Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics, Grades K-12: 14 Teaching Practices for Enhancing Learning (Corwin Mathematics Series)

Introduction to "Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics, Grades K-12"

In today’s educational landscape, creating engaging and effective learning spaces for mathematics is a significant challenge. In "Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics, Grades K-12: 14 Teaching Practices for Enhancing Learning," I aim to provide educators with a research-based, practical framework to unlock students' potential as critical thinkers and active problem solvers in mathematics classrooms. This book is intended for educators looking to go beyond the traditional teaching approaches by fostering environments where curiosity, engagement, and deep learning thrive.

This book originates from over 15 years of research spanning diverse classrooms, students, and educators. It provides actionable, tested strategies to cultivate what I call "thinking classrooms"—spaces where students feel empowered to explore ideas, collaborate, and develop their reasoning skills. With 14 groundbreaking teaching practices, this book offers a roadmap for teachers to transform their instruction into highly productive mathematics experiences.

Detailed Summary of the Book

The core premise of the book is that mathematics classrooms often fail to engage students in meaningful thinking. Traditional models of lecturing, note-taking, and procedural teaching emphasize rote learning over conceptual understanding. This book dismantles these practices and presents 14 key strategies designed to foster thinking and collaboration among students while aligning with key curricular goals.

The book is organized around actionable chapters that address common questions educators have: How do we design tasks that encourage thinking? Where should students work to maximize engagement? How can we group students effectively? What role should the teacher play? Each chapter provides a specific strategy supported by evidence from real classrooms, alongside practical steps for integrating the strategy into daily teaching practice.

This book is not just a theoretical exposition—it is a hands-on guide. The strategies cover essential areas like task design, student collaboration, visibility of work, assessment, and fostering engagement. The aim is to help students not just solve problems but also develop critical and creative thinking skills that will serve them for life.

Key Takeaways

• The importance of selecting and designing high-quality, engaging mathematical tasks to promote deep learning.
• How to create environments where students feel safe to take risks, make mistakes, and learn from them.
• Strategies for forming temporary, randomized groups to enhance collaboration and break social barriers among students.
• The role of vertical surfaces (like whiteboards) and visible thinking to encourage active, participatory learning.
• How to shift the balance of work from teachers to students without sacrificing learning outcomes.
• Practical assessment methods that emphasize learning over grading.

Famous Quotes from the Book

"Thinking is not the equivalent of doing a task. Thinking is what happens when students are given opportunities to engage in the process of problem-solving."

"A thinking classroom is a space where the teacher does less of the work and the students do more of the thinking."

"When students collaborate, they don’t just share answers; they share ways of thinking."