I would LOVE to include discussion questions from readers so we can gather perspectives from all around the globe. If you'd like to submit a question, please email them to me at momentum79@yahoo.com.
Next up: Chapter 1
When you think about it, all children have a sense of numbers. If I gave one child 10 M&Ms and another child 2 M&Ms, you can bet the child with two candies would have some very strong feelings about it! Number sense is demonstrated very early on and Shumway puts it like this on page 11:
"Before children even come to school, their intuitive sense of number begins to develop. They are able to recognize amounts of one, two, and three without counting (Sarama and Clements, 2009). They develop a sense of more and less. Early on, young children come into contact with a variety of situations that involved quantities and to problem solve."
Then they get to school and we beat it out of them with a textbook. Sit here quietly, write this, test on Friday. Boom.
Shumway goes on to discuss how children need multiple chances to see situations differently and to discover that there are MANY different ways to reach a solution and I couldn't agree with her more! Students needs to discuss ideas, even at a young age, even for 10 seconds, but they need to work out their thoughts. It is one of those things we need to TEACH children how to do because for many of them, it is hard to wait for someone else to finish talking!
Number sense routines can help teacher in six major ways (see figure 1.3 on page 10):
- language
- big ideas
- skills
- tools
- models
- strategies
I can't wait to read on so I can try some of them! In fact, I'll be modeling some of the routines and posting videos. I know sometimes it helps me to watch someone else do it first. So those will come in later weeks!
So let's get started with the discussion!
Discussion Questions
(for Hernando County Employees, please answer in the Comments and respond to at least one other person to receive in-service credit. Everyone else, it's free game!)
What was your definition of number sense prior to reading chapter 1? How has it changed (if at all)?
What number sense routines are you currently using and what concepts are you targeting by using those particular routines?
What, if anything, surprised or intrigued you as you read through chapter 1?
Okay here, it goes.
ReplyDeleteA1 - Before I started reading this book, my knowledge of number sense was limited to thinking about place value and being able to skip count but really only to support multiplication facts. I wasn't even really reinforcing base 10.
A2 - I have used "Counting Around the Class" by having the kids skip count by 2s, 3s, 4s, etc., to support multiplication strategies. I am eager to read about how I can extend this routine to make it more meaningful and revive it a little bit.
A3 - I was surprised by the Number Sense Learning Trajectory and just how comprehensive Number sense really is and how CRUCIAL it is for K-2 teachers to understand these concepts. Otherwise, students get to upper levels and the teachers can't figure out why they can't multiply or divide using place value strategies, area models, etc. It really sets the students back!
I had the same definition of number sense as you!
DeleteHi there!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you about Shumway's Learning Trajectory. What a great resource! Looking forward to seeing what the rest of her routines are going to be!
What was your definition of number sense prior to reading chapter 1? How has it changed (if at all)?
ReplyDelete- My definition of number sense was simply the basic understanding of numbers and how they work. I still feel similar to that but now understand the process of number sense and all it involves. The Trajectory was eye-opening to see it broken down into different areas so you could pinpoint exactly where a student is struggling in number sense.
What number sense routines are you currently using and what concepts are you targeting by using those particular routines?
- We have done several number sense routines. Even after reading Chapter 2, I didn't realize some were considered that. We have done Counting Around the Class (more as Counting as a Class). I am looking forward to expanding that more like it talks about in Ch. 2. We also review calendar daily and making sense of when they write the shorthand version of the date (1/12/16- what those numbers really mean). There are so many more I use (as I learned from reading Ch. 2) and I'm excited to learn more about the ones I haven't yet tried!
What, if anything, surprised or intrigued you as you read through chapter 1?
-My favorite thing from Ch. 1 was the Trajectory. I almost want to create some sort of magnetic visual chart that shows each area and has kids names for those struggling. I think it would help me pinpoint activities, etc. Plus, if a kid's name appears in more than one area- I can just focus on one at a time instead of feeling overwhelmed at trying to get that student to master all of them. I am intrigued to read more and learn about the different number sense routines!!
Cathy - I think making a chart out of the trajectory would be an amazing way to track kids through their number sense journey. Maybe that is something we can work on together and share with others!
DeleteI completely agree with you...I love the Trajectory as well! Great idea of making it a chart that way you can remember all of them!
DeleteWhat was your definition of number sense prior to reading chapter 1?
ReplyDeleteOkay so my definition of number sense was basically numbers and how they work using place value.
What number sense routines are you currently using and what concepts are you targeting by using those particular routines?
I have used a lot of the different number senses routines that were listed in Chapter one such as pat/whole relationship and unitizing. I did see a couple I haven't done and can't wait to get in a classroom and try them.
My favorite thing from Chapter one was the Learning Trajectory. I will be sharing this with my K-2 teachers!
Chapter 1
ReplyDelete#1. Number sense to me is how you understand the numbers and the way you use them in math. After reading chapter one it's changed i know that number sense is a ladder you build on. I also see that children really have to take a huge responsibility to move up that ladder.
#2. A few techniques that I use to build on their number sense is multiplication, telling time, and measuring items. I feel that these are very important to everyday life. If you can't multiply then you can't build anything or know how many items to buy of something. Also telling time knowing how to understand that the numbers represent different time frames.
#3. I really like that Learning Trajectory. I like how it is laid out so you know where a child should move onto next.