What does the set-up say?

Over the summer I read and reviewed Whole Class Mathematics Discussions (WCMD) for the Window on Resources section of Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School. The book had some issues (I'd recommend reading Five Practices if you are looking to foster productive discourse in your math class). Still, WCMD did have an online component that I found interesting, and it did share a couple ideas worth considering. For example, chapter 2 "explores how to design the physical layout of the classroom and organize classroom spaces for both small group and whole group discussions." (p. 23)

The importance of organizing the physical space of your classroom is probably obvious to many of you. Some of you even Tweet pictures of your set-up that demonstrate your efforts. However, because it has been nearly 20 years since I  had my own classroom (one of the things I miss most), it got me thinking: What does the set-up of the classroom say to students about what communication might look like in the class?

So I walked around Grand Valley and took pictures of the some of the instructional spaces. What type of discussions might you anticipate occurring in these set-ups?

1

2

3

4

5

In case you are interested, my classroom during my final years of teaching middle school math went back and forth between the first picture and the last one depending on the lesson. #1 was used when I wanted to focus on small group interactions. We arranged the desks like #5 when we were doing presentations or having a whole-class discussion; I learned about this "case-study" set-up when I read David Johnson's Making Minutes Count Even More.

And now it is your turn. If you are interested in some feedback on what others think your classroom set-up says about the discourse students can expect in your class, then Tweet a picture using the #setupsays hashtag. Then we can reply with our impressions and borrow effective set-ups for our own classrooms. Thank you in advance for participating.

What will they need in the future?

Earlier this week, I shared this question on Twitter:

What's the one thing you think your students will need from your class 10 years from now? #edchat #mathchat #lastinglearning
— David Coffey (@delta_dc) January 18, 2013

This has been on my mind recently thanks to increased focus on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Also, many of the teachers I work with are concerned that students are struggling to find purpose in the mathematics being taught.

While I was not expecting a response, I was grateful that some people were willing to share their perspective (such is the nature of Twitter).

I found it interesting that none of these responses focused on any particular content. Granted, this is a extremely small, (probably) biased sample. Therefore I thought I would open up the question to others who might like to participate. You can leave your thoughts in the comments or write your own blog post.

What's the one thing you think your students will need from your class 10 years from now?

For what it is worth, I currently think productive discourse is the most important thing students can take away from my class. I agree with Brian Cambourne when he writes:

Learning, thinking, knowing and understanding are significantly enhanced when one is provided with opportunities for 'talking one's way to meaning.'

That is why I am less concerned about the CCSS than how they are implemented. Am I giving students opportunities to discuss, examine, and consolidate ideas so that they might be more easily transferred to other situations?

But wait - this principle applies to us as well. So let the discussion begin! Thank you in advance for engaging in productive discourse.