two ways. Do you think there is another way?” This structure helped this stu-
dent engage in the mathematics and progress in her understanding.
In “Getting ‘Un-Stuck’,” fourth-grade teacher Mary Kay Archer describes
how she worked with a new student to help her learn to solve problems
independently. She showed the student how to make use of her strengths to
enter into the mathematics. As the student drew on her ability to visualize,
for example, she was able to see equal groups to make sense of multiplica-
tion. Through her work with this student, Mary Kay found that she learned
how to ask more precise questions and model strategies that made her a bet-
ter teacher for all her students.
In “Tasha Becomes a Learner,” Candace Chick writes about how she used a
Learning Behavior Observation Record, a listing of behaviors that foster
habits of good learning, to help her plan for and teach one of her students
to see herself as a learner of mathematics. Keeping track of the behaviors on
the record helped Candace consider where Tasha fell along various learning
dimensions and keep track of Tasha’s progress.
These episodes describe teachers who set high but reasonable expectations
for their students and plan and teach their students to become learners so
that they will be able to make sense of mathematics.
Questions to Think About
What strategies do the teachers use to foster independence and confidence
in their students?
What steps do the teachers take to make sure that their students are partic-
ipating members of the mathematics community?
What evidence do you see that the students in the episodes come to take
more responsibility for their learning?
What evidence do you see that the students in the episodes are learning
mathematics?
How might the Learning Behavior Observation Record inform your
practice?
Taking Responsibility for Learning