Throughout the spring, 100 teachers and 12 school administrators participated in the Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics residencies. Each week participants worked through a low-floor high-ceiling task as they constructed their own mathematical ideas. One participant noted, “The residency forced me to think outside the box. It was fun to be a ‘student’ working on challenging tasks with peers and experiencing this framework. It is easy to see why this works to improve engagement and increase perseverance.” Another stated, “The way we learned and struggled together was the best part.”
Participants have integrated the practices they learned during the residency into their own teaching practice. One participant commented, “I noticed that students have more fun, more stamina, and are more persistent using this method.” Another participant explained, “The response from my students has been overwhelmingly positive. At fourth grade, many students are eager for challenges and the opportunity to show what they know. By using these tasks, the students had a chance to think about math, but in a different way. They enjoyed the random groups and standing at the vertical non-permanent surface. I cannot wait to begin next year with all these new tools to utilize in class and watch the growth of my students.”