Thinking Classrooms

Funded Aug 9, 2023

Thank you for the funding my project, Building Thinking Classrooms. I teach high school math where math discourse among students is a skill we encourage every day and build into our curriculum and daily lessons. An important element of math discourse is to provide the opportunity for students to work together and talk through math problems, and by doing that, strengthening their ability to interpret and solve difficult multi step problems.

We have 3M Wipe books that have been provided by the school, but I needed a place for erasers and markers at each Wipe book station. (see photos!) My request for the marker holders and the rolls of Velcro provided the ability for me to hang the Wipebooks, and the holders , which provide accessibility to have markers and eraser cloths on hand as students worked through assigned problems. In addition, the student work displayed on the wipe books around the room provides students the opportunity to check their work with other groups' work- again building their math discourse as they talk with other groups on how they arrived at their solution. The students love to be at the Wipe books, so your gift of the Expo dry erase markers have been put to good use!

We are always in need of pencils, so your gift of the boxes of pencils is much needed

and we have already used one of the boxes. Students also work together at tables when the work required involves too many steps to display on a Wipe book. It is so gratifying that students come to my desk knowing that I always have pencils for them to use.

I have seen so much improvement in students' ability to explain their understanding of the problem at hand, and the steps they believe they need to solve the problem. The essential materials you have donated have enhanced the experience for my students to learn math.”

With gratitude,

Ms. Colello