Resources
Results
Borrowing/Carrying –> Regrouping
Participants in this workout learn to teach strategies that support conceptual understanding of place value instead of the algorithm.
Rational Number Project: Fraction Operations and Initial Decimal Ideas
Free lessons from the Rational Number Project about fraction concepts: adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. Understanding of decimals is introduced as well. Teacher's guide, worksheets and colored fraction templates included. These resources help develop conceptual understanding.
Rational Number Project: Initial Fraction Ideas
Free lessons about fractions: concept, equivalencies, ordering, adding and subtracting. Teacher's guide, worksheets and colored fraction templates included. These resources help develop conceptual understanding.
Building Conceptual Understanding
Participants in this workout consider the conceptual understanding behind the traditional algorithm for long division and then recognize the importance of building students’ conceptual understanding beyond this example of long division and into every area of math.
Why Before How
Teachers can use this book to build the concept of place value, encourage students to consider multiple methods for solving problems, and build real understanding of the meaning behind addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division paving the way to beginning algebra.
The Best Way to Learn Math is to Learn to Fail Productively
Manu Kapur's research finds that students are more successful when teachers allow them to have a period of (teacher-planned) productive struggle with material before the teacher provides direct instruction on the math strategies.
Progression of Addition and Subtraction
What is a progression that builds to a conceptual understanding of addition and subtraction? In this 7-minute video, Gfletchy demonstrates strategies that teachers can use to develop students' conceptual understanding as a building block to fluency.
Progression of Division
What is a progression that builds to a conceptual understanding of division? In this 8-minute video, Gfletchy demonstrates strategies that teachers can use to develop students' conceptual understanding as a building block to fluency.
Progression of Early Number and Counting
What is an instructional progression that leads to conceptual understanding of counting and numbers? This 8-minute video lays out a progression for children learning these concepts, but ABE teachers of students with beginning numeracy will find useful ideas here.
Progression of Multiplication
What is a progression that builds to a conceptual understanding of multiplication? In this 6-minute video, Gfletchy demonstrates strategies that teachers can use to develop students' conceptual understanding as a building block to fluency.
Fluency Without Fear
Turns out memorization, timed tests and flash cards are not the most effective ways to learn math facts! This article from Jo Boaler addresses developing students' fluency with math facts (such as times tables), including confidence and how some common approaches to math facts can be related to anxiety and loss of perseverance.
For Teachers: Please Don’t Teach Exponent Rules
A teacher writes about how he approaches operations with exponents so that the students make meaning and discover the rules for operations with exponents for themselves.
Concept, Method, Procedure (The Secret Formula for Math Success)
Max Ray, of The Math Forum, explores developing procedures from conceptual understanding. His 5-minute video uses dividing by fractions as the topic for instruction.
Math Ceiling
This post from Math with Bad Drawings blog explores the following questions related to the Key Shift of rigor: Do we have a "math ceiling" where some math is beyond our ability to comprehend? If a student can perform the math task I am targeting without conceptual understanding (i.e., they know the procedure, but not why it works), do they really need more?
New Resources
Tapping into Diverse Perspectives and Teaching Materials
This video discusses what “diverse perspectives and teaching materials” mean, and why this is important to learner success in the classroom. Using diverse materials makes class more relevant to learners’ lives and helps them bridge information they already know to new information. Utilizing diverse perspectives in class content is also key to building up critical thinking skills. We take a look at numerous resources that can help each of us diversify the visuals, videos, audio, and written materials we use.
Being a Warm Demander
This video takes a look at a spectrum of different kinds of teachers and asks you to reflect on where you would place yourself. We argue, based on Zaretta Hammond’s work, that the “warm demander” is the sweet spot of the spectrum which focuses on building trust with learners while also holding them to high standards to meet their learning goals. We then discuss tools to practice building relationships with learners, creating a learning partnership pact, and giving quality feedback so learners can meet their goals.
Discovering Learners’ Funds of Knowledge
In this video, we define and discuss the terms “funds of knowledge” and “an asset-based perspective.” A key element of equity in the classroom is acknowledging learners have a wealth of knowledge based on their own experiences, and we should provide opportunities for learners to be the experts in the room. Once we learn what students’ assets are, we can weave this information into class content, which helps learners be more successful. We take a look at an example lesson.
Presenter Information
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MN ABE YouTube Channel
The MN ABE YouTube Channel is a free online PD resource that you can use to explore teaching techniques and classroom ideas in action! Find out more in this MN ABE Connect newsletter article.
Upcoming ABE Events
August 6, 2024
10:00 am–12:00 pm
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Racial Equity 101 Presented by Jimmie Heags
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Registration Deadline: TUE. 8/6/24 Join presenter Jimmie Heags, Jr., MA, LSC, LPCC, LADC, ACS, for this session that exposes how race is defined and how racism impacts individuals and institutions. The session will provide learners with a framework for understanding and disrupting the attitudes and structures that perpetuate… Learn More
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August 6, 2024
6:30 pm–8:30 pm
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Volunteer Core Training Module 1: Overview of Minnesota Adult Education and Program Accountability
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Registration Deadline: TUE. 8/6/24 Participants learn about Adult Basic Education programming in Minnesota, demographics of learners, instructional content standards as well as initial and on-going assessment. This session wraps up with learner motivations, barriers and persistence. Learn More
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August 13, 2024
6:30 pm–8:30 pm
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Volunteer Core Training Module 2: Understanding Adult Learners
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Registration Deadline: TUE. 8/13/24 Participants develop their personal cultural awareness and learn how expectations around school culture shape how people teach and learn. Guiding principles for effectively delivering instruction to adults are also covered. Finally, participants increase their sensitivity to the challenges of learning English and developing literacy… Learn More
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