Today we began our new math topic, as we started learning about Multiplication. Starting math learning with a number talk is a great way to gather all of the students together and transition to our “math time”.
After drawing twelve purple dots on the whiteboard (an array) students immediately wanted to share. It was very interesting to hear all of the students share what they saw and noticed.
Some students noticed geometric elements like “a square” or “rows and columns”. While other students tended to count and recognize the factors 3 and 4 (3 x 4 = 12). Overall, the best part of a Number Talk is that all students feel safe to share their math ideas. We value everyone in our classroom community and appreciate the thoughtful students who respectfully listen and give each voice a chance to be heard.