Wow! What a busy winter it has been. As I visit classrooms and work with teachers I am reminded of the good work that is being done for students but also of how exhausting it can be!
A perk of my job is that I have the opportunity to work with A LOT of amazing educators in schools throughout the state of Delaware. I get to watch the implementation of Illustrative Mathematics from the perspective of teachers, students and administrators. How lucky am I?! A common theme in all classrooms this year has been the use of anchor charts.
An anchor chart is a visual tool that is created by both teachers and students to support classroom instruction.
Anchor charts can be pre-planned by a teacher before a lesson begins or on the spur of the moment when a teacher wants to capture what their students are thinking. The key to an anchor chart is that it captures STUDENT thinking and learning. Don’t worry if your writing is slanted, you used only one colored marker or your students didn’t use the correct mathematical vocabulary. Sometimes student thinking is “messy” and that is OK! The thinking captured on an anchor chart can change and evolve as the lesson or unit continues. Think of it as a living document growing and changing as our students mathematical knowledge develops.
Here are some examples of anchor charts that I’ve found in my travels and created on my own…..
How do you use anchor charts in your classroom? I’d love to add your example to our list for other teachers to see:)
Enjoy!
~Kelly
Math Actually 