The Three-Reads strategy can be used with all Exemplars tasks independently or within groups. I love the way this strategy allows students autonomy over solving the problem. It allows students a chance to talk, question, and make sense of the problem before solving. This can be done independently or within groups, encouraging meaningful conversation before starting the problem. Exemplars tasks are very meaty and complex. They require a lot of thought and prior planning. The Three-Reads Protocol allows for just that.
Building Student Autonomy and Confidence in Math With Exemplars
Written by Megan Laferriere, 5th-grade teacher, MA
When I first started using Exemplars problem-solving tasks, I had to figure out how I would incorporate them into my 5th-grade math class––a classroom that focuses heavily on communication and includes students with various disabilities, including language and communication disorders, as well as multiple English Language Learners with varying ranges of fluency. Through the use of Exemplars, I was able to find ways to increase student autonomy, communication, and confidence.
"Through the use of Exemplars, I was able to find ways to increase student autonomy, communication, and confidence."
Leveled Problems Support Student Autonomy
One of the goals of my math class is to allow students to know that they are active participants with voices that are meant to be heard. Math is not just about mimicking steps with little to no understanding. One way that I achieve this is by incorporating components of the Building Thinking Classrooms framework by Peter Liljedahl. When I first looked at the Exemplars tasks, I loved that each task included three levels that would allow students to succeed and struggle productively without feeling overwhelmed.
I knew exactly how I would be able to build these tasks into my math class. In his work, Liljidal discusses the idea of using mild, medium, and spicy tasks to allow for differentiation and meet students' needs. When first using Exemplars, I put all three tasks out and labeled them mild, medium, and spicy. After I put students into their groups, I allowed each group to choose the problem they wanted to work on. To my surprise, most groups went for medium and spicy! Students felt confident that, with their groups, they could be successful solving even the most challenging of problems, and they certainly put that to the test. The conversations they were having were rich, deep, and meaningful.
Three-Reads Strategy Deepens Understanding
Another strategy that Exemplars endorses is the Three-Reads Strategy for word problems. This strategy not only provides students with structure for solving word problems, but also gives them an opportunity to deeply understand the problem.
- First, students read the story for the context,
- 2nd, they read for the numbers and quantities, and
- 3rd, they read for the mathematical questions.
"Exemplars tasks are very meaty and complex. They require a lot of thought and prior planning. The Three-Reads Protocol allows for just that."
Empowering Students with Self-Assessment
The final way Exemplars has increased student autonomy is the ability to self- and peer-assess. The Exemplars student rubric gives student-friendly guidelines to help students understand everything that should have gone into their problem-solving solutions. The student-friendly language and the use of the “I” statements allow students to feel that they are in control, and it is not just me, as the “professional” telling them what is right and wrong. Through the use of this rubric, students are able to improve their answers by thinking critically about their own work as well as their peers.
Through the use of Exemplars and Building Thinking Classroom strategies, I have been able to create a classroom environment where students are able to find success in multiple ways. By allowing students choice, providing time for meaningful conversations, and establishing structures that encourage productive struggle and self-reflection, I have been able to create a classroom where students feel valued and successful.