Interested Totem Falls staff will meet monthly to discuss two chapters from the book, Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics by Peter Liljedahl. The book presents 14 research-based practices designed to transform traditional math classrooms into spaces where students actively think, collaborate, and engage in meaningful problem solving. The book emphasizes strategies such as using rich, open-ended tasks, forming random groups, and making student thinking visible through vertical whiteboards. Liljedahl shows how small, intentional shifts in teaching routines can dramatically increase student autonomy and perseverance. Overall, it offers a practical roadmap for creating a classroom culture that values curiosity, reasoning, and deep understanding over rote learning. Staff will read each chapter prior to meeting, and come prepared to discuss with the group. 

Chapters Include: 

• What We Know About Building Thinking Classrooms

• The Type of Tasks We Use

• How We Form Collaborative Groups

• How We Arrange the Furniture

• How We Answer Questions

• When, Where, and How Tasks Are Given

• What Homework Looks Like

• How We Foster Student Autonomy

• How We Evaluate Student Learning

• How We Use Hints and Extensions

• How We Consolidate Learning

• How We Build Culture

• How We Encourage Perseverance

• Where to Begin