By: Greg Tang
Readers Response: When reading The Best of Times, it was
nice to review strategies that put a new perspective away from routines and
memorization. Everything in the book is written with intentionality including
the title which highlights the intent behind the book. This book truly does
highlight better ways to understand the concepts behind multiplication rules.
The illustrations are still stuck in my head when thinking about times tables
and the pictures associated with each number.
Evaluator Response: There are many strengths of The Best of Times. One of these strengths is the way the book incorporates rhyme and rhythm into the conceptual understandings of multiplication. The illustrations are both funny and motivating, but also relevant to what students see everyday. For example, when multiplying by 1, there are pictures of “one way” signs. This indicates the arrow is always pointing to the number you are multiplying as the answer. Most students have seen road signs or are familiar with them. The poetry writing in this book can be seen as a strength, yet a weakness. The way the book is written is creative and engaging, but for students who are struggling readers, it may cause more confusion in providing the conceptual understanding. Students may end up getting lost in the poetic verse that distracts from the purpose of the book.
Teacher Response: This would be a great book as an introduction to the basics of multiplication. There truly are incredible visuals for students to remember how to multiply by zero and rhymes to go along with each number. The book could be used as a hook or motivation piece for students we need cues or verbal ways to recall multiplication facts to start each lesson.
Literacy Coach Response: The Best of Times would be an engaging way to help struggling readers. This is a great book to blend the learning of multiplication with expression, voice, and fluency. The reading and mathematic skills would be able to blend together to help with comprehension skills and make connections to the text, based on what they know from the mathematical concepts or vice versa. Readers and teachers could go through a shared reading where students are invited to read the stories presented in the book when they feel ready. It gives the teacher an opportunity to showcase the modeling of real reading and models the way “natural readers” would read the story.
Evaluator Response: There are many strengths of The Best of Times. One of these strengths is the way the book incorporates rhyme and rhythm into the conceptual understandings of multiplication. The illustrations are both funny and motivating, but also relevant to what students see everyday. For example, when multiplying by 1, there are pictures of “one way” signs. This indicates the arrow is always pointing to the number you are multiplying as the answer. Most students have seen road signs or are familiar with them. The poetry writing in this book can be seen as a strength, yet a weakness. The way the book is written is creative and engaging, but for students who are struggling readers, it may cause more confusion in providing the conceptual understanding. Students may end up getting lost in the poetic verse that distracts from the purpose of the book.
Teacher Response: This would be a great book as an introduction to the basics of multiplication. There truly are incredible visuals for students to remember how to multiply by zero and rhymes to go along with each number. The book could be used as a hook or motivation piece for students we need cues or verbal ways to recall multiplication facts to start each lesson.
Literacy Coach Response: The Best of Times would be an engaging way to help struggling readers. This is a great book to blend the learning of multiplication with expression, voice, and fluency. The reading and mathematic skills would be able to blend together to help with comprehension skills and make connections to the text, based on what they know from the mathematical concepts or vice versa. Readers and teachers could go through a shared reading where students are invited to read the stories presented in the book when they feel ready. It gives the teacher an opportunity to showcase the modeling of real reading and models the way “natural readers” would read the story.
I love the concept of using picture books in math. I struggled with math in elementary school and it didn't help that I thought it was boring, too. Connecting math content to my favorite subject, English, would have been an engaging way for me to better hone my math skills, and I'm sure the same would apply to other students. Relatable visuals like the road signs you describe are an excellent way for students who have trouble conceptualizing math problems to do so.
ReplyDeleteI love this idea, Joel! Although I am not a math teacher, I am constantly thinking of ways, and sometimes failing, of removing the habit of memorization away from my students. I think that this book sounds like a great resource to use for math but also for all content as well. Thanks for sharing!
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