Peter Liljedahl is literally changing the math classroom. His book "Building Thinking Classrooms" has taken the educational world by storm with a simple message: instead of teaching students to memorize, we have to teach them to think. Sounds trite, but if you ... think about it, traditional classrooms are not designed that way!
Today, Peter explains to Vanessa how a "thinking classroom" swaps out tables for vertical whiteboards to reduce barriers for student interaction in problem-solving, and how small randomized groups foster collaboration that lifts the whole class. He also shares what his time as an Olympic athlete (yep!) taught him about the difference between focusing on the rewarding work of process vs the perilous trap of focusing on outcomes.
About Peter: (Website, Twitter)
Dr. Peter Liljedahl is a Professor of Mathematics Education in the Faculty of Education and an associate member in the Department of Mathematics at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada. He consults regularly with schools, school districts, and ministries of education on issues of teaching and learning, assessment, and numeracy.
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