This year, we are completely focused on increasing engagement and thinking in our classrooms. Students are becoming accustomed to working on vertical erasable spaces and engaging in more learning conversations with each other while we teachers prompt their thinking and give hints when necessary. Approaching teaching in this way helps students take on a more active role in their education. It is such a temptation to wait for a teacher to explain the new concept of the day before diving into sometimes uncomfortable “productive struggle”. Our ultimate goal is to facilitate student learning, help them to improve their problem solving skills, and give students more opportunities to build their confidence in math class.

There are a variety of task structures we use on vertical surfaces to support students in building their problem-solving skills. One approach is offering tasks in “Mild, Medium, and Spicy” versions. These begin with foundational practice (Mild), increase the level of challenge and complexity (Medium), and expand to problems requiring more creative, higher-order thinking (Spicy). Another structure we use is gallery walks, where students learn from their peers by exploring different strategies displayed on the boards of other groups. Not only do they see multiple ways to solve a problem, but they also have the chance to reflect on their own work in comparison.