The Power of Math Workshop: A Structure for Building Engaged and Effective Math Communities

The Math Workshop framework, originally developed by Cathy Fosnot of New Perspectives for Learning, is my personal favourite way to structure a math class. After years of practical experience with this structure across various grade levels, from Kindergarten to sixth grade, I've come to understand its immense value in fostering engaged and effective mathematical learning.

At its core, the Math Workshop comprises three integral components: Mini-Lessons, Investigations, and Sharing. In this post, I'll provide an overview of these components, shedding light on their significance in shaping an engaging and joyful math community learning environment.

Mini-Lessons: Intentionally Building Content and Community.

Mini-Lessons are a pivotal moment for whole-class instruction, serving as the foundation for intentionally building content and community, catering to the diverse needs of all learners. My approach to Mini-Lessons revolves around two key ideas in the math classroom: Content and Social-Emotional Learning. While these aspects can sometimes intertwine, I find it helpful to delineate them for effective planning.

Content-focused lessons encompass a range of strategies, such as problem strings (you can explore the powerful numeracy structure on the Math is Figureout-able website), number talks (different from problem strings), dot talks, choral counting, and other intentionally selected content-related mini-lessons designed to cultivate deep understanding.

Social-Emotional Mini-Lessons serve as platforms for co-creating anchor charts that address critical aspects of mathematical communities. They may address things such as collaboration strategies ("How Partners Work Together") and overcoming challenges ("What Do I Do When I Get Stuck?"). These lessons offer an opportunity to unpack our anecdotal observations as teachers. Creating them requires an intuitive approach, often driven by current or anticipated roadblocks occuring in your mathematical community. For example, if children seem to struggle with getting started during investigations, I might create an anchor chart titled 'How Do Mathematicians Begin Investigations?' and collaboratively develop strategies with the class. This personalized responsiveness is the essence of these social- emotional mini-lessons, which support whole community learning. 

Investigations: Nurturing Mathematical Explorers, Collaboration and Communication

The Investigations phase constitutes the 'working on it' component of Math Workshop. Here, students engage in active problem-solving, immersing themselves in intricate mathematical thinking. This time is an opportunity to bring the concept of multiple entry points to life, enabling learners to leverage their existing understanding to tackle problems and expand their current mathematical understandings and ideas.

Throughout the investigations phase, I engage in strategic conferencing with individual mathematicians, discerning which students require support and why. During this time, I support many of my tier 2 and tier 3 learners, either through conferencing or intentional pairing with learners who might challenge their zone of proximal development, or solidify their current understanding as they build confidence in their strategy. This personalized approach supports the role of the teacher as a facilitator, helping students make meaningful strides in their learning.

Sharing: Fostering Learning Through Community and Purposeful Audience

The Sharing phase is where individual learning experiences come together into a collective sense of accomplishment. This is where I implement the '5 Practices for Orchestrating Productive Mathematical Discussions,' intentionally selecting and sequencing 2 or 3 partnerships to share their math discoveries with the entire class. Sharing is a way for young mathematicians to showcase their insights to a receptive audience, their peers.

Over time, I scaffold participation by employing teacher moves. For example, probing for similarities and differences between the presented solutions and approaches used by mathematicians in the audience. It might sound something like 'Did anyone use a similar strategy?' or 'Turn and talk to your neighbour, what was similar or different to the strategy you and your partner used?' These prompts encourage the audience to listen with purpose, enabling students to discern patterns and establish connections between mathematical concepts.

This post serves as an introductory exploration of the overarching Math Workshop structure which I have adapted and honed. In the upcoming weeks, I'll delve into each component in greater detail, unpacking how it contributes to a cohesive math block. I'll also demonstrate how this structure aligns harmoniously with the readers workshop and writers workshop formats, ultimately fostering a comprehensive and dynamic elementary classroom environment. If you are curious about resources I have used to support this structure check out Contexts for Learning, by New Perspectives and Make Math Moments 3 Part Framework. 

You can also check out a video of math workshop in action: