I took an informal survey recently in my class after we completed an Exemplars task. Comments ranged from 'The problems are challenging and help us learn our lessons better' to 'It’s nice to be out of the book and not just working on a bunch of equations.' Students like how the problems are based on real-life situations.
Using Exemplars and the many tools that go along with the program has shifted my way of thinking about teaching mathematics. Writing down strategies and what they need to find to solve a problem-solving performance task has many benefits. Students are writing more in math and using more math terms to explain their thinking. They understand what the solution means and how it applies to real-world scenarios. They are talking more about math, and the conversations are enlightening!
Lancaster, PA
United States