Discussion + Collaboration = Mathematical Understanding

Communication is key in many areas of life.  So to, in our classroom.  We love to discuss, share ideas, collaborate and just plain talk about what we are doing, thinking and learning!  One of the toughest areas to effectively communicate for students is often in math.  Sharing ideas, and mathematical thinking can be tough.  However, with the help of a partner, it's often a bit easier.  Here is one example of how talking, sharing and discussing helped the students better understand a math concept.


We have just started our unit which focuses on Addition and Subtraction to 12.  We are in the first stages, just learning how to combine parts to create a whole.  Today we talked about how trains are made up of many cars.  We used connecting cubes to represent the cars, and partner groups worked to find all the different number combinations that make 7.  The students were excited for the challenge, and went straight to work.  Here they are in action...

Working together, the students were able to communicate their answers.