Lesson 4 – 6: What Should I Consider When Planning To Spiral? – Discussion

[Alexa Klein]

I’ve been thinking about spiralling for a few years now. I love the idea of it, but have not been able to find the time to implement it/plan my course around it. With the current model of distance learning we’ve moved towards in Manitoba, I’m hoping to use this time to plan my courses to spiral.

One thing I am wondering is how to provide notes for students that are organized so they have what to refer back to? Currently I’m “that teacher” who teaches in units. I give the students a booklet with note templates for each unit where they fill in notes and examples. I do however incorporate reachback questions daily to review past concepts. With my current model of teaching, if students are unsure of how to solve a problem or of steps, they can easily find it again in their booklet for that particular unit. What do you recommend in terms of how to provide students with an organized tool/place to keep their notes and examples? I’ve used a legal sized piece of paper folded into sections before for them to put important examples/notes for each unit, but how do we move away from this when spiralling, yet still provide them with a good resource to reference?

[Jessica Williams]

Alexa, that’s a valid question. I am looking into spiralling and just this year, the curriculum I used didn’t really allow for notes. I did spiral questions in my warm ups. Maybe make a shorter reference page or start transitioning them to take notes.

[Kyle Pearce]

Great discussion we’ve got going on here.

Something both @jon and I struggled with as we started transitioning to problem based lessons and then eventually to a program built on the 3-Part Framework is realizing that “my” notes that I had provided students for years promotes memorization of procedures rather than understanding.

We now Co-create notes with students after investigations and encourage them to do most of the thinking. Maybe chew on this and come back with any thoughts and wonders you have to help move forward.

[Barb Fleming]

I like the idea of collating tasks to help bring out the math concepts you’ll be spiralling. I’m wondering if you have some resources you would recommend for finding rich tasks for grades 4-6 students.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by  Barb Fleming.

[Scott Cortez]

I am taking away goals and the intent of the spiraling. When I do take a test and add it to the spiraling I want to keep in my the intent and the goal.

[Lisa Hudson]

I think my biggest takeaway is to make the decisions of what I will do so that I will not be intimidated. I like the thought process that Michael used to look through tasks then determine which big ideas/concepts fit them.

I think my biggest question is when you begin the curiosity pathway using tasks to teach, how do you fit in the practice of skills other than within your warmup?

[Andy Neels]

Micheal made the reference to the 3-act tasks as well as several other resources that I currently use as well in my “unit” method of teaching. Hopefully this will make the transition to spiralling easier as I get started.

[Joanne Cantin]

I agree with what Micheal Rubin continually reaffirms: that he (as well as all of us) are lucky to have Jon and Kyle’s work in existence to guide un in improving our math practices. So true!!! It’s nice to have this framework already established for us to return to.

[Kyle Pearce]

So awesome to hear. Thanks for learning with us!