2022-2023 Making Sense of Mathematics Series Three 1-Day Workshops in Bangkok
Host: MYIS Magic Years International School, Pakkret, Nonthaburi, Bangkok Thailand
Dates: December 2nd or 3rd 2022, February 3rd or 4th 2023, and April 21st or 22nd 2023
Time 8:30 am – 3:30 am (7 hours per session)
Snack and lunch are provided
Cost per session – 3000 baht
Certificate of Completion of the 3 sessions will be Provided at Last Session (21 professional learning hours total)
Session 1: Making Sense of Mathematics
This full day session will provide participants with the knowledge, tools, resources and strategies to implement a balanced approach to teaching and learning math in a K-12 math program. Using current research-based approaches to learning math, participants explore the essential components of student-centered approach where students demonstrate proficiency in mathematics through essential math practices including problem solving, modeling, and communicating & reasoning.
Participants will explore student-centered approaches which provide students with learning experiences that allow them to move from the concrete to pictorial representations before moving into more abstract strategies. These strategies are designed for students to solve problems where they choose their solution pathways, engage in productive struggle, and connect mathematical ideas. These approaches ensure mathematics is taught in relevant, realistic contexts that make sense.
Special guest Ian Galbraith, will share his experience about how students that are familiar with using numbers flexibly and visual strategies to make sense of math in elementary and middle school, are able to make connections and use similar strategies and feel confident in their approach to solving complex problems in higher level mathematics in high school classes, college courses, and future careers.
Session 2: Making Sense of Fractions and Algebraic Thinking
In this full day session, participants will have opportunities to develop a shared understanding of the learning progressions of fractions with the mathematical practices embedded, with the intention to become more skilled in creating learning experiences, mathematics tasks, and assessments where students can proficiently solve problems involving fractions.
Participants will continue to use a student centered approach to provide students enough experiences using concrete manipulatives such as unifix cubes and fraction tiles to fully understand what it is to add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions, instead of teaching procedures or tricks to find answers quickly. Understanding that accuracy is as important as using efficient strategies to solve problems involving fractions.
Some of these strategies might surprise you, and some will validate your thinking, but they will all improve your students performance,
Participants will explore solving algebra problems using visual models to understand that algebra is more than manipulating symbols or a set of rules, it is a way of thinking. They will be able to see how a concrete and visual strategy used to solve a 2 digit by 2 digit multiplication (4th grade) is the exact same strategy to solve multiplying binomials (grade 9/10).
Session 3: Making Sense of Assessing Mathematics
During this final session, participants will develop high quality assessment tasks that allow students to demonstrate number sense, computational thinking, and innovative tools which allow them to problem solve, model their thinking, and communicate and reason with their solutions.
They will be able to share ideas and resources using different types of assessments to evaluate what are the essential elements that should be part of an assessment to allow students to show proficiency of mathematics.
Lastly, participants will have the opportunity to look at assessments through the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework.
Making Sense of Mathematics 