Keeping a Public Record

This series of videos will present the argument that a public record of mathematical explanations is critically important to being able to track, and subsequently understand, the mathematical ideas being discussed. The three video clips are from a longer video taken of an enactment of Contemplate then Calculate, one of the instructional routines we support in our curriculum and professional development work.

We recommend watching this video while considering this question; What is the experience like when you can only listen to someone describe a strategy and have no visual cues to aid in understanding?

What was that experience like? 

Now watch the next video and consider this question: Do you completely understand the strategy being shared? What might make understanding the strategy easier for you.

What changed for that last video? How did that help you understand the mathematics being discussed?

Now watch this last video and consider: When do you completely understand the strategy being discussed? How does the use of gesture (pointing) and annotation help you better understand the strategy being shared?

We recommend writing a reflection on this experience. Consider how the additional information added in the last video changed your experience. What implication does this have for your teaching?