Modeling thinking and Sharing Strategies using Wipebook Flipcharts

"Using the Wipebook flipcharts for the task and share has provided opportunities to capture student strategies."

 

 

The way I learned mathematics as a student is exponentially different from how I teach mathematics as an educator. The focus is on experiencing mathematics, modeling and sharing strategies, developing and testing conjectures, and making connections to the real world. How can we make that learning visible and purposeful without wallpapering our classroom? How are students able to reflect on and review newly acquired skills and strategies once a unit is done? And how can we effectively capture all this great thinking - especially when facilitating learning for multiple grade levels? Wipebook Flipcharts has provided students with various ways to share their thinking with others and capture this thinking in a way that is accessible to all learners!

 

 

Supporting Task Based Learning and Making Thinking Visible

 

 

One of the structures of the math workshop involves a task and share. Students are presented with a problem-solving task that they work on independently and in small groups. This work has multiple entry points and allows all students to have access to the problem. While students are working, I am circulating and pushing student thinking through purposeful questioning. We come together as a whole class and this give us an opportunity to discuss various strategies that were used to solve the problem. We are able to ask questions, clarify thinking, and connect strategies.

 

 

 
Teacher_Flipchart_Math_Wipebook

 

 

Using the Wipebook flipcharts for the task and share has provided opportunities to capture student strategies. The grid side provides a structure to model number operations, create fraction models, and develop graphs. They provide a large workspace to ensure that all thinking can be shared. With various small groups, we are then able to preserve our thinking without sacrificing classroom space. All approaches are valued and can be discussed and later revisited to apply to new content and learning. 

 

 

The Perfect Portable Whiteboard

 

 

This school year, my position involves teaching a 3rd/4th grade split, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade mathematics. As a result, I spend most of my day on the move. My work takes place in various classrooms and in various parts of the building. There are times where my learning space is not my own. Leaving anchor charts displayed is not always possible. And when multiple charts are used, there is not always room for everything.

 

 

 
whiteboard_Wipebook_Math_teacher

 

 

The Wipebook flipchart has allowed me to capture student thinking, instructional content, and gives me a portable workspace. I can leave a few sheets behind and conserve wallspace. The app allows me to capture and post it for all to access. The flipchart app makes it easy to transport my entire classroom with me to my next group of mathematicians!

 

 

Wipebook Flipcharts Making Students work without the hassle

 

 

Student journals have helped my mathematicians capture their thinking, strategies, and new learning. In previous years, these journals also housed helpful graphics, charts, tables, and vocabulary. However, there are times where these journals get misplaced or go missing or are left at home. As a result, any new learning or experiences on these days usually end up on a sheet of paper that also gets misplaced. In And often, instructional time is lost constantly cutting, glueing, and making sure things actually make it to the journal!

 

 

The Wipebook flipchart makes student work possible without the additional work. Students have been able to complete problem solving tasks on the flipchart which is then easily transferred to the app and digitally shared. When journals go missing, it’s easy to refer to previously taught content. And these uploaded charts can be printed and reshared if lost or misplaced. Because these exist in a digital format, they are easily organized and shared.

 

 

Damien Ettere, Armstrong Elementary School, FCPS Region 1.

 

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