As I dusted off my blog here, I noticed that I hadn't written anything since the very beginning of the school year. So I guess it's fitting that I'm here to reflect at the end of the year. Or rather look at student reflections from the year. Or some combination of both, I'm going to guess.
I gave my students 6 questions to answer via Google Forms. I wanted it to be as anonymous as possible. I wanted my students to speak freely and I didn't want to be concerned about who was saying what. The questions are all open response types, because I only have 20 students and I wanted to hear what they wanted to say.
Question #1: What makes you a great mathematician?
I purposefully did not ask if they think they are a good mathematician or not. I know I have a handful of kids that would have answered no (they've said it to my face) and that would have shut down the rest of their thinking. Did this skew the data? Maybe. But I got some amazing answers.
Some I expected:
thinking
using tools
using strategies
And some that really wowed me:
I work even when it's hard
using different ways to show my thinking
to know what the problem is saying to me
the class [mates]
I work hard to try to find the right answer
Nobody said anything about working fast or getting the right answers all the time. It was all about the process.
Question #2: What do you want to do to be a better mathematician?
Better strategies, better tools and understanding the problems were themes. Most kids still want to work more on division. But again it wasn't about working faster. Or getting answers right. It really is about sense making.
Question #3:What has helped you be a great mathematician this year?
This is where I got some real gems.
ms Talia,ms houstin and my self and me making mastaks
doing math with a partner so that we both can share strategy's and do the work together
I am really not sure, but if I must answer this, it would just be time. I just need time to figure it out.
Kids are so smart! They know it's important to make mistakes, work with a partner and just needing time!
the teacher. but the reason why is because we usually do fun activities like the math games the estimating stuff and looking at pictures. That kind of stuff. Except more of it.
I try to be as focus as i can be and so i can stopt chating weth my friend
my flexabilaty with numbers and my great stradagies my teacher tought me
learning strategies.having two teachers to help on math
other new strategy's that other people or Ms. Talia tech me this whole year and that is how I got to be a much more better mathematician.
Notice the shout outs to #estimation180 and #noticewonder there? And what about learning from their classmates?! And strategies, strategies, strategies!
Question #4: What has Ms. Talia done to help you be a better mathematician this year?
My favorite answer:
One or two decent strategies. (maybe three)
Ha! Gotta love the sense of humor!
Question #5: What could Ms. Talia do differently next year?
I got some interesting feedback:
make more posters.
it would be better if you would't talk as much as you do now.
Ok, message received, less talk and more posters. (But goodness, how polite that feedback is!)
And maybe my favorite comment of the day:
still never give up on people
Question #6: Is there anything else you want to share with Ms. Talia about math this year?
i think you should still do those math problems on the board and we or someone that agrees with you they can defend your answer. Oh and when you let us debate about our answers.
I really like the way that you do with the notice and wonder problems and the number talks and the ones from Mr.Flecher
math was fun this year with the games and figuering out the problems.
Ms. Talia has though me to never give-up on a problem that you don't understand always cut the problem in little parts so you could understand it better. to never give up always try.
That it was the best and funnest math I have ever had at school here!
She is the best teacher for math and every thing else! She is so much fun!
Some more shout outs to #noticewonder, Number Talks and Graham. They value defending their answers and debating about answers. Figuring out challenging problems. Persevering. Having fun in math!
And one friend who thinks that when all her friends know the answer and she doesn't, she feels like they know more than her.
some times al my frinds now the anser and i dont id i fill like tay now mor then me
Takeaways:
First I must be skeptical.
Did they just answer what they thought I wanted to hear?
Did I set them up to mostly give positive feedback?
Did they think someone else was going to read this (even though I told them it was for me?)
Are mathematical mindsets really changing?
I've worked really hard on the areas students are commenting on, so I guess that means the work is paying off. There are still a thousand things that I want to do better, but if students think they need tools, strategies, partners, and time to be great mathematicians, then I'm going to call it a success.
Now if I really want to dig in further, I'm going to have to give them a survey about the other content areas in which I don't work nearly as hard.
