Every summer my nightstand piles up with the books that I’ve collected over the year. I like to unwind over the summer with a mix of fiction and teaching books. When it comes to math teaching books, I love stepping back from the classroom and exploring new ideas to try.
There’s a range of teaching books that I’ve read over the years. Some books are motivational. Some have clever ideas that get my wheels turning about new things to try in my classroom. But there are some books that I keep going back to long after summertime is over. Let’s dive into each of these books for math teachers that I think are well worth their place on your bookshelf.
What makes these books a permanent part of my classroom teaching library? In each of their own ways, these books stand out from the crowd. So, today I want to share with you some stand-out books from my math teaching library and the special awards I’d give each of them in my math teacher yearbook đ
**Note- you can skip ahead to the part of the post that describes each of these books by clicking on its link here:
1.) Mathematics Formative Assessment: 75 Practical Strategies for Linking Assessment, Instruction, and Learning
2.) Battling Boredom, Part 1: 99 Strategies to Spark Student Engagement
3.) Total Participation Techniques
4.) Teaching Math with Google Apps: 50 G Suite Activities
5.) 5 Practices for Orchestrating Productive Mathematical Conversations
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1. Best All Around goes to… Mathematics Formative Assessment
Page Keeley and Cheryl Rose Tobey’s book Mathematics Formative Assessment: 75 Practical Strategies for Linking Assessment, Instruction, and Learning is one that I use all…the…time.
This book starts off laying the ground work of what the author’s describe as a “formative assessment centered classroom” and what that looks like. There’s about 40 pages describing the power of formative assessments and explaining why they are so important for student learning. They give general ideas for math teachers on how to implement formative assessments and use them more effectively. I read this part initially (and did a LOT of underlining), but that’s not the part I find myself going back to the most.
The rest of the book gets into 75 formative assessment classroom techniques, or what the authors call FACTs. For every one of these strategies, the authors describe the strategy. Next, they go on to explain how it promotes learning, how it informs instruction, and the design and implementation. Then they give you ideas for modifications and caveats to be aware of. While the ideas are great, for each idea they don’t just tell you how to do it. There’s much more to it, and it’s just really well done.
The reading experience:
You’ll want to read this book with a notebook and pencil handy. Or, if you read like me, lots of flags to highlight pages you’ll want to go back to when lesson planning throughout the year. This isn’t necessarily the kind of book you’ll read from beginning to end, though. Once you’ve read the introduction, feel free to jump around and explore the ideas that jump out at you.
My favorite part(s) for math teachers:
Why is this such a great math teacher book? I love ideas. So, when there are 75 IDEAS!!! in a book, that’s my favorite part. One glance at my book shows just how many of those ideas I’ve bookmarked for quick reference. Here’s a few of my faves:
Fact-First Questioning
One strategy that I’ve really enjoyed is #14- Fact-First Questioning (p. 87). This strategy is a simple twist changes what it is questions into how or why questions. It’s a quick way to raise the level of thinking for students. In this strategy you as the teacher state the fact first, then you ask students to alaborate with a how or a why. It takes student responses past memorizing facts and answers and gives them a chance to show their math thinking.
The Muddiest Point
Another stand-out strategy for me is #33- Muddiest Point (p. 132). This is one that my team teacher and I have used for years. In this strategy we ask students at the end of a lesson (you could do this in the middle, too, but we use it more at the end) to explain the part that’s still unclear to them. That’s the muddiest point. We often do this on a quarter-sheet of paper as an exit ticket. In the end you have invaluable information on what students are understanding, and what confusions need to be addressed.
Odd One Out
I also love strategy #35- Odd One Out (p. 137. The fact that this strategy reminds me of Sesame Street may be why I love it so much. It’s like that song, “One of These Things is Not Like the Others.” You know, “One of these things is not like the others/ One of these things doesn’t belong/ Can you tell which thing is not like the others/ By the time I finish my song?” (Are you singing along yet?) Anyways, with this FACT students are given a group of things and need to explain why one doesn’t belong in the group. I’ve used this activity the most when building background for students when we start a new topic. It shows me what they already know, and what they may not be so strong on.
Here’s an example of Odd One Out: give students a series of fractions (see image below), and ask students to circle the fraction that doesn’t belong. Then, ask them to explain their reasoning. You don’t give them any more direction than that.
With this set, students need to determine and explain that 3 of these fractions are equivalent, and one of them is not.
With 75 strategies, I could go on and on, but these are three of my favorites.
What it’s not:
Mathematics Formative Assessment is a great collection of ideas and strategies, but it’s not really the kind of book that you sit down and read from beginning to end. It’s much more likely a book that you’ll jump around in, especially once you’ve read the first section of the book.
This book is also not deep about how to teach specific concepts in math. It uses examples from math, but it’s really about these assessment strategies that you can use across concepts. So, you have to figure out exactly what this will look like in your classroom with your math concepts. (For example, there’s a science version of this book with many of the same strategies, but more “sciency” examples.)
What you’ll get out of reading Mathematics Formative Assessment:
This book is a book you’ll go back to throughout the school year. What I get out of Mathematics Formative Assessment, and what I hope other teachers get as well, is a companion for lesson planning. I have a few other “cheat sheets” that help me in my planning, but this book is always a ready reference when I’m planning. It’s great for when I’m trying to come up with an anticipatory set or a closure activity, or any other formative assessment activity. Whenever I need to come up with something new, or fresh, or different, I can try something from this book.
I think that this book really can become a math teacher’s friend when lesson planning. (Plus, I just got my copy of Volume 2- 50 More Practical strategies, so I can’t wait to dig into even MORE ideas!) That’s why it’s my winner for “Best All Around”.
2. The Class Clown Award goes to… Battling Boredom, Part 1: 99 Strategies to Spark Student Engagement
A couple of years ago I did a book study with my team reading Bryan Harris’ book Battling Boredom: 99 Strategies to Spark Student Engagement. This book was a big hit, and is one that I continue to go back to again and again.
This book has a whole bunch of teaching strategies. These strategies are broken into the the part of the lesson where you’d use them. So, there’s strategies for beginning a lesson, ending a lesson, independent work, whole group, partner & small groups, and strategies with movement. Then, there’s a bonus at the end for reluctant learners. Under each section there’s about 10-12 ideas.
The reading experience:
What I love about this book is that it’s such a great go-to place when you feel like you’re in a teaching rut. It’s kindof like the real-life class clown. You know, when you’re in a bit of a bad mood, the class clown has a way of cheering people up. That’s how I feel whenever I dive back into this book.
This book is jam packed with ideas and strategies. There’s a short introduction, but it’s not very meaty. So, this book is one that you likely won’t read cover to cover. I’d read the introduction and then skim the rest of the sections to get familiar with how the book is laid out and what each section contains. Then, I’d focus on one section of strategies and start small, implementing a few ideas and then moving on from there.
My favorite part for math teachers:
One of my favorite strategies in this book is the use of agree/disagree statements. This strategy gets students engaged and give you quick feedback as a teacher on where your students are.
Another strategy that I enjoy is Two Truths and a Lie. It’s just a fun game to play with students. Plus, it’s a nice twist since we’re always telling people not to lie. But here we have a lie that’s been already been given, and students need to figure out what it is.
What it’s not:
This book isn’t deep. If you’ve been around awhile, you probably won’t be blown away. You’ll probably already have some familiarity with many of the strategies. However, I found that it was a good reminider of some good teaching practices that I hadn’t thought about in awhile. Plus, there were some strategies that were new to me.
If you’re a newer teacher, though, you’ll especially appreciate this one stop shop for so many teaching strategies and ideas.
What you’ll get out of reading Battling Boredom:
What makes this a great middle school math teacher book? When you read Battling Boredom: 99 Strategies to Spark Student Engagement, you’ll get fresh ideas, for sure. Even the most seasoned teacher will find something new among the 99! strategies.
This book is an invaluable book to have on hand when lesson planning. Just like Mathematics Formative Assessment above, when I sit down to plan I often dig back into this book.
The strategies in this book are great for bringing more fun and energy into your classroom. That’s why Battling Boredom: 99 Strategies to Spark Student Engagement is my winner for the Class Clown award!
3. Most Likely to be a Hit at Your Book Study Award goes to… Total Participation Techniques
Total Participation Techniques: Making Every Student an Active Learner, by Persida and William Himmele, is full of practical ways to get students participating in a meaningful way when learning. It outlines 51 strategies and includes blackline masters for some of the techniques, including response cards and posters.
This book starts off by laying a foundation of how these total participation techniques (what they call TPTs) were developed, and why. They lay out their case that it’s really important that students actively participate in their learning, which is something that I know as teachers we’re always trying to increase and improve upon.
These techniques are described in six sections: tools and supplies, on the spot checks, TPT hold-ups, TPTs involving movement, and TPTs to guide note taking and concept analysis, and wrap-ups.
The biggest basis of this book is a 4-quadrant chart with higher/lower-order thinking and low/high participation (p. 17). In other words, the goal of this book is to increase the time students spend in quadrant 4- High Cognition & High Participation.
The reading experience:
I loved reading this book. It was easy to read and the ideas were shared so clearly. I definitely recommend reading the first part first, rather than jumping into the strategies, to understand their philosophy. Then, I’d skim the rest to find the techniques that you want to try first. Or, read a little bit at a time and try things as you go.
One thing that’s great about this book is it’s relevant for any content area and any grade level. That makes it a great choice to read with a team, whether it’s a team of math teachers or a grade level team with all the different subject areas.
For each of the TPTs, or techniques, the authors explain the technique and how to ensure higher-order thinking. Then, they have a section called “pause to apply”. In this section the authors provide tips and additional insights to get the most out of each strategy. The end result is a clear description that’s short, thorough, and easy to read.
Some of these techniques you’ll have seen before, especially if you’ve been teaching for a while. Others will be new. However, I appreciated how even when I read about techniques I’ve seen before, the authors still offered a new twist or insight that would improve my teaching practice.
My favorite part for math teachers:
Without a doubt, my favorite strategy of this whole book is what they call “The Ripple”. I believe that if every teacher did this one technique every day in every math class, it would revolutionize math teaching.
In this strategy, all students first respond individually to a higher-order prompt. Then, all students share their responses in pairs or small groups. Finally, students either volunteer or are selected to share with the whole class.
When I use this strategy (which I do every single day), I generally use pairs. After their conversation, I expect all students to be prepared to share with the whole class. Then, I ask students to volunteer, sometimes calling on students who I heard having great conversations that I want to share with the whole class.
In addition to the ripple, there are other strategies that stand out to me. For example, their take on Think-Pair-Share is better than others I’ve seen before. I also use a modified version of thumbs-up/thumbs down where students show their understanding by holding up 1-5 fingers, with 5 being “I GOT IT!” and 1 being “totally lost right now.”
Another group of TPTs are called “hold ups.” These allow students to quickly show their thinking. This group includes response cards and, my personal favorite, white boards.
In the TPTs for movement they include students showing their thinking through sorting, categorizing, walking, role plays and simulations. When I read the section about simulations, it reminded me of my experiences with discovery labs.
What it’s not:
Total Participation Techniques isn’t specifically about teaching mathematics. So, some of the techniques will work great in a math classroom just the way they are. For other techniques, you may have to do a little more adapting to make them really fit in the math classroom.
What you’ll get out of reading Total Participation Techniques:
Why is this a great book for math teachers? This book provides practical, classroom-tested ways to get students thinking & partipating in their learning.
As I look back at this book, what I realize is that my favorite part, and the part that impacted my teaching the most, really was the ripple. This changed my classroom for the better. Now, I continue to refer back whenever I want to try a new way to get students participating and showing their thinking.
There’s really something for everyone in this book. It’s practical, readable, and most importantly, it’s easy to implement ideas from this book right away. That’s why Total Participation Techniques: Making Every Student an Active Learner is my winner for the “Most Likely to be a Hit at Your Book Study” award.
4. The Most Likely to be Instagram Famous Award goes to…Teaching Math with Google Apps: 50 G Suite Activities
Alice Keeler’s book Teaching Math with Google Apps: 50 G Suite Activities contains, you guessed it, 50 strategies for teaching math with technology. These strategies aren’t organized into categories, really, but they are all related in some way to the Google Suite of applications. This book has a great preview on Amazon if you want to take a closer look.
The reading experience:
I found that the directions in this book were really clear and easy to follow. It shows you step by step what things will look like when you’re doing them. It also has examples of lessons showing these tech tools in action.
In addition, the ideas in this book are compelling and clear. Also, since it’s mainly a collection of ideas, it’s the kind of book that you can jump around in and find the tools and tips that fit your classroom or solve specific problems you’re facing.
Since this book is so comprehensive, I think your best bet is to read the introduction with 7 tips for teaching math with Google- post directions, post students’ work, collaboration, shift to higher DOK, students research, shift the facilitator, & conversations for deeper understanding. It’s a quick overview of ways to think about using technology with math, and includes a handy infographic. Then, choose just one idea first to try out.
My favorite part for math teachers:
One thing I love about this book is that Keeler uses Bitmojis throughout, and she gives ideas on how to use them in your classroom as well. If you’re not familiar with Bitmojis, here’s an example:
Basically, a Bitmoji is your own customized emoji. They have so many fun graphics you can put your unique Bitmoji into, so it’s just a fun way to make things a little more personal.
Keeler shows how to use Bitmojis to give feedback to students. She explains how to do that using Google Keep. I really like this tip in my classroom. I used it with my students, and then started using Bitmojis on my printouts for students as well.
What it’s not:
This book doesn’t have a lot of lessons. Unless the sample lessons just happen to line up exactly with a concept you’re teaching, you’ll likely need to adapt ideas to your own lessons.
In addition, this book may not be right for you if you’ve never used the Google Suite of applications. It’s a little more on the advanced side, and I think that if you’re totally new to Google Apps, it may be too overwhelming to start with. If, however, you want to push yourself and you’re familiar with Google, then I think this is the perfect book. It’s really a great book to use to up your tech game.
What you’ll get out of reading Teaching Math with Google Apps:
What makes this a great book for math teachers? Well, the strategies in this book will make you feel like the tech savvy teacher in your building, and are especially useful if your school is going 1:1.
The biggest thing that I got from this book was more confidence that you can, indeed, use the G Suite of programs for teaching math. I think that math may be one of the more difficult subjects to see how to use technology in. So, reading this book just got my juices flowing. I saw that yes, you can have graph paper online by using Google Drawings. And using G Suite doesn’t just mean having students do a collaborative presentation or big project. You can actually “do math” with the G Suite.
Teaching Math with Google Apps: 50 G Suite Activities will push you to rethink using technology in math class. And, I’ll bet that you’ll be excited to share what you’ve got going on in your classroom. That’s why it’s my winner for the Most LIkely To be Instagram Famous Award.
5. The Biggest Chatterbox Award goes to… 5 Practices for Orchestrating Productive Mathematical Discussions
The book 5 Practices for Orchestrating Productive Mathematical Discussions by Margaret Smith and Mary Kay Stein is published by the NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics). It’s written for math teachers from kindergarten to 12th grade, and focuses on making math talk more productive in the classroom. This was a book I read with my math team a couple of years ago and I found that it really helped improve math talk in my classroom.
In this book Smith and Stein outline their 5 practices to have good math discussions, but then they go on to explain each fully and give lots of examples. If you’re a little uneasy about how to get your students talking more about math, or how to make sure that student talking really leads to learning, this book is a great read.
The reading experience:
The 5 practices for productive math discussions are anticipating, monitoring, selecting, sequencing, and connecting. This book gives you a lot of case studies showing each of these practices in action. Unlike the other books on this list, this really shows you what these practices look like in action. It tells stories showing what these practices looked like in real classrooms. If you like case studies and you like to know that story, this is a great book for you.
5 Practices is a bit different from the other books on this list because it’s not describing a list of strategies for you to choose from. Instead, it explains a system. You need to do all of these five things to have a truly productive math discussion.
This book also feels a bit more academic than the other four books on this list. Just keep that in mind. If that’s what you’re looking for, then definitely pick this book up.
My favorite part for math teachers:
Of the five practices outlined in this book, the one that really stuck out to me was the first one, anticipating. I liked this section because it emphasized the thinking that you need to do before the lesson. You’re not just jumping in and doing a lesson. Instead, you’re asking yourself what could go wrong in this lesson, and what could go right. In this practice you really anticipate what discussions you could have around specific problems.
This is a great process to follow with your math team, or PLC. You can use the anticipation activities in the book as a team to prepare for upcoming units. This has led to great conversations on my math team, and it helps us be focused in our planning time.
What it’s not:
Honestly, this book is a much higher level of book. I believe it’s really for the math teacher who’s looking to take their instruction to a higher level. It may not be the best book for newer teachers with less established classrooms. This book digs much deeper than just going through a lesson. You’re thinking about student comments and responding to them. This book pushes you to take what students say, synthesize it, and connect it to other concepts. It’s pretty deep.
If you’re a new teacher, or working with a new teacher, you may want to consider other books that focus more on structuring lessons or setting up engaging classrooms. If, however, you’re looking for something that will help refine your practices, this is a great resource.
What you’ll get out of reading 5 Practices for Orchestrating Productive Mathematical Discussions:
Why is this a good book for middle school math teachers? I think this is probably the best book to use if you’re looking for a book to study with your math team. It’s a great one to work through with your colleagues.
Instead of being a collection of strategies, this book is more of a guide of how to discuss your pedagogy and how to conduct math discussions. So, not only will it get your students talking more, it will also make for great conversations among your math teacher team. That’s why 5 Practices for Orchestrating Productive Mathematical Discussions is my winner for the Chatterbox Award!
Wrapping it up…
So there you have it- 5 books that I think should be on any math teachers’ bookshelf. These five math teaching books all have practical ideas that can bump up the engagement and novelty in the classroom. They really are the perfect lesson planning companions for teachers. While there are other books that have been important for me as a teacher, these 5 are the ones I keep going back to when planning engaging lessons.
What did I miss? What essential books are on your teacher bookshelf?
Thanks so much for reading. Until next time!
