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Lightbulbs Happen

Making Connections Through Math Talk

Nikki Faria-Mitchell

Knowing that my class includes a range of learners with diverse learning styles, I
need to make my students aware of the importance of each other’s ideas. I need
them to understand that our math classroom is a place to learn and a safe place
to take a risk. This is particularly true for my struggling students. I want them to
know that they are capable of learning mathematics and that they can learn from
the ideas of other students.
At the start of each school year, I facilitate a discussion with my third-grade
students about how to create a mathematics community. Together, we establish
the routines that guide our work throughout the year. We use the workshop
model—we meet as a whole group for a minilesson devoted to a particular skill
for the day, then the students work independently, with partners, or within a
small group, and finally we come back together to share what we have learned.
This model allows my students to contribute in a variety of situations and encour-
ages participation in many forms.
Building a positive math community is vital from the beginning because it
sets the stage for our work throughout the year. My role as a teacher and facilita-
tor at this stage is crucial. I not only need to establish the routines but also have
to teach students how to have a mathematical discussion. I begin this process
early in the year by gathering the students together and directly addressing the
purpose for whole-class conversations.

Establishing Expectations for Classroom Talk

The following is a piece of a September conversation that was devoted to the
importance of our mathematics community. I hold this conversation each year so
that all my students understand my goals and expectations for expressing their
mathematical ideas and becoming responsible learners who take ownership of
their own learning. Our math community is new. No matter how confident the