Operations with Rational Numbers: Developing Fluency with Fractions, Grades 6-9

Who should attend

Grades 6-9 Mathematics Teachers

About this learning opportunity

This session will immerse you in math investigations as active learners, and have you examine videos of children and teachers working in real classrooms.

How can an understanding of fractions be developed using realistic situations for investigations? What models are helpful and how do we ensure the development of fluency with computation? This session will focus on these questions by engaging you in several investigations where math is seen as posing and solving problems, searching for patterns, and constructing formulae, models, and strategies.

You will actively be involved in several mathematics investigations culminating in "Math Congresses" to scaffold learning. Classroom video of 6th and 7th graders will then be used to examine the practice in the middle school classroom. In the afternoon, minilessons will become the focus as a way to ensure that fluency results.

There is a follow up webinar on May 2, 2012 to allow you to "continue the conversation" with Cathy Fosnot.

This learning opportunity is subsidized as a result of a grant from Alberta Education to support implementation.

About the facilitator(s)

Catherine Twomey Fosnot is a Professor of Education at the City College of New York and Director of Mathematics in the City, a national center for professional development. She has authored or co-authored many books and articles on mathematics education, most recently the Young Mathematicians at Work series and the accompanying professional development materials funded by NSF. The AERA SIG on Constructivism has twice awarded her their "significant contribution" award.