Dry-Erase Easels Equal Opportunity to Build Math Confidence Around Mistakes
My students need dry erase easels (vertical nonpermanent surfaces).
FULLY FUNDED! Ms. Song's classroom raised $859
This project is fully funded
My Students
"Their arguments are good, but not complete." My curriculum partner and I recently discussed how our students come into our math classrooms with a lot of mathematical ideas and knowledge to share, but struggle to create mathematical arguments using the facts they know.
At our school, students enter 6th grade math having been asked to regurgitate facts, and complete their "worksheet", but few have had opportunities to think about mathematics deeply.
They have seldom been asked to explain why they might want to multiply when given a word problem or how they know what they know. My goal is to foster a love of learning in my students, and I start by fostering their curiosity in mathematics. I encourage them to look for reasons in everything that they're doing because I believe this will help them be successful long term in math! (and life in general!)
My Project
In our math class, my goal is to present groupworthy problems to students that will tickle their curiosity. However, when I present them with a rich problem, where will they show their thinking?
Vertical nonpermanent surfaces such as dry erase easels will encourage students to work through the problem-solving process and allow students to easily erase things as they work.
These easels positively encourage students to start writing down their thinking faster and help them be less afraid to make mistakes when they know those are easily erased. Students get engaged, participate, and discuss problems. Group work, rich problems, and vertical nonpermanent surfaces such as Dry-Erase Easels, allow students to learn from each other-- groups can see other boards around the classroom to get ideas when they're stuck. Ultimately, students persevere longer with tough problems.
I love the idea of being able to look around the room and see all of the thinking on all the boards at once. This will allow me to easily identify groups that need help so I can offer prompt and in-the-moment feedback for learning.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Song and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.