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Thinking about Number Talks

School is out, summer school is over, what now? I now have time to explore, create and crowd source new ideas for next years students! I have already been busy this summer reading and watching videos and have so many ideas churning. Today I am just going to use this space to put some of those ideas on paper so I can use it for inspiration all year long.

I have said and heard other teachers in my department say that kids just can't do math without a calculator. We have talked about how we should incorporate more mental math into our classes. Sometimes we do, sometimes we start out strong, then give in. Why are students mental calculations so weak? Is it because they are taught to memorize? Are they taught strategies but once they are given a calculator they don't keep up the practice so their skills become weak or even non-existent? Besides mental math skills, what students really seem to lack is number sense. They seem to be so reliant on the calculator they don't even know if what they have typed in makes any sense. How am I supposed to combat this?
I have been looking into incorporating Number Talks into my Geometry curriculum. From what I have read, the number talks should help my students gain flexibility with numbers allowing them to manipulate problems in their heads to find the correct answers as well as teach them to communicate their ideas and processes. If I had a nickel for every time a student said to me "well I know the answer is right, I just don't know how to explain it," I'd be rich! The number talks should also teach them to listen to others' ideas and determine their validity. All in all it sounds amazing. I think this will really help to support my classroom philosophy. As the teacher, I am not the answer key. I am not the keeper of knowledge. Everyone can teach us, parents, friends, and classmates included. I really try to foster a feeling of community and collaboration in my classroom, so I think number talks can only help and they are only supposed to take 10 minutes of class time and I think that time will be well worth it. I watched a blog and someone presented the challenge to do 30 number talks during the year with 10 of them being within the first 10 days of school. I think I am going to accept the challenge. I couldn't find a lot of high school videos on YouTube showing the process. I am a visual learner so I was really hoping for a bit more insight. When I do try it, I may record and post them. Good or bad, maybe someone can learn from my victory or defeat.
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Location: St. Louis, MO, USA

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