The hosts share their journeys after a short break, discussing innovative classroom practices. Maegan focuses on enhancing math experiences for younger students while Dean highlights assessment strategies in high school. Kyle emphasizes professional development tied to real classroom challenges. They reflect on their inspiring time at the Building Thinking Classrooms conference, sharing insights from engaging lessons and incorporating cultural narratives. The conversation wraps up with thoughts on listener feedback and the future of the podcast.
The hosts discuss their evolving roles in education, highlighting innovative teaching strategies that enhance student engagement and critical thinking.
Megan and Dean reflect on transforming assessment practices to prioritize deeper learning experiences, moving away from traditional test-driven approaches.
Deep dives
Reintroducing the Hosts
The episode begins with a reintroduction of the hosts, Kyle, Megan, and Dean, who share their current roles and experiences in education. Dean teaches high school math and robotics while Megan works as an instructional coach and teaches math and science in a K-8 setting. Kyle has taken a leave from his role as a university consultant to focus on professional development across Canada. This reestablishment sets the stage for their discussions around the current school year's experiences and how teaching approaches are evolving.
Start of the School Year
Megan shares her experiences initiating a thinking classroom with kindergartners, emphasizing the importance of both successes and struggles in the process. She highlights the use of pointers to engage students, which initially captured their attention but eventually led to distractions. Despite some challenges, Megan notes that students, including those with special needs, are participating effectively, resulting in a smoother start compared to previous years. The discussion encapsulates the significance of establishing routines and procedures to foster a collaborative and engaging classroom environment.
Focus on Assessment and Student Engagement
Both Megan and Dean reflect on their shifting approaches to assessment and student engagement throughout the year. Megan emphasizes the need to move beyond computational assessments to promote richer experiences, encouraging students to tell stories rather than merely solve equations. Dean notes the positive shift in student attitudes toward learning, as they now view math tasks as engaging rather than merely test-driven. This shared recognition highlights the evolving understanding of assessment as a tool for fostering deeper learning, rather than a means of quantifying performance.
Building Thinking Classrooms in Practice
The hosts discuss the practical implementation of thinking classrooms and share specific teaching strategies that have energized their classrooms. Dean highlights a successful lesson involving the Katkovic numbering system, where students actively collaborated and engaged with the material. Meanwhile, Megan describes using visual patterns to deepen her students' understanding of mathematical growth. These examples illustrate how adopting innovative teaching methods not only makes learning enjoyable but also cultivates an atmosphere for critical thinking and meaningful discourse among students.
After a bit of a break from the podcast, we're back with a new episode (and more to come)! In this episode, Dean, Maegan, and Kyle reintroduce themselves and share updates on their current roles and endeavors. They delve into their experiences with the Thinking Classroom model across various grade levels, discussing both the successes and challenges they've encountered. Maegan highlights her work with younger students and her focus on enriching mathematical experience, while Dean shares his high school teaching journey, emphasizing innovative assessment strategies. Kyle reflects on his new role focused on facilitating BTC professional development and the importance of staying connected to classroom realities. They also share highlights and takeaways from their recent participation in the Building Thinking Classrooms conference in Phoenix, which brought together passionate educators and offered valuable insights.