How the Workshop

Helps Mathematics Students

Take Responsibility for Their Learning

Contact Information
David Coffey, coffeyd@gvsu.edu, 616-331-3747
John Golden, goldenj@gvsu.edu, 616-331-2449, mathhombre.blogspot.com, @mathhombre
Esther Billings, billinge@gvsu.edu, is also a huge part of this work.
Grand Valley State University, Mathematics Department, 1 Campus Dr., Allendale MI 49401

Schema Activation:
These two videos are part of a set of three from the Colorado Learns Council on 21st Century Learning
(http://coloradolearns.wetpaint.com/). The idea is not to focus on the jargon, or whether it’s better or
worse to be
one or the
other, but
instead on the Student Learner
comparison
and contrast
between the
two.

How do these
characteristics
relate to
responsibility?

What is a Workshop?
The specific structure of the workshop model that we modified from the literacy workshop (Cambourne, 1988)
includes four key components: schema activation, focus, activity, and reflection addressing a clearly stated objective.
Schema Activation: the teacher or students make a connection between previous work or life experience and
the subject of the day. This provides a foundation on which to build.
Focus: the teacher sets expectations for the workshop; here the teacher may lead the whole class in a mini-
lesson that spotlights the main goal for the day. This might be a demonstration, a problem to solve, a
reading, etc.
Activity: students engage in their activity for the day. This includes compulsory work, and perhaps choice
work selected from a limited number of predetermined options The activity is the bulk of the workshop;
in our use of workshop, students actively solve problems, collectively and individually exploring new ideas
and connecting ideas. The teacher guides the students’ problem-solving by asking questions and
encouraging students to pose their own questions and construct new knowledge.
Reflection: students look back at what they did, what they learned, how they learned it, and how it might
apply in new situations. This might entail journal writing, sharing in-group or whole class, by volunteer or
invitation.
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Why we started using the workshop model:
This structure, that we found in literacy education literature, connected with many aspects of what we
knew and believed to be important in learning. Making connections to make learning last longer,
reflection for consolidation, student activity as a focus of instruction, but made room for pointed
instruction. As we started to notice a difference in student participation, we expanded the use of
workshop in our classes.

Examples: We have examples from in our college classes, and from home assignments. (We have also
used the workshop in assessments, and these are available by request.) Not all or even most workshops
we use are written up separately, though those are the easiest to share as examples. A few more examples:

4th Grade Division Context

Objective: Introduce a division context to 4th graders that have been doing long division by several methods.
Schema Activation: Can anyone tell me a story where you would divide to find an answer?
Focus: (Tub of plastic coins, separated by type – quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies)
I’ve got this tub of coins that I want to separate so six groups can each have a set. 76
Lets do the quarters together. First, let’s count them. I like to make stacks of 10 to -60 6x10
help organize. (Counting and getting a total.) Do we have enough to give each bag a 16
10 stack? How many left over? Another ten stack? (No) Five each? (No) Two each? -12 6x2
(Yes) and then 4 left over. (Record on the board, as on the right.) I want you guys to 4 12 for
do the same thing for the dimes nickels and pennies.
each gp
Activity: Groups volunteered for the coins, and then started on the counting and
divvying up. The penny group needed some support because of the large number of pennies. (We
grouped the 10s into 100s to help count.) Students successfully found totals, and divvied up the coins.
The nickels and pennies group needed help recording what they had done with numbers.
Reflection: We shared results, then talked about what if we had gotten this as a story problem, how would
you solve it. (Most thought long division.) Is there any connection between this and what we did with the
coins? (No ideas.) Compare the number record of what someone did with the long division, do you see
any connections? (Not significant ones.)

8th Grade Algebra Context

Objective: Connect symbolic representation of linear functions to a context.
Schema Activation: What’s the slope-intercept equation of a line? Why is it called that?
Focus: There are many ways to show the same idea in math, and these are sometimes called
representations. How do we show lines? (Graphs, equation) Also in tables, and in some real life
situations. We’re not doing real real life today, but playing with blocks. (Set up a line of yellow hexagon
pattern blocks, and make a table of number of blocks vs. perimeter.) I want you to find the slope-
intercept equation and graph for this data. Then see if you can figure out why the slope and intercept are
what they are… what do they have to do with the hexagons. What do they represent. Then do the same
for block patterns that your group comes up with. Try to find two other block patterns, at least. You’ll
work on this for 20 min. and then we’ll share in groups.
Activity: Students worked on the pattern blocks, with one tub per group of 4. Confusion on the idea of
what the slope and intercept mean, so we came back and discussed that as a whole class.
Reflection: Groups presented their pattern on the elmo, and gave their results. How would you sum up in
general, what does slope mean and what does intercept mean for block patterns. Homework was to do
the same thing for three story problems of their choice at the end of the section.
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Summary:
What do you notice about the workshops? What questions do you have about the
workshops?

How does the use of a structure connect with the idea of responsibility?

References:
Cambourne, B. (1995). Toward an educationally relevant theory of literacy learning: Twenty years of
inquiry. The Reading Teacher, 49(3), 182-190.
Cambourne, B. (1988). The whole story. New York: Scholastic.
Conrad, Matthews, Zimmerman, Allen. Put Thinking to the Test. Stenhouse, 2008.
Heuser, Daniel. Reworking the Workshop: Math and Science Reform in the Primary Grades. Heinemann,
2002.
Daniels, Harvey and Marilyn Bizar. Teaching the Best Practice Way: Methods That Matter, K-12.
Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers, 2005.
Keene, Ellin Oliver, and Susan Zimmerman. Mosaic of Thought: The Power of Comprehension Strategy
Instruction (Second Edition). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2007.
Miller, Debbie. Teaching with Intention
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Principles and Standards for School Mathematics. Reston,
VA: The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2000.
Zemelman, Steven, Harvey Daniels, Arthur Hyde. Best Practice: New Standards for Teaching and
Learning in America’s Schools. 3rd ed. New Hampshire: Heinemann, 2005.

This document and others used in the presentation are available at:
http://mathhombre.blogspot.com/2010/08/workshop-and-responsibility.html

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