Wow We Are Talking

We have had Spring Break this week. During the little one's nap, my son asked why it was so quiet in the house. : )  Wow. Have you ever said that at school? 

I'm linking up with Coast to Coast Kinder with a story about talking.

The morning of our last day before break, we started off with a Math game for breakfast work. Roll 2 dice, find that expression, write the sum and color to complete the picture. As they finished eating, they grabbed the worksheet and dice. They started rolling and writing. They chose their own strategies. And they talked... 

They didn't talk about what they watched on tv last night or what they were doing over break. They talked Math. They shared when they had doubles or rolled the same thing twice in a row. So I gave them a little more time that morning and had them check their work with a partner. I will admit that I was circulating and asking questions but it warmed my heart that they were talking Math on their own.

We talk about our Math practices a lot. We like to have Math meeting where we explain how we played a game, what strategies or manipulatives we chose and why, what worked and what didn't work. We have built a climate where we talk Math.  

Does that mean that there aren't times we need to be quiet? Umm...no. Have you ever said, "I love how you are talking about the problem but it is SoAndSos turn to share now." Sure, we all have. 

Recently, I assigned my class partners and had them use manipulatives to solve addition problems recently. They have been working on addition a lot so they asked, "Do we really need to show the problem on the ten frame or part-part-whole plate?" Yep. You have to because your partner is going to explain what you are to do. Open mouths. It was hard for some of them to wait for their partner to explain how to solve the problems but it gave them all the opportunity to use that Math language. 

We even talk Math on the way to lunch. Show me with your fingers. If I had 6 cookies and I ate 3 at lunch, how many did I have left for snack? Then pick one child to explain before your silent walk down the hall.

When we come back after break, I'll be listening for that Math talk and glad it isn't too quiet in here.

Here's hoping your class is full of talk...Math talk.
Jenn