About the Book
Because fluency practice is not a worksheet.
Fluency in mathematics is more than adeptly using basic facts or implementing algorithms. It is not about speed or recall. Real fluency is about choosing strategies that are efficient, flexible, lead to accurate solutions, and are appropriate for the given situation. Developing fluency is also a matter of equity and access for all learners.
The landmark book Figuring Out Fluency in Mathematics Teaching and Learning offered educators the inspiration to develop a deeper understanding of procedural fluency, along with a plethora of pragmatic tools for shifting classrooms toward a fluency approach. Now, teachers have the chance to apply that inspiration through explicit instruction and practice every day with the classroom companion Figuring Out Fluency: Addition and Subtraction with Whole Numbers. With this book, teachers can:
• Dive deeper into the Significant Strategies for fluency explained in the anchor book
• Learn how these strategies grow from and relate to the basic fact strategies children learn
• Access over 100 strategy-aligned and classroom-ready activities for fluency instruction and practice in adding and subtracting multi-digit whole numbers, including worked examples, routines, games, and centers
• Find activities for assessing all components of addition and subtraction fluency plus support for engaging families
• Download all of the needed support tools, game boards, and other resources from the companion website for immediate implementation.
Give each and every student the knowledge and power to become skilled and confident mathematical thinkers and doers.
Table of Contents:
PART 1: FIGURING OUT FLUENCY: KEY IDEAS
PART 2: STRATEGY MODULES
Module 1 Count On/Count Back Strategy
Module 2 Make Tens (and Hundreds and Thousands)
Module 3 Partial Sums and Differences Strategy
Module 4 Compensation Strategy
Module 5 Think Addition Strategy
Module 6 Standard Algorithms for Addition and Subtraction
PART 3: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: DEVELOPING FLUENCY
APPENDIX: TABLES OF ACTIVITIES
REFERENCES
About the Author :
John J. SanGiovanni is a mathematics coordinator in Howard County, Maryland. There, he leads mathematics curriculum development, digital learning, assessment, and professional development. John is passionate about growing new mathematics leaders in the district and through McDaniel College. In addition to the Figuring Out Fluency series, some of his many Corwin books include Daily Routines to Jump-Start Problem Solving, Grades K–8; Answers to Your Biggest Questions About Teaching Elementary Math; the Daily Routines to Jump-Start Math series; and Productive Math Struggle: A 6-Point Action Plan for Fostering Perseverance. John is a national mathematics curriculum and professional learning consultant who also speaks frequently at national conferences and institutes. He is active in state and national professional organizations, recently serving on the board of directors for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and on the board of directors for NCSM.
Jennifer M. Bay-Williams is a professor of mathematics education at the University of Louisville, where she teaches preservice teachers, emerging elementary mathematics specialists, and doctoral students in mathematics education. She has authored over 40 books and 100 journal articles/book chapters, many of which focus on procedural fluency and developing mathematical proficiency. Beyond the Figuring out Fluency series, these include Math Fact Fluency, and Everything you Need for Mathematics Coaching and Elementary: Teaching Developmentally and Middle School Mathematics. Jennifer′s national leadership includes NCTM Board of Directors, the TODOS: Mathematics for All Board of Directors, and as president and secretary of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE). Rosalba Serrano is an elementary mathematics consultant in New York and is the founder of Zenned Math, where she provides online professional development and coaching for elementary mathematics teachers. Rosalba has used her experience as a classroom teacher and mathematics coach to support teachers in deepening their understanding of mathematics and their use of effective teaching practices.
A frequent speaker at both regional and national conferences, Rosalba is also active in mathematics organizations such as the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, where she contributes to multiple committees. She has also worked as a professional development facilitator for various mathematics organizations and consults as a math editor for a number of publishing companies.
Review :
"This text provides a clear definition of what fluency really is and provides strategies to deepen students’ number sense and make them fluent mathematicians."
"I wish I’d had this book when I was in the classroom 10 years ago. The authors clearly lay out a pathway to procedural fluency, including intentional activities to understand and practice specific strategies, while also advocating for space for students to make decisions and feel empowered as mathematical thinkers and doers."
"This book is a must-read for teachers wanting to learn more about focused math fluency instruction. The steps are clear and easy to follow. You will have all the steps to help your students become fluent math thinkers."
"Are you ready to help your students connect their Number Talks and number routines to the real world? Figuring Out Fluency will give you the routines, games, protocols, and resources you need to help your students build their fluency in number sense (considering reasonableness, strategy selection, flexibility, and more). Our students deserve the opportunity to build a positive and confident mathematics identity. We can help support them to build this identity by providing them with access to a variety of strategies and the confidence to know when to use them."
"Figuring Out Fluency goes beyond other resources currently on the market. It not only provides a robust collection of strategies and routines for developing fluency but also pays critical attention to the ways teachers can empower each and every student as a mathematical thinker who can make strategic decisions about their computation approaches. If you are looking for instruction and assessment approaches for fluency that move beyond getting the right answer, this is the resource for you."
"This book should be on every teacher’s desk as a tool for building fluency. Many times, I teach a strategy and wonder why my students go back to a slower, less useful strategy. This book answers that question for me. The games give students a fun and engaging way to use a practice strategy. I can easily differentiate any game for a variety of learners."
"Figuring Out Fluency provides a wealth of insightful examples and resources to support teachers, students, and parents in learning about and truly understanding computational fluency. As a math coach, I am excited to use this book to plan and teach meaningful lessons with teachers to model efficient strategies for students as they add and subtract."
"Being fluent is much more than solving problems quickly and accurately. This jam-packed resource brings clarity to what it means to be fluent with whole number addition and subtraction and provides numerous ideas for strategy instruction, purposeful practice, and assessment. It’s an absolute must-have for everyone who strives to support students in reaching the goal of fluency!!"
"This book is invaluable. SanGiovanni, Bay-Williams, and Serrano don’t just provide top tier content for educators, they include strategy briefs for families! I absolutely love the idea of including parents as "partners in the pursuit of fluency.""
"The term math fluency may be interpreted in different ways depending on who you ask. This book clearly defines fluency and is a must-have resource for all educators working toward this goal with their students. Each module focuses on different strategies and ways to implement using parent resources, centers, games, and teaching tips. This is the book that you can read and put into immediate action in your classroom."
"For years research has indicated that fluency is much more than speed, yet timed assessments and traditional instruction persist for teachers without a clear vision or tools to change their practices. This series provides teachers with the explicit examples, resources, and activities needed to bring that research to life for their students and will quickly become a well-worn guidebook for every fluency-focused classroom. This is the toolkit teachers have been yearning for in their journey toward fluency with their students."
"Fluency isn’t a dry landscape of disconnected facts, it is a rich soil for developing and connecting diverse perspectives and ideas. This book series equips you with a deep understanding of fluency and a variety of activities to engage students in co-constructing ideas about addition and subtraction that will last a lifetime."
"Figuring Out Fluency is a must-have, must-read, and must-use for elementary teachers. This text is concise and intentional in communicating the aspects of math fluency and what they look like in action. The routines, tasks, and activities included are easy to implement yet impactful and engaging. Teachers will gain insight for their pedagogy when reading, and students will make strides as problem solvers and flexible thinkers engaging in the activities."
"This book—indeed this series—is a must-read for elementary and middle level teachers, coaches, and administrators. Within this resource you will find a synthesis of important research organized to help readers develop a clear and common understanding of fluency paired with a large collection of teaching activities that provide concrete ways to support students’ fluency development. Figuring Out Fluency provides a much-needed roadmap for teachers looking to increase computational proficiency with multiplication and division."
"The authors John J. SanGiovanni, Jennifer M. Bay-Williams, and Rosalba Serrano shine a bright light on how math fluency is the equity issue in mathematics education. How refreshing to have a book that equips math educators with the research and strategies to make a difference for all students! Let’s implement these strategy modules in this book and help kids figure out fluency once and for all!"
