I typically use these for Math Warm-Ups or Math Cool-Downs, but of course, you can use them which ever works best for you. Click on the image of any Discourse Routine to read my blog post about it, get links to free copies, and more articles about it.
FLUENCY ROUTINES:
Contrary to popular belief, Fluency is NOT memorization and speed. Fluency is the ability to solve math problems accurately, efficiently, and flexibly. In order for a student to become fluent, they must first have a conceptual foundation. Fluent students know multiple strategies to solve a problem. However, their understanding helps them determine what strategy is the most efficient way to help them accurately solve a problem.
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I have listed some of my favorite routines that I use for fluency in my classroom.
INDEPENDENT PRACTICE:
These routines are some of my favorite ways for my students to practice independently. These activities are mostly not directly aligned to one standard. Many of these activities incorporate multiple skills and require students to truly practice like a Mathematician. My students mostly do these activities routinely in centers, morning work, and after finishing other assignments.