Spring Branch ISD Featured News

For the past five years, Spring Branch ISD (SBISD) has empowered elementary educators with strategies designed to nurture students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills in mathematics.

This approach has expanded to secondary education. A recent Math Walk at Stratford High School offered a powerful demonstration of how these strategies can be adapted and applied in middle and high school classrooms, creating an environment where students are not only learning math but also deeply engaged.

Claire (Want) Skelly, an expert math educator, guided principals, assistant principals, and math specialists from across the district through a dynamic teaching demonstration in an Algebra I classroom. Over the course of three periods, Skelly modeled techniques that diverged from traditional methods of instruction, engaging students in ways that fostered deeper thinking, collaboration, and authentic learning.

The Power of Active Engagement

As students entered the Algebra I classroom, they were greeted by a transformed environment: the desks were rearranged into small groups of three or four. This shift in seating reflected a shift in approach—today’s lesson would not be business as usual. The students, curious and eager to explore, quickly settled into their new groups, realizing the day’s lesson would be different.

The lesson began with Skelly asking students to look at two similar math word problems—not to solve them, but to reflect on what was similar or different about each scenario. This simple yet powerful task encouraged students to observe, question, and explore the underlying patterns and relationships in the problems. The students were then given “math mystery bags,” each containing slips of paper with two equations. Working in small groups, the students were tasked with sorting the equation cards based on their observations of the types of equations.

This hands-on, kinesthetic approach to learning quickly captured students' attention. As Danielle Prontka, an assistant principal at the high school, remarked, “I’ve noticed that students grasp concepts better when kinesthetic activity is used. That’s what I appreciated most about today’s lesson.” By physically engaging with the math through sorting and categorizing, students were able to connect abstract concepts with tangible, real-world actions.

Promoting Mathematical Discourse

One of the most enduring aspects of the lesson was the atmosphere of inquiry and collaboration that Skelly created. As she moved from group to group, she asked thoughtful, open-ended questions—“Why?” and “Prove it”—that encouraged students to explain their reasoning, engage in discussions, and defend their thinking.

“It was great to see how she encouraged the students to have math conversations,” said Folayinka Ilori, an observer from the District Alternative Education Program (DAEP). “She made students realize that it's okay to share their thinking, even if they are unsure or not totally confident.” The goal was not just to arrive at the correct answer, but to articulate and refine the process of reasoning. Students were encouraged to engage in peer-to-peer conversations, providing explanations and justifications for the strategies they used. This deepened their understanding of the material and helped them see the value in thinking critically about their problem-solving methods.

This kind of peer-to-peer interaction is vital in promoting active learning. It allows students to realize that math is not just about getting the right answer but about understanding why that answer makes sense. When students take ownership of their learning in this way, they develop essential problem-solving skills that transcend math and can be applied to many areas of their lives.

Reflecting on the Experience

The Math Walk was a reflective experience not only for the students but also for the educator leaders who attended. Observers were inspired by how Skelly created a classroom culture where success was defined not by individual achievement, but by how students collaborated and shared their understanding of mathematical concepts.

One visiting assistant principal shared during the debrief session, “I liked that success wasn’t about who could solve the problems the fastest, but by how students worked together to recognize which math strategy would work best. They were all involved in the thinking process.”

First-year teacher Sechan Yoon, a graduate of Rice University, commented on the effectiveness of the mystery card activity, noting, “Using the cards was a good method of engagement I observed today. I also liked the way she arranged the desks to facilitate discussions.” For new teachers like Sechan Yoon and Dong Kim from DAEP, the demonstration of the gradual release method—often called “I do, We do, You do”—provided a valuable framework for scaffolding student learning, giving them the tools to gradually take on more responsibility for their learning.

Stratford High School Principal Raymorris Barnes said, “I liked that Skelly gave the students options to demonstrate mastery of the concepts, either by writing their answers or by cutting and pasting cards onto a sorting sheet. It was good for them to visualize what they need to do to practice later.”

Building Capacity for Student Success

The goal of the Math Walk was not only to provide a model of effective teaching but also to inspire school leaders to support their teachers in using these strategies in their own classrooms. Stacey Weirich, the director of mathematics, shared the overarching vision: “The Math Department seeks to grow capacity among school leaders so they can help their teachers build best practices in the classroom. It’s about giving them the tools they need to create the conditions for student success.”

When educators are equipped with the right strategies and resources, they are better able to support their students’ growth—both academically and emotionally. By fostering collaborative, engaging, and reflective practices, students are empowered not just to succeed in math but to build the confidence and critical thinking skills that will serve them in all areas of life.

Conclusion: Nurturing Future Problem-Solvers

The Math Walk was a reminder of the transformative power of thoughtful, student-centered teaching. By prioritizing collaboration, inquiry, and reflection, educators can create a classroom environment where every student feels valued, supported, and capable of success. Through these innovative strategies, we can cultivate students' understanding of mathematics and their ability to approach challenges in a thoughtful, creative, and confident way. Ultimately, the lesson learned is clear: when we teach students to think critically, collaborate deeply, and communicate clearly, we prepare them for a lifetime of problem-solving and personal growth.

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