2024 Northwest Mathematics Conference

Why are word problems limiting for our students? Do they know how to pick apart the patterns in them, yet still don’t really get the meaning of them? There is a reason (several!). This workshop will be interactive and combine some theory with lots of practical ideas. Dr. Porter will share some findings from her recent dissertation on the use of drawing and I-story to help students build conceptual understanding of foundational math. Participants will be engaged in creating some initial I-story ideas to bring back to their classrooms, as well as try out some simple drawing techniques to use with their students right away.

How do you really know if your students understand the math concepts you teach? Let them show you their thinking in multiple ways! This workshop will explore why and how to elicit flexible and varied expressions of math ideas from your students. Dr. Porter will share findings from her research and practical strategies on how students can draw, write, and orally describe their math ideas, offering teachers lots of insight and opportunities to check for understanding. An analysis tool for analyzing drawings for meaning will be shared.

Pack your bag for a conceptual journey through early number. We will begin with counting and continue through to unitizing, stopping regularly to assess the landscape through the lens of student thinking. Games, story contexts, digital tools and number routines will be introduced and unpacked to help you know the math, know the learner and know the moves to develop fluency and flexibility for all.

In this presentation, I share an activity of how I use a historical event, specifically the draining of a lake that occurred 100 years ago, which had profound implications on the Sumas nation and the surrounding environment to teach students mathematics. I will share the mathematics that students explore including both competencies and content but also (and I believe just as important), I will share how the mathematics can be aligned with the development of ethical perspectives, critical consciousness and media awareness.