Written by SHOW YOUR WORK!
A statement that has been irritating kids in math class, since the beginning of time. I understand why it feels frustrating for students, they don’t understand the value in “showing their work.”
A lot of learning happens at Upper Canada College (obviously, right?). Except, this year, it is ALSO the grade 8 teachers (amongst many others) learning, because we are in our MYP candidacy year. I am really inspired by the MYP, I love how it changes the conversation in the classroom; it encourages collaboration, changes the focus to concepts rather than content and most importantly, gets us to think more about the bigger picture when planning units.
The other change it has brought is in assessment; communication matters as much as knowledge/understanding. Now the kids are listening. But the conversation has shifted from show your work, to show me your thinking. I explained to the students that the reader needs to be able to read their work like a person reads an essay or listens to a piece of music. It has to flow, it has to be clear, there needs to be a beginning, a middle and an ending. Ask yourself, what story does your solution tell?
I put up a few GIANT signs in the room that say “Thinking is so important, Is your thinking visible?”
I tell them I want to hear their thinking, I want to see their thinking and I want to read their thinking. I want to know their ideas and how they got through the question. They seem inspired by this kind of change in conversation and are interested in improving their work.
What if the greatest mathematicians never made their thinking visible? We would not have had the opportunity to benefit from the work and contributions that they made in their lifetime.
Improving a students ability to communicate, it seems so obvious. I love how the MYP has shown me how critical this is to a students development. It could actually make an impact on their life and their success in relationships, work and their ability to make a positive impact on our world.