Fluency: It's More Than Speed

Fluency: It’s More Than Speed

Define procedural fluency
Examine examples of procedural fluency objectives, standards, and related tasks
Investigate research-based best practices for developing procedural fluency
Analyze common scenarios related to procedural fluency

Schedule:

5 minutes – Settle in, take attendance, Intro question: Has your perspective on fluency shifted while engaging in this course? If so, how and why?

10-15 minutes – Participants’ implementation share-out

3-5 minutes – Transition into current module, connection between concepts: Do you see procedures, such as algorithms, more as rules or as the result of mathematical structure and relationships? Can you provide an example?

10-20 minutes – Workbook reflection:

What is the difference between memorization and procedural fluency?
Do you ever use your fingers when doing everyday mathematics? Why might a student (or an adult) choose to use their fingers when computing, even if they are already fluent in that skill?
Were there any prompts in this section of the workbook that you wanted to discuss with the rest of the group? What about them were you looking to explore further?

20-30 minutes – Application discussion prompts:

Which aspect of procedural fluency (accuracy, efficiency, flexibility) do your students struggle with the most? How might you make connections to conceptual understanding to improve this aspect of their procedural fluency?
Think of your current students. Which phase of fluency development (informal, derived, fluency) do each of your students currently exhibit for your grade-level fluency skill? Is each student in a unique phase, or in different phases depending on the number set? How can you use this information to plan instruction?

5-10 minutes - Wrap up: Each individual brainstorms "What can you do between now and our next meeting to incorporate or emphasize this topic more in your classroom?" and a few participants volunteer for the next session’s implementation share-out