Mathematician's Notebooks
Proven Practices
Tried & True Practice - by Dr. Carrie Zielinski
Mathematician’s Notebooks
Students’ use of Mathematician’s Notebooks support their learning of mathematics in ways that significantly impact their understanding and levels of achievement. When used effectively and regularly, notebooks capture students’ “noticings”, problem-solving strategies, sense-making, generalizations and misconceptions, thereby offering both students and teachers formative data over time.
The main purposes for students using Mathematicians’ Notebooks during lessons are to:
- Provide students time and white space to mentally process concepts and ideas, as well as record noticings and problem-solving strategies
- Enable students to make their thinking public
- Assist students in describing their mathematical thinking
- Allow students to critique each other's mathematical representations, strategies, and generalizations
- Offer students and teachers formative data
- Encourage students to reflect upon their own learning, as well as their mathematical growth over time
Kindergarteners Make Their Thinking Public
Third Graders Record Their Generalizations
Fifth Graders Share Their Misconceptions and Ask for Support