The teachers implemented a Problem-Solving Professional Development Unit (PDU) to address students' difficulties with problem solving and align their instructional approaches. Through rigorous problem solving, talk moves, and math congress, students improved in problem solving skills, communication, and mindset. Pre/post-test data, work samples, and surveys showed positive results. Teachers also enhanced their ability to facilitate discussions and will continue expanding these strategies.

2. Rationale for PDU
• Our students have historically struggled in
problem solving.
• As teachers, we had different instructional
approaches to problem solving, which we
thought could be improved.
• We saw this as an opportunity to find
effective solutions and align our teaching
practices.

3. Student Goals
Students will:
Become accurate, efficient, and reflective
problem solvers
Communicate precisely and coherently
their mathematical ideas
Analyze and evaluate the mathematical
thinking and strategies of others

4. Team Goals
• Build our capacities and effectiveness to teach
problem solving strategies and critical thinking
skills.
• Facilitate engaging mathematical classroom
discussions by using effective talk moves.
• Reflect on our own learning and modify our
teaching practices as necessary to ensure student
success.

5. Alignment to Campus Goals
*Lowest passing average
in Area 1 schools
CIP Performance Objective: Increase students meeting or
exceeding STAAR passing standards in Math.

6. Alignment to Campus Goals
• Campus-wide Math Implementation Plan: “Problem of the Day”
• 3rd Grade Team SLO: Students will use a variety of strategies and will apply
mathematics to solve problems connected to everyday experiences.
Passing
65%
Failing
35%
3rdGrade Math
STAARResults

7. Campus Demographics

8. Use of Resources
Classroom
Discussions in Math

9. “Teaching Through
Problem Solving,”
from Elementary and Middle
School Mathematics: Teaching
Developmentally, Eighth Edition
Article contained at beginning of
Lone STAAR Rigorous Problem
Solving, Pearson

10. Professional Development
November 13, 2013
Transforming Mathematics Teaching: Problem Solving vs. Solving Problems (K-12)
November 13, 2013
Region XIII, Educational Service Center
Name of Presenters: Mary Headley and Susan Hemphill
Focus: Mathematical Problem Solving
Attendees: Caroline Braun, Monica Clark, Michelle Navarro, Rebecca Flournoy,

11. PDU Strategies
Artifacts/Student Work

12. Instructional Strategies
• Rigorous problem solving
• Talk Moves
• Math Congress

13. Rigorous Problem Solving
• Rigorous word problem provided can include:
– Multi-steps
– Multiple solutions
– Extraneous Information
– Novel problem situations
• Class discussion of important information
• Students work in pairs to plan, solve and check
• Sharing/Class Discussion

14. VIDEO INSERT
• INSERT Mabinty video here of her working
with her partner

15. Rigorous Problem Example
• At the fair, there are 36 children in line to ride
the roller coaster. The roller coaster has 10
cars. Each car holds 4 children. How many
children can sit 3 to a car and how many
children can sit 4 to a car.

16. Student Artifacts

17. Student Artifacts

18. Impact/Outcomes of Rigorous
Problem Solving
• Students became flexible thinkers
• Students learned a variety of strategies
• Students gained confidence in problem
solving
• Teachers aligned instructional practices
• A bank of rigorous problems were created to
share with campus

19. Talk Moves
• Talk moves were used throughout our study as we read the
resource Classroom Discussions in Math.
• To help us facilitate discussions, we created a table of Math
Talk Tips to guide us when we encountered common
problems.
• At first it was difficult to use all Talk Moves simultaneously, so
we decided to focus on 1 talk move at a time for a 2 week
period.

20. Wait Time/Turn & Talk
Problem:
Only one
student or no
students
volunteer to
talk.
Turn and talk
to your
neighbor, I’ll
wait.
Turn and talk
to your
neighbor, I’ll
wait.

21. Who Can Repeat?
Problem:
Other students
haven’t heard or
might not
understand a
student’s idea.
Can you repeat
that,
Fernando?
Can you repeat
that,
Fernando?

22. Say More
Problem:
Student’s
answer is
wrong or
difficult to
understand.
Say more
about what
you’re
thinking.
Say more
about what
you’re
thinking.

23. Press for Reasoning
Problem:
A student needs
to deepen his/her
understanding.
Why do you
think that?
Why do you
think that?

24. Re-voicing
Problem:
Student has
trouble explaining
their thinking.
So you are
saying… Did I
get that right?
So you are
saying… Did I
get that right?

25. Impact/Outcomes of Talk Moves
• Decreased teacher talk
• Increased student talk
• Impacted all other subject areas
• Developed effective teacher habits
• Student written and oral communication
improved

26. Talk Moves Video
• INSERT Talk Moves Video Here

27. Math Congress Process
• Present rigorous problem
Student work preparation
–Pairs of students form different classes discuss important
information and make a plan to solve
–Make large posters of their work
–Plan presentation to share with the class
Math Congress
–The whole group gathers to discuss two or three solutions
strategically selected by the teacher
• Highlight new strategies
• Compare different strategies
• Clarify common misconceptions
–Students listen to the ideas of others, question what they do
not understand and defend their thinking

28. Math Congress Student Examples

30. Math Congress Video
• MICHELLE!!!! Put math congress video HERE!!

31. Impact/Outcomes of Math
Congress
• Improved student confidence
• Students learned importance of justifying
work
• Improved ability to express ideas orally
• Generated community across grade levels
• Increased enthusiasm around math

33. Results Of PDU
• Pre/Post Test Data
• 3rd
Grade MOY Data
• SLO Data
• Work Sample Data
• Attitude Data

34. Problem Solving Test Data

35. 3rd
Grade MOY I & MOY II Data

36. Pre/Post Test SLO Third Grade Data

37. 2nd
& 3rd
Grade Work Samples

38. Attitude Survey
Problem Solving PDU

39. Student Interviews
• INSERT INTERVIEW VIDEO HERE!!!!!

40. Future Instructional Plans
• Students will be challenged to write their own multi-step
story problems to be solved by their peers
• Utilize Math Talk Moves Anchors of support from National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)
• Expand Talk Moves to all content areas
• Pre/Post Problem Solving Assessment Next Year
• Implement Math Congress campus-wide

41. Future Professional Development
Expansion
•August Staff Development PD
•On-going site based PD
•East Side Vertical Team District Wide Staff
Development