Park City Mathematics Institute Secondary School Teacher Program Summer 2009 Day 11: Reflecting on Practice Effectively Using Students Mathematical Thinking presented by Blake E. Peterson

Effectively Using Students Mathematical Thinking - view: [PowerPoint] [HTML]

Learning to Use Students' Mathematical Thinking to Orchestrate a Class Discussion [PDF format]

Authors: Blake E. Peterson and Keith R. Leatham
Brigham Young University

Abstract
Learning to orchestrate class discussions that are based on students' mathematical thinking is one of the most difficult aspects of learning to teach in ways that build on students' mathematical experiences. Based on a research project in which student teaching was restructured so as to focus on using student thinking, we describe the steps of a process that teachers move through when using students' mathematical thinking. We also identify some roadblocks that keep student teachers from listening to and understanding, from recognizing, and from effectively using student mathematical thinking for classroom discussion. We discuss how understanding this process and these roadblocks can be useful to mathematics teacher educators in their work with preservice mathematics teachers.