#T3Learns Slow-Chat Book Study: 5 Practices for Orchestrating … : T³ Learns

07Apr 2016 by Kevin Spry

After the success of the slow-chat book study on Embedding Formative Assessment we plan to engage in another slow chat book study.

A few years ago, as we embraced focusing our classrooms on the Standards for Mathematical Practice, a number of our community began reading and using the book by Margaret S. Smith and Mary Kay Stein, 5 Practices for Orchestrating Productive Mathematics Discussions.

This book has been transformational to many educators, and there is also a companion book focused on the science classroom, 5 Practices for Orchestrating Task-Based Discussions in Science, by Jennifer Cartier and Margaret S. Smith.

Both books are also available in pdf format and NCTM offers them together as a bundle.

Simultaneous Study
As our community works with both math and science educators, we are going to try something unique in reading the books simultaneously and sharing ideas using the same hashtag.

We know that reading these books, with the emphasis on classroom practices, will be worth our time. In addition to encouraging those who have not read them, we expect that those who have read them previously will find it beneficial to re-read and share with educators around the world.

Slow Chat Book Study
For those new to this idea of a “slow chat book study”, we will use Twitter to share our thoughts with each other, using the hashtag #T3Learns.

With a slow chat book study you are not required to be online at any set time. Instead, share and respond to others’ thoughts as you can. Great conversations will unfold – just at a slower pace.

When you have more to say than 140 characters, we encourage you to link to blog posts, pictures, or other documents. There is no need to sign up for the study – just use your Twitter account and the hashtag #T3Learns when you post your comments.

Don’t forget to search for others’ comments using the hashtag #T3Learns.

Need to set up a Twitter account? Start here.

If you need help once we start, contact us (see below).

Book Study Schedule
We have established the following schedule and daily prompts to help with sharing and discussion. This will allow us to wrap up in early June.

The content of the Math and Science versions line up fairly well, with the exception of the chapters being off by one.