Number Talk takeaways

What I Learned About Number Talks

While planning and recording my Number Talk, I learned how important it is to slow down and let students think. Giving quiet time helped students focus on the math instead of rushing to an answer. I also saw how helpful hand signals can be. They allowed students to show when they had an idea without interrupting others.

Another takeaway was how many different strategies can come from simple problems. Problems like 8 + 7 or 9 + 6 gave students the chance to make a ten or use doubles in different ways. Even though the problems were small, the thinking behind them was strong. This showed me that Number Talks are more about understanding than getting the answer quickly.