Understanding Math Education and Thinking

The video features a discussion between Kristen Decervo and Dr. Ted Co, focusing on math education. Dr. Co shares his career journey and current role at NWEA, emphasizing the importance of balancing procedural skills with conceptual understanding in math teaching. The conversation highlights the use of formative conversation starters to foster ways of thinking in students. The role of technology in education and the concept of mastery are also explored. The session concludes with advice on maintaining student motivation and the potential for positive changes in math education.

What is Dr. Ted Co's role at NWEA?

• Head of Educational Technology

• Chief Learning Officer

• Director of Content Advocacy and Design

• Director of Mathematics

What is the main focus of the discussion on teaching math?

• Choosing between procedural skills and conceptual understanding

• Focusing solely on procedural skills

• Integrating technology in math teaching

• Eliminating conceptual understanding

What does Dr. Ted Co emphasize about ways of thinking in math?

• They should be integrated with habits of thinking

• They should be taught separately

• They are less important than procedural skills

• They are only for advanced students

What is a key method discussed for encouraging thinking in math classrooms?

• Formative conversation starters

• Standardized testing

• Lectures

• Homework assignments

What is the purpose of formative conversation starters?

• To encourage rote memorization

• To shape conversations focusing on ways of thinking

• To test students' knowledge

• To replace traditional teaching methods

What analogy is used to describe the importance of foundational math concepts?

• Driving a car

• Building a house

• Climbing a mountain

• Crossing a river

How can technology best support teachers in the classroom?

• By replacing teachers

• By creating lesson plans

• By providing access to content

• By grading assignments

What is a challenge mentioned in integrating technology in education?

• Technology can replace teachers

• Technology is too expensive

• Technology cannot replicate human interaction

• Technology is not effective in teaching math

What is one way students can stay motivated in learning math?

• By understanding math as a cohesive whole

• By seeing math as a collection of separate topics

• By avoiding difficult problems

• By focusing only on grades

What is the 'mathematical rigor mortis' that Dr. Ted Co refers to?

• A new teaching method

• A challenge in math education

• A type of math problem

• A software tool