- Connection between math learning and self-talk (foster a growth mindset and support students to use appropriate strategies to overcome challenges)
- Develop math learning opportunities to make student thinking visible
- Develop students’ awareness of their own self-talk
- Empower students to develop a deeper understanding of math and communicate their thinking in writing and orally
- Deepen our understanding of how metacognition affects student efficacy and achievement
- Increase student efficacy by increasing students’ awareness of their own self-talk strategies (to support metacognition and self-directed/self-regulated learning)
Team Members
Holly Horton
Peel District School Board
Amy Engeland
Peel District School Board
Savita Saini
Peel District School Board
Professional Learning Goals
- Developed students’ awareness of their own self-talk
- Deepened our understanding of how metacognition affects student efficacy and achievement
- Explored, embedded and implemented self-talk strategies within daily math instruction
- Interrupted/shifted negative self-talk and encouraged students to use positive self-talk
- Connection between math learning and self-talk (fostered a growth mindset and provided students with appropriate strategies to overcome challenges)
Activities and Resources
- Examined and taught self-talk strategies (such as growth mindset self-talk, strategy self-talk, etc.)
- Explored different resources such as Teaching Math with Meaning by Cathy Marks Krpan
- Developed a self-talk strategy wall to help students name their thinking
- Explored math tools to make student thinking visible and the communication of their thinking to peers and teacher
- Developed tasks/strategies such as “think bubbles” to encourage students to write down their thinking
Unexpected Challenges
- Meeting the developmental needs of all students – readiness of students to share and extend their thinking
- Reorganization of grade team
Enhancing Student Learning and Development
- Self-talk strategies will increase student efficacy
- Promote growth mindset through self-talk strategies
- Students will be more aware of their thinking when solving math problems
- Students are using vocabulary and manipulatives to explain thinking
- Students will be open to take risk in different learning situations and share their thinking with peers
- Involving parents in the learning process to use similar strategies at home
Sharing
- Share with colleagues at staff meetings
- Share with colleagues at the Peel Leadership Conference
- Share with parents on Seesaw
Project Evaluation
- Better understanding of collaborative inquiry and how to conduct collaborative inquiry to improve student learning
- Great professional learning opportunity to collaborate with other teachers and deepen our understanding of content and instructional strategies
- Explored resources such as Teaching Math with Meaning by Cathy Marks Krpan to support our instructional practices and learning
- Students used self-talk strategies to articulate what they are thinking/feeling to support their learning (e.g., self-correction)
- Teachers are able to recognize and be responsive to student needs and learning
- Self-talk strategies fostered a growth mindset
- Students are using self-talk strategies to walk themselves through a difficult math task (be more independent learners)
Resources Used
Krpan, Cathy Marks. Teaching Math with Meaning. Pearson, 2017.
Lawson, Alex. What to Look For: Understanding and Developing Student Thinking in Early Numeracy. Pearson Canada Inc., 2016.
Moss, Joan et al. Taking Shape: Activities to Develop Geometric and Spatial Thinking. Pearson, 2016.