last blog post, GURL!

During the past few class sessions we've been discussing CGI-- cognitive guide instruction. I can totally see myself using this in my classroom someday (God forbid I ever teach math). I really believe in student-centered activities and approaches, CGI does just that. It is built around open-ended questions, students working on their own then eventually sharing their thoughts and ideas and ending with a small discussion. CGI is very teacher and student friendly, which isn't the case with all math approaches.
I think this has been the most helpful topic we've covered so far in K-8 Math. Each and every one of us should be motivated and intrigued by the idea of stepping away from traditional strategies-- especially considering how many of us have shared that the root of our hate for math comes from how we were taught it as children-- and moving forward, finding ways to help our future students succeed.