Merging Inquiry and Math Teachers’ Circles: The Math Circles of Inquiry Project
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-2023
Abstract
The Math Circles of Inquiry project was a grant-funded project involving inquiry-based instruction, Math Teachers’ Circles, college faculty, and K–12 teachers. Throughout the two-year project, college faculty members worked with K–12 teachers to create inquiry-based learning materials for classroom use. These materials were tested, refined, and disseminated using the Math Teachers’ Circle model. Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) is a collection of student centered instruction methods that share common themes expressed through the “four pillars” of Laursen and Rasmussen: • Students engage in deep mathematical tasks (not just busy work or parroting what the teacher did) • Students are given opportunities to meaningfully collaborate with their peers • The instructor is focused on student thinking and designs tasks and organizes class time to bring this out • Instructors foster equity in design and facilitation choices [LR] IBL instruction has been documented to show improvements in learning and student success, and especially to close gaps between traditionally under-achieving groups of students and their counterparts (see [LR] and the references therein). It should be noted that IBL teaching is not a magic bullet: designing IBL tasks and implementing IBL instruction is demanding and takes a different mindset than other styles of teaching. The goal of the Math Circles of Inquiry project is to empower local middle and high school teachers to experiment with incorporating IBL and active learning in their classrooms.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1090/noti2723
Publication Information
Cushman, Jane; Donaldson, Brianna; Dow, Keiko; Gantner, Ryan; George, C. Yousuf; and Jaco, William (2023). "Merging Inquiry and Math Teachers’ Circles: The Math Circles of Inquiry Project." NOTICES OF THE AMERICAN MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY 70.6, 963-967.
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