Routines for Reasoning: Fostering the Mathematical Practices in All Students

"Routines for Reasoning will help teachers think a lot harder about what the mathematical practices mean…This book should be on every mathematics teacher’s bookshelf."
― Elham Kazemi, Geda and Phil Condit Professor in Mathematics Education, University of Washington; coauthor of Intentional Talk

"This book is a must read for every K–12 teacher serious about shifting the nature of learning mathematics in the next decade."
―Timothy D. Kanold, Former Director of Mathematics and Science, and School Superintendent, Adlai E. Stevenson HSD 125

Routines can keep your classroom running smoothly. Now imagine having a set of routines focused not on classroom management, but on helping students develop their mathematical thinking skills. Routines for Reasoning provides expert guidance for weaving the Standards for Mathematical Practice into your teaching by harnessing the power of classroom-tested instructional routines.

Grace Kelemanik, Amy Lucenta, and Susan Janssen Creighton have applied their extensive experience teaching mathematics and supporting teachers to crafting routines that are practical teaching and learning tools, including:

• Capturing Quantities: encouraging abstract and quantitative reasoning
• Connecting Representations: noticing and using mathematical structure
• Recognizing Repetition: developing repeated reasoning skills
• Three Reads: starting and sustaining thinking in problem solving situations

Each routine provides a familiar, accessible structure that supports repeated use until the steps to follow, thinking skills to employ, and questions to ask become automatic―enabling all students to engage more fully in learning opportunities while building crucial mathematical thinking habits.

“Teaching students to think and reason is perhaps the greatest challenge we face as math educators,” the authors remind us, “and these routines provide clear pathways to do so.” Far beyond simply a collection of strategies, Routines for Reasoning provides significant support for getting started with these routines, incorporating them into the rhythm of your classroom, and ultimately building toward student independence.

Grace Kelemanik has more than 30 years of mathematics education experience. A frequent presenter at national conferences, her work focuses on urban education, special populations, and teacher training. She is a former urban high school mathematics teacher and Project Director at Education Development Center. Grace has also worked extensively with new and preservice teachers through the Boston Teacher Residency program.

Most recently, Grace is the coauthor of Routines for Reasoning: Fostering the Mathematical Practices in All Students. She is also coauthor of The Fostering Geometric Thinking Toolkit. She is a mathematics education consultant and professional development provider.

Follow Grace on Twitter @GraceKelemanik

Watch Grace and her coauthor Amy Lucenta talk about the effectiveness of instructional routines.

Susan Janssen Creighton is a senior mathematics associate at Education Development Center (EDC) in Massachusetts. She has a particular focus on developing mathematics curriculum and teacher professional development. Susan is the coauthor of Routines for Reasoning: Fostering the Mathematical Practices in All Students.

Amy Lucenta has extensive K–12 mathematics experience with all students, including a focus on special populations. She is a frequent professional development provider who helps teachers implement the Standards for Mathematical Practice. Amy is the coauthor of Routines for Reasoning: Fostering the Mathematical Practices in All Students.

Follow Amy on Twitter @AmyLucenta

Watch Amy and her coauthor Grace Kelemanik talk about the effectiveness of instructional routines.