Number Talks for Grade 3 Math
Number Talks, a powerful 10-to-15 minute daily routine that we have begun in our Grade 3 mathematics program, gives our boys the opportunity to reason mentally with numbers.
It is a terrific tool for helping students continue to develop their computational fluency by encouraging them to use known number relationships and the structures of numbers to add, subtract, multiply and divide. Number Talks celebrate the thinking process and teaches the boys to clarify and express their understanding while using mathematical language. It also introduces students to the idea of multiple pathways and strategies that are available when solving mathematical problems.
Number Talks take place as a full class activity. The teacher presents the problem to be solved and gives adequate time for each boy to figure out a solution.
Each boy gives a small thumbs-up signal to indicate that they have had enough time to calculate a solution. The teacher begins the sharing process by asking for the solution to the problem. All solutions are recorded on the board for the boys to see. Next, the teacher asks for boys to share the process and thinking they used to come up with the solution. Each process is recorded on the board to ensure the thinking is visible to all. Finally, the class works together to agree on the “real” answer to the problem. The strategies on the board, along with the class discussion, provide opportunities for students to see where their thinking went wrong, identify a step they left out or clarify a point of confusion. It also highlights the variety of strategies that exist which lead to a solution.
In Grade 3, we began with dot cards and moved on to two-by-one addition to create a community of learners where the boys feel safe to take risks, understand that problems of various levels of difficulty can be solved in a variety of ways, and value the power of group thinking as well as learning from our mistakes. Our next step will be to begin to “name” the strategies the boys use on a regular basis to solve the problems. Number Talks promote a powerful opportunity for the development of a growth mindset in all of our learners.
Number Talks was developed by Sherry Parrish, who holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Sanford University and is a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics Teaching. Read the Number Talks article, originally published by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, to learn more.
Number Talks take place as a full class activity. The teacher presents the problem to be solved and gives adequate time for each boy to figure out a solution.
Each boy gives a small thumbs-up signal to indicate that they have had enough time to calculate a solution. The teacher begins the sharing process by asking for the solution to the problem. All solutions are recorded on the board for the boys to see. Next, the teacher asks for boys to share the process and thinking they used to come up with the solution. Each process is recorded on the board to ensure the thinking is visible to all. Finally, the class works together to agree on the “real” answer to the problem. The strategies on the board, along with the class discussion, provide opportunities for students to see where their thinking went wrong, identify a step they left out or clarify a point of confusion. It also highlights the variety of strategies that exist which lead to a solution.In Grade 3, we began with dot cards and moved on to two-by-one addition to create a community of learners where the boys feel safe to take risks, understand that problems of various levels of difficulty can be solved in a variety of ways, and value the power of group thinking as well as learning from our mistakes. Our next step will be to begin to “name” the strategies the boys use on a regular basis to solve the problems. Number Talks promote a powerful opportunity for the development of a growth mindset in all of our learners.Number Talks was developed by Sherry Parrish, who holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Sanford University and is a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics Teaching. Read the Number Talks article, originally published by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, to learn more.
