Register for the ANN Preconference Session at COABE April 21st

There’s still time to register and join us for the Adult Numeracy Network’s Full Day Preconference session at COABE 2015, “Bringing Students to a Higher Level in Math.”

Students come to adult instruction wanting a quick fix – to be reminded how to perform procedures they’ve forgotten.  However, they are often lacking a foundation of understanding the concept behind the procedure – why a particular procedure works to accomplish their goal – or they likely would still be able to solve the problem.  Conceptual understanding has been missing from our culture’s mathematics instruction. 

How do we build that foundation so we can graduate numerate adults and bring our students to a higher level in math?  We begin by teaching with students at the center of our plan for instruction, where the teacher’s role is to scaffold opportunities for patient problem solving, not demonstrate how to solve a problem.  During the process, the teacher encourages students to take risks, be okay with uncertainty, communicate effectively, and see multiple paths to a solution.  The teacher questions students to challenge them to think deeply.  Students tackle time consuming, non-routine problems without assuming there is only one right way to solve them.  They point out relationships and explain their reasoning using vocabulary.

Higher order thinking is not just for high level concepts.  Deep understanding and creative problem solving can be a part of basic skills instruction.  During our session, ANN members who are experienced, national presenters, will facilitate activities that demonstrate that deep thinking is possible at every level for every student, an assertion of the ANN Teaching and Learning Principles.  We will explore how to teach academic vocabulary to enhance students’ ownership of and connections among topics.  Participants will examine aspects of a student-centered classroom, including the role of the teacher. Participants will leave with ideas and a better understanding of what it means to take our students to a higher level in math.

Hope to see you there!

Comments

I tried to find the earlier link that described how a person could "attend" the conference virtually, but couldn't. 

I found the conference website and succeeded in getting an app that took me into a page about the 2014 conference and implored me to switch to 2015, but then it asked me for a password... so ...  I guess I needed one, which I don't have.   Time to go home, though!   Technology's great when it works... 

I was able to download the COABE App through this conference page without a password.  I did need to update my version as well, since I had downloaded the 2014 version last year.

The app will allow you to participate in a lot of conversation, but unfortunately, it cannot replace participation in ANN's "Bringing Students to a Higher Level in Math."  We will experience our math hands-on and have a lot of problem solving conversation.  I hope you'll be able to join us next year!