Johannah Nikula

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study has shown that American schools have consistently helped students understand algebraic and statistical concepts, leading to high achievement internationally. Now it's time to do the same for geometry. Mark Driscoll, author of the powerful and popular Fostering Algebraic Thinking, takes up the challenge and leads you to new, research-based ways to improve how your students conceptualize and apply geometric ideas. With Fostering Geometric Thinking any math teacher can discover essential, practical ideas for helping students cultivate geometric habits of mind that lead to success in this crucial mathematical subject. The book focuses on rigorous, problem-based teaching that encourages students to deepen their thinking in three key geometric strands: geometric properties geometric transformations measurement of geometric objects. Fostering Geometric Thinking shows you how the interplay of these strands helps students devise multiple solutions and develop a broader sense of geometric principles. It's loaded with helpful resources, including: engaging problems to use in your classroom examples of student solutions to these problems transcripts of classroom interactions online resources featuring in-the-field footage of students working through open-ended problems highlighted in the book. Geometry is a vital component of mathematical understanding, and it's time that it received the same attention that algebra and statistics do. With engaging problems and straightforward suggestions that can help students deepen, recognize, and describe their thinking, Fostering Geometric Thinking is the resource you need to ensure that when it comes to geometry, your students know all the angles.

Language is deeply involved in learning mathematics as students both communicate and think about mathematical ideas. Because of this, teachers of English learners have particular challenges to overcome. Mathematical Thinking and Communication addresses perhaps the most significant challenge: providing access to mathematics for these students. For all students--and English learners in particular--access means finding effective, authentic ways to make language clear and thinking visible so they can reason more, speak more, and write more in mathematics. Based on extensive research and collaboration with teachers, coaches, and schools, Mark Driscoll, Johannah Nikula, and Jill Neumayer DePiper outline four principles for designing instruction that creates this kind of access: challenging tasks, multimodal representations, development of mathematical communication, and repeated structured practice. Starting from the perspective that English learners are capable of mathematical thinking (even as they are learning to express their ideas verbally), the authors highlight techniques for using gestures, drawings, models, manipulatives, and technology as tools for reasoning and communication. By embedding these visual representations into instruction--and encouraging their regular use--teachers support engagement in problem solving, facilitate mathematical dialogue, and notice evidence of students' thinking that propels them to create more engaging and equitable instruction. Enhanced by an extensive online collection of companion professional development resources, this book highlights classroom-ready strategies and routines for fostering mathematics success in all students and helping them recognize their potential.

Practiced by teachers all across the U. S. and around the world, lesson study is widely recognized for the dynamic mix of learning opportunities it provides: classroom-based feedback on students' mathematical thinking and understanding mathematical knowledge for teaching and enrichment in the teaching craft collaborative observation research that addresses local challenges development of professional learning community The steps of the lesson study cycle are simple to follow, but its real power is in ongoing, rich team discussions. Strong leadership fosters a team's development as a learning community. A Mathematics Leader's Guide to Lesson Study in Practice helps mathematics leaders, coaches, administrators, and team members alike develop the momentum for deep professional learning. Jane Gorman, June Mark, and Johannah Nikula share the best practices they've learned in leading lesson study teams, training lesson study coaches, and launching lesson study programs in schools. Their Guide offers support for leaders and teams by focusing on three essential elements: Deepening your understanding of the goals, themes, and principles of lesson study and honing your capacity to apply that understanding Developing skills in the processes of the lesson study cycle Strengthening the connections of your work with the work of school, district, and the teaching profession in support of your growth and effectiveness as a professional. Readers will find a mix of practical advice, detailed guides to each phase of the cycle, stories of team practice, strategies for facilitation, and much more. They'll read first-hand how teams have moved from novices to mentors in lesson study, changing the professional culture in their schools. The Mathematics Leader's Guide is ideal for book study for teams who want to enrich their participation in lesson study. Taking teams beyond understanding how to get started, the Guide provides a resource to use across many cycles and years to continually deepen lesson study practice.

Here's everything you need for powerful professional development in one place: "The Fostering Geometric Thinking Toolkit." Based on the popular "Fostering Geometric Thinking, "the "Toolkit"'s 20 two-hour sessions provide a year's worth of math PD for middle and secondary teachers. Its facilitator- and participant-friendly sessions cover the key topics of "Fostering Geometric Thinking" geometric properties, transformations, and measurement. With "The Fostering Geometric Thinking Toolkit, "you'll lead teachers through hands-on opportunities to: develop new understandings of middle and secondary students' geometric thinking through a field-tested geometric habits-of-mind framework broaden and express their own geometric thinking by solving rich problems observe students' thinking and problem solving through in-the-classroom footage practice analyzing student work apply all they've learned in the sessions to engage students' thinking more effectively. "The Fostering Geometric Thinking Toolkit" fully supports you. Its facilitator materials provide clear instructions and include agendas, facilitator notes and tips, and other helpful resources. Its accompanying DVD goes above and beyond with an array of essential tools, including: numerous video clips for use in the sessions PowerPoint slideshows that summarize existing research on students' geometric thinking printer-ready participant handouts geometry applets for use by both participants and their students. Use "The Fostering Geometric Thinking Toolkit" and help your participants discover powerful ways to lead students to a new understanding of geometry.