Book Study: EduProtocol Field Guide Math Edition
Chapter 1: How Lisa and Jeremiah Got Here
Lisa was inspired by Jon Corippo's 8 p*ARTS EduProtocol and adapted it for math by creating "MathReps." This method helps students practice math skills in a connected way, improving their understanding of concepts like place value. Jeremiah learned about MathReps and successfully implemented them with his students. Together, they expanded EduProtocols for math, developing strategies for teaching various concepts such as fractions and calculus, ultimately creating Math EduProtocols to enhance student learning.
Chapter 2: Cyber Sandwich
The Cyber Sandwich EduProtocol fosters deeper understanding through collaboration. Students analyze a math problem independently, then compare their notes using a Venn diagram, and finally summarize what they learned. This method encourages problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking. It promotes collaboration and ensures students provide proof of comprehension, making learning more interactive and engaging as they apply the structure to different math problems.
Chapter 3: What Are EduProtocols?
EduProtocols are flexible, reusable lesson frameworks designed for diverse grade levels and subjects. They engage students through structured processes, focusing on collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity. Key features include replicability, accountability, and alignment with standards. The SPIRIT Framework outlines best practices for implementing EduProtocols effectively. They enhance learning through pacing, repetition, and distributed practice, allowing students to master content progressively.
Chapter 4: Learning How to Learn
In this chapter, Dr. Sonny Magana integrates the T3 Framework with EduProtocols to deepen learning. He emphasizes three key habits: committing to personal mastery goals, collaborative learning, and creating feedback loops. The T3 Framework organizes learning into translational, transformational, and transcendent stages, enhancing student outcomes significantly. Together, these strategies foster lifelong learning habits, self-reflection, and self-regulation.
Chapter 5: Open Pedagogy
Open pedagogy encourages sharing educational resources, enhancing collaboration among educators. EduProtocols serve as effective, reusable lesson plans that inspire instructional leadership. The chapter outlines the principles of Open Educational Resources (OERs) and encourages educators to adapt and share their lesson variations using social media. This collaborative approach benefits both educators and students, promoting a community of shared learning.
Chapter 6: MathReps EduProtocol
MathReps engage students in exploring numbers through various concepts, fostering cohesion in mathematical skills. Students repeatedly practice MathReps to enhance retention and understanding, with collaboration encouraged throughout. The chapter provides instructions for implementing MathReps, emphasizes distributed practice, and suggests adapting activities for individual needs, ensuring effectiveness across grade levels.
Chapter 7: The Fast and Curious Facts EduProtocol
This EduProtocol uses quiz platforms like Quizizz to engage students in memorizing math facts through enjoyable repetition. The goal is to build confidence and mastery through targeted skill practice. Steps for implementation include creating quizzes, reviewing answers, and encouraging students to track their progress. The protocol fosters a fun learning environment, emphasizing both class growth and individual accountability.
Chapter 8: Frayer Math EduProtocol
The Frayer Math EduProtocol utilizes a graphic organizer to deepen understanding of mathematical vocabulary. With a central vocabulary word and surrounding boxes for definition, characteristics, examples, and non-examples, this structure facilitates learning and memorization. Variations include team collaborations and incorporating linked resources, making it a versatile tool for enhancing student understanding.
Chapter 9: The Math Sous Chef EduProtocol
This collaborative jigsaw activity allows groups of students to explore math problems through a four-slide presentation. Focusing on open-ended exploration and multiple perspectives, it enhances understanding and promotes visible thinking. The chapter details the structure of the activity, including group collaboration, brief presentations, and variations that adapt the content for diverse learners.
Chapter 10: 3-Act Math® EduProtocol
The 3-Act Math® EduProtocol employs a hook—such as a video or image—to ignite curiosity about a math concept. It consists of three acts: presenting the hook, exploring the problem, and revealing the solution. The chapter outlines goals for developing problem-solving skills and fostering curiosity, while offering guidance on selecting engaging media and allowing time for exploration, promoting a deep engagement with mathematical concepts.
Chapter 11: Learning in the Round EduProtocol
In a Learning in the Round classroom, students work in pairs at whiteboards while soft music plays, creating a relaxed yet focused learning environment. The teacher circulates to provide feedback, keeping the mood calm and productive.
The goal is to help students understand problem-solving steps and foster peer discussions using academic vocabulary. The collaborative and individual work in this setup promotes perseverance, and students benefit from seeing each other's thought processes. A key takeaway is that visibility of student work aids understanding and that rotating partners encourages collaboration and sharing strategies.
Teachers can maximize whiteboard space and keep the classroom clutter-free to enhance visibility and engagement. Music helps create a comfortable atmosphere. This method is adaptable for primary students with pair sharing and class discussions.
Chapter 12: The Visual Directions EduProtocol
The Visual Directions EduProtocol addresses the challenge of repeating instructions by using visual images. Students are guided by familiar icons instead of verbal directions, helping them quickly grasp the tasks at hand. This method is especially helpful for English language learners and students with learning challenges, as it fosters independence and clearer understanding.
Simplifying instructions to a few key steps with corresponding icons makes it easier for students to follow, and by discussing the images, they can share their understanding with their peers. Visual Directions reduces confusion, encourages student discussions, and creates a collaborative and risk-free environment.
The protocol is particularly useful for younger students with age-appropriate icons and simplified slides.
Chapter 13: Tic-Tac-Toe EduProtocol
The Tic-Tac-Toe EduProtocol uses the classic game to reinforce math skills.
Students work in pairs, using number tiles or cards to create and solve problems, earning squares on a tic-tac-toe board as they go. This method makes math review interactive and fun, while also developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The familiarity of the game keeps students engaged, and its low preparation makes it easy to implement.
As students solve problems, they compare answers and analyze each other's reasoning, strengthening their understanding of math concepts. The center square should be the most challenging to encourage deeper problem-solving, and for younger students, starting with the game mechanics and transitioning to independent practice is recommended.
Chapter 14: The Chatterbox EduProtocol
Inspired by the game show Password, The Chatterbox EduProtocol gets students talking about math in a fun and interactive way. One student describes a math term while the other guesses, fostering conversation and a deeper understanding of key vocabulary.
This protocol strengthens mathematical language and helps students explore relationships between different concepts. By balancing content-focused slides with fun, lighter slides, the activity stays engaging and effective.
Teachers should aim for a series of rounds, ensuring that students of all levels can participate and develop their descriptive and analytical skills. For younger learners, using familiar images and simpler concepts makes the game more accessible.
Chapter 15: Number Stories EduProtocol
Number Stories combine math and storytelling, encouraging students to create, record, and share math stories using character blocks or visual elements.
This hands-on activity supports students as they develop math skills across three stages: concrete, pictorial, and abstract. In this protocol, students work through addition and subtraction problems by creating stories and recording them visually.
Sharing their stories with peers promotes collaboration and problem-solving discussions. Rich play experiences, like Number Stories, help deepen math understanding.
Teachers can prepare templates with character images and encourage students to publish their stories on platforms like Flipgrid, expanding their creativity and engagement.
Chapter 16: Comic Strip Math EduProtocol
The Comic Strip Math EduProtocol lets students break down math problems by visualizing each step as a comic strip. This creative approach encourages students to explain their thought processes clearly and systematically. By treating math problems as stories, students develop a deeper understanding of how to approach and solve problems.
Teachers can prepare templates for students to use, inputting a word problem for students to work through. This method makes math problem-solving more engaging, particularly for students who enjoy creative outlets.
It’s also adaptable for older students, allowing them to engage with the content without needing the comic characters, though fun elements can enhance the learning experience.
Chapter 17: Write Bytes EduProtocol
Write Bytes invites students to look at an image and generate four equations based on what they see, ultimately creating a word problem that ties the equations together. This protocol builds number sense and mathematical thinking, while connecting math to real-world situations. As students work through the images, they develop deeper reasoning skills and engage in meaningful discussions with their peers.
For younger students, drawing instead of writing is a helpful adaptation, and apps like Seesaw can be used for sharing their work. The Write Bytes protocol is a powerful way to foster creativity and mathematical thinking in a supportive and collaborative setting.
Chapter 18: Curiosity Creator EduProtocol
The Curiosity Creator protocol uses compelling graphics to engage students in exploring mathematical concepts.
The teacher gradually reveals details of a graphic, sparking curiosity and inviting students to make sense of what they see. As students interpret the image, they learn to focus on details and use precise language to describe what they observe.
This method promotes engagement through inquiry, helping students explore patterns and hidden features in the graphic. Teachers can guide the discussion with strategic questions that lead to deeper understanding.
For younger students, choosing simpler graphics and providing shared writing opportunities can help them articulate their observations.
Chapter 19: Convince Me That EduProtocol
Convince Me That is a protocol where students are given an answer and asked to convince others of its correctness using concrete and pictorial methods.
This encourages critical thinking, communication, and collaboration. The protocol works across all subjects but is particularly effective in math, as it challenges students to explain solutions in various ways.
Teachers can model this process over several days, ensuring students understand how to develop their arguments. By using sentence stems and concrete representations, students can build academic vocabulary while defending their reasoning. A fun variation is to have students fold paper to write and reveal their answers, which adds a layer of suspense and engagement.
Chapter 20: Stacking and Smashing EduProtocols
This chapter introduces the concepts of stacking and smashing EduProtocols to tackle complex content.
Stacking involves layering multiple EduProtocols to break down longer tasks into manageable steps, while smashing combines several protocols into a cohesive lesson. For example, combining Convince Me That with Cyber Sandwich allows students to collaboratively analyze a problem before defending their solution.
Teachers can maintain pacing using timers and reflecting after each lesson to make adjustments for future sessions. Stacking and smashing enable teachers to handle more complex curricula while keeping students engaged and motivated.
Chapter 21: No Time Like the Present
The final chapter encourages teachers to start implementing EduProtocols at their own pace, ensuring students are comfortable with the protocols before moving on to new ones.
EduProtocols are flexible tools that can be used across subjects, helping students focus on the content rather than the learning process itself.
Teachers are encouraged to embrace digital tools like Screencastify and Flipgrid to facilitate student engagement and feedback. Selecting a few protocols to introduce gradually allows for mastery over time, making learning more efficient and effective.
The key takeaway is to start small, adjust as needed, and enjoy the process with your students.