Teach Better - Work Less - Achieve More: Convince Me That EduProtocol

Convince Me That is a protocol that gets students working toward communicating understanding rather than calculating solutions. By supplying students with the answer, their focus shifts toward creating a product that shows a greater depth of knowledge as they "convince us" that the solution is correct.

Academic Goals

• Covers a wide range of math practices and standards
• To become more comfortable in communicating mathematics
• An understanding that being good at mathematics goes beyond the ability to produce answers.

Teacher Big Ideas

• The activity works because the fear of being wrong is alleviated by supplying the solution.
• Students engage in mathematics with a focus on communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking.
• This activity can be easily applied to all topics of study and other subjects as well.
• When first starting this protocol, begin with one number and one equation for the students to write.

Description

Pose a problem along with the solution. In pairs or small groups, students work to convince other groups and the teacher why the answer is correct. Encourage students to stay in the concrete and representation/pictorial stages of learning and not to jump to the abstract (typically an algorithm).

Prepare for the Activity

1. Identify a topic in which students have prior knowledge. The topic could be one that you are currently working on or a review.
2. Create a digital slide to be projected for a problem to be solved. Replace the start of the problem (solve, graph, compare, etc.) with "Convince me that" and supply the answer. For example:

Compare 15.203 and 15.21 

Convince me that 15.203 is less than 15.21

Instructions

1. Place students in pairs or small groups. This is a great opportunity to use random groups, as the students will only be working together for a short period of time (less than 10 minutes).
2. Limit their resources to one writing utensil and one piece of paper (or whiteboard) to help promote communication and collaboration. Also, limit the time that students can use to develop and present their arguments to help you maintain structure and class flow.
3. Reveal the problem and encourage students to work in the concrete and representational/pictorial stages. Jumping to the algorithm typically isn't convincing.
4. Select which groups will share with the class.

Key Points to Remember

• Spiral through previously learned concepts. Stick to the same concepts (exponents, factors, etc.) for a week, or more if necessary.
• Model, model, model! Don't jump into the EduProtocol too quickly as an independent protocol. Depending on the grade level, modeling as a class should occur for three to five days to be sure that students understand the expectations.
• Use sentence stems until students develop the academic vocabulary they need to effectively communicate their math ideas to one another.

Variations

Version 1: Students work side-by-side with a partner to reflect on their problem-solving strategies. Give students a number or series of numbers. Split the paper into three sections. Section 1 is for Student A. Section 2 is where the numbers will be written, and section 3 is left for Student B.

 

Student A	Number	Student B

Each student independently works on different ways to create the selected number. For example, if students will be working with the number 16, then both Student A and Student B find equations in which the answer will be 16. Each student will work independently on their equation before collaborating. The teacher should indicate specific parameters such as using three addends, using exponents, using multiplication and division, etc. However, it is essential to note that the students' equations can contain more than what is listed--and in fact, more is encouraged.

 

Student A	Number	Student B
(3 x 8) - 8 5 + (24/2) - 1	16 (using x and -)	3 x 4 + 4 - 0 16 x 2 - 16
2 u x 2u x 2u 4u x 2u x 1u	volume of 8 units cubed	1u x 2u x 4 u 2u x 2u x 2u
62  102 - 64	36 (using exponents)	52 + 11 42 + 42 + 22

Version 2: Either using a paper that the students fold or one that the teacher has printed out (best for younger students who might need guidance with spacing), students work individually on a whiteboard to find a solution. When one student has found a solution for the first number, the student will write their equations on their side and fold the paper so the other student cant' see. The second student will do the same when they are finished, which will continue until all equations are written.

Version 3: Digital Option. Students begin much of the same way as they would with paper and pencil. However, when they type their responses, each student will place a solid shape over their response to keep it hidden until the end. After all equations have been written, students can uncover to compare, check, and ask questions. Note: the shape used for covering the work must be added after the text boxes are added or it will remain under the work that needs to be covered.

Version 4: White Board Only Option. Give each student one number and parameters written on the board for all to see. Individually, students work on the equations. Wien both students are ready, they show their equations to their partner to compare, check, and ask questions.

Adaptations for Primary Students

For younger students, use a Draw-Pair-Share format, which works in much the same way, but with drawings. If students are working on adding, the students may want to draw different shapes with the addition sign between the pictures. For example, if the teacher gives the number 5, student smight draw 😊😊😊 + ❤️❤️

Pro Tip: Use a fishbowl method to teach your class how to do this protocol: Two students, or the teacher and two students working together, model for the class. The teacher should model how to check the other student's equation and question, then allow the two students to work together to check and ask a question.caledcal

See the slide deck below for detailed instructions and feel free to make a copy of the template which includes some variations!