Mrs Rowntree

Have you ever experienced a rich task which redirects learning away from the intended outcome? I have!

I love rich tasks and find them extremely valuable & highly motivating for students. However, at times the learning intention can get lost, the learning becomes a little fluffy and I realise that the maths experience has taken our learning off in a direction which will cost us valuable learning time!

I value clarity around learning intentions & success criteria, rich tasks, I value differentiation, real-world connections, along with the use of manipulatives, visual models, student drawn representations, reflection, meta-cognition & intervention. So you can imagine the Homer Simpson moment of ‘D’oh’ when learning has gone off on a tangent and I was actually wanting a clear progression!

In the classroom, rich tasks without constraints has been something I have been reflecting on for quite a while. Popping in some constraints, rules and/or routines around rich tasks allows me to ensure the learning direction remains intact. Boundaries intentionally limit choices. Rather than reducing thinking, they help focus attention on the mathematics you want students to notice & represent. An example in division students might include sharing 2 colour counters, or to extending to 3 colours. It could include a number range choice such as choose between the numbers 8 and 15 counters and find all the possibilities.

My general rule of thumb:

• Don’t start with the algorithm.
• Start with the mathematics.
• Let the need for the strategy emerge.
• Use constraints to surface important ideas.
• Allow capable students to generalise while others are still building understanding.

This is how I position my lessons. It allows differentiation to evolve easily and reveals student thinking.

Differentiation isn’t three worksheets. It’s one worthwhile mathematical experience with deliberate supports, constraints and extensions.

In future posts, I’ll share examples of bounded problems from my classroom, the constraints I use, and how small adjustments can create differentiation without needing three different worksheets.