I have been doing some more work with running groups in a geometry classroom this year.  We have introduced a set of skills that are closely related to the common core math practices.  We identified skills such as constructing viable arguments from the common core and described what this might look like when students are working in groups.  I have been encouraging students to argue…about math; modeling was described as drawing pictures, graphs or tables to model math problems.  We are encouraging students to communicate precisely using mathematical language.  They are being encouraged to look for patterns.  All of these math practices are being tracked on Classdojo.

While Classdojo is a classroom management tool, because the common core math practices can be connected to specific behaviors, it can also be used to track the use of these standards in the classroom.  If you want to connect the math practices to a specific skill like subtraction or the pythagorean theorem, this is totally possible.  This is an extremely easy way to collect data.

In addition to tracking these behaviors on Classdojo, we are working to incorporate growth mindset and the ideas of complex instruction that I wrote about in several posts over the summer.  This class is ripe with students who don’t have confidence around math.  We are working diligently to develop tasks that allow students, especially those who don’t normally experience success in math, to experience success.  We talk to them about these behaviors, which require no innate ability in math.  As has been my theme this year, I am working to make kids feel smart.  What are you doing to increase equity in your classroom and make kids feel smart? Is there a strategy you could share?