How the Brain Learns Math: An Overview

How the Brain Learns Math: An Overview

• Examine what we know about how the brain develops math generalizations

• Describe how this science has guided major shifts in our understanding of best practices in math instruction

• Examine how the neuroscience of learning math opens doors to students furthest from opportunity and disrupts narratives about who can excel in math

Schedule:

5 minutes –     Settle in, take attendance, Intro question: What do you want to get out of our discussions? Why not just work through the modules on your own?

10-15 minutes -     Participants’ implementation share-out (During first meeting, facilitator will need to explain overall expectations for this part of each session and perhaps discuss norms for this particular section of future meetings)

3-5 minutes –     Transition into current session, connection between concepts: Why do you think the author decided to start the modules with how the brain learns math? 

10-20 minutes –     Workbook reflection: 

1. Which prompt from the workbook made you think the hardest? What about it was so thought-provoking?

2. What narratives exist about math that either implicitly or explicitly exclude people from fully exploring it? How do these then reinforce themselves?

3. Was there any question in this section of the workbook that you wanted to discuss with the rest of the group? What about that question were you looking to explore further?

15-25 minutes –     Application discussion prompts: 

1. Regarding the method in which our brain learns math, which aspects are most important for us to keep in mind while we are planning lessons?

2. What elements of the four big implications for math instruction, (1. balance conceptual understanding and procedural fluency 2. focus on the most important concepts 3. create coherence by connecting concepts 4. allow for and support productive struggle), are already present in your current classroom routines?  What benefit would there be to emphasizing these aspects even more or could some of these be scaled back without losing their current benefits?

3. How might your current curriculum materials help in emphasizing the four big implications for math instruction?  Where might there be conflicts?  How might any inconsistencies be reconciled?

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