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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

A8: Letting kids pick the numbers they want to work with, after discussing the structure of the story, gives them all a chance to pick their level of "challenge" - after all, if you know the structure, you're now just focused on calculation. And then you can try some "harder" numbers! #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

A6: Reduces calculation compulsion! How to help students focus on story/problem structure. How to launch a math-y conversation with the students' ideas, not what the teacher says is important. #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

A5: N: baked goods, lots of different things, shaker of powder (W: confectioner's sugar?), seems like sweet & savory. W: what's the confectioner's sugar for? baking potluck? more sweet or more savory? Is near part of table savory and far part sweet? #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

A4: It's really key to help students focus on the structure of the story, and NOT resort to calculation compulsion. Removing the numbers is one way. Another is to leave them, but focus conversation/#NoticeWonder on "tell me something about the story." #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

A4: We could remove the numbers. "Grae 3 raised some money. Grade 4 raised less money. Together they raised some money. #NoticeWonder about the story." #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

A3: Oh, gosh....big one would be paying attention to the story and not just doing rando things with the numbers. Overcoming "calculation compulsion", as it were. #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

A2: My instinct is to subtract 68 from 437, then add the result to 437, so I'd know what the 4th graders raised. But you could also just add 437 to itself, then subtract 68 from the total, since nobody actually asked how much the 4th graders raised. #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

A1: So many ways to answer this. One is that people (students, adults, everyone) should feel like they can engage in things mathematically and not rely on other people to "explain" things to them and, consequently, have power over them. #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Hi! I'm Annie, joining from suburban Philly. And yes, I'll be helping @mnmmath.bsky.social out this summer on her project - it's going to be wicked fun! #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

A7: Does your pattern have reflection symmetry across a vertical plane? #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

A7: Trying to think about how best to ask whether it has multiple layers horizontally - because nothing is 2D here, but some are just one "layer" (like first and last in third row). #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

A6: how many hexagons? Are there an equal number of white and blue hexagons? Why did my brain say "Space Invaders!" Is there a pattern that generates this? #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

A4: I know Ts who use the strategy of "Okay, you all have to ask me three questions." So that becomes a norm. #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

A2: Oh, boy, that word "curious" is doing so much work! That's why the #NoticeWonder routine includes "wonder" - that can encompass things you are curious about, not just things you don't know. That can really open it up for kids (and adults). #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

Hey #ElemMathChat! Annie joining from suburban Philadelphia. I am a math education consultant and author. And I really like Tile Farm!

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

Just shared @chrissynewell.bsky.social's 2017 Ignite talk in a @cmcmath.bsky.social webinar by @mark4math.bsky.social, saying you should watch it to learn what her very young son called a grilled cheese sandwich. I watched again and BOOM! Whole thing is awesome. www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc3y...

youtube.com

Precision Over Perfection: Christine Newell

YouTube video by The Math Forum at NCTM

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

A2 also: I like hosting math learning experiences for teachers, too. My last two NCTM Annual workshops were about exploring dynamic shapes and building towards the Grades 3-5 geometry standards about hierarchical relationships between shapes. #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

A2: I like opportunities to do and think about math that isn't "hard" but isn't familiar to me. We had a math teacher circle in Philly for a while and it was sometimes fun like that (sometimes it was math I'd already thought about a lot). #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

Hi #ElemMathChat! Late arriving, since I'm also late watching the women's hockey gold medal game (no spoilers, please!) and got distracted. I'm mostly a consultant and presenter these days. Oh, and I'm in suburban Philly.

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

Was lifting in the college weight room today wearing my @desmos.com tee. Varsity baseball player #1: “I like your shirt! I didn’t know Desmos had merch.” Varsity baseball player #2, quickly turning to face us: “WHAT??? Desmos has merch???” Looks like store is closed. Any extra shirts around?

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

Football season is over and spring training doesn’t count. Come hang with us Sunday afternoon!

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

A8: More students' ideas would be taken up. I think folks are getting better at ELICITING students' ideas, and not quite as good at then LEVERAGING those ideas (because it's hard!). #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

A7: So important! Even asking for answers instead of ideas, especially when you know some of your kids don't know the answer (yet), tells kids they don't get to participate right now. Sticking to ideas invites more kids to keep participating. (And answers are just one sort of ideas.) #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

A6: Quietly rejoice! Debate how much time I can commit to their (possibly mathematically awesome) thinking. I don't have my own classroom, and it's for sure an art to decide what you can commit to their and whether it will pay off in the long run. #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

A5: Focusing on ideas and decisions (and reasoning behind those decisions) increases cognitive demand, and gets more ideas out there - others might recognize their thinking in the words of others, or get some ideas about different ways to think about a situation. #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

A4: Lots of focusing on their ideas, rather than their answers. Asking others if they think they used reasoning that was similar to the person who just talked. Giving them jobs so that they are active listeners when others are sharing. #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

A3: Oh, gosh, I feel like I did that already - I'm consistent, anyway! "How did you decide what to do first?" or "Tell me more about [that part]". Really focusing on them and their thinking, and asking questions I don't know the answer to. #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

Hi #ElemMathChat! A1: I'd say, "ooh! tell me more!", but I say that almost all the time. Could say, "How did you decide what to do first?"

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

A4: They're sort of like routines - help students understand them well enough so that they know when else they might help. Like a number line - kids find LOTS of uses for them once they understand them. #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

A3: So powerful for kids to become facile with all these and know when/how they might be powerful. It's a version of SMP 5, "Use appropriate tools strategically". #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

A2: I remember working with a middle schooler with area models and binomial multiplication...it ALL made sense to her once she understood how those two things are related. #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

Hey #ElemMathChat. Annie joining from suburban Philly, mostly a consultant/presenter these days. This fall I had a great time supporting a student teacher who was using and learning about BTC, and he and I especially dug into lesson closure.

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

Hi #ElemMathChat! Annie from suburban Philly, where we share the same snow situation as @sueoconnell.bsky.social. I can't hang much tonight because I have to meet a delayed flight at the airport, but look forward to following the convo.

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

Awesome conversation on this #DebateMath episode. And gold star ⭐ to @calarmstrong.bsky.social for calling out #TheMathForum as a pivotal element in his math teacher evolution!

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

Ultra excited to a) reboot the Math Routine Collaborative, and b) partner with @cfless.bsky.social to create an accompanying podcast. Check it out! #ITeachMath

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

A6: I guess I need to revisit mancala and get that back in my head! #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

A2: I've used the card games in Everything Math. Also Ken Ken. But learned early you have to monitor it carefully, or kids can just fill in all the squares with numbers and claim they're done! #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

A1: Absolutely! But it won't happen magically. Takes some work/set-up. Some nice possibilities for building fact fluency with card games that give lots of practice, but not if it's not conscious. "How do you know?" "How did you get that?" etc. #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

I'm Annie, joining from suburban Philly tonight. I'm a consultant these days. I played a lot of card games as a kid - solitaire (introvert, duh), plus gin rummy with my mom. Or we'd sit and play solitaire at the same time! #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

Does anyone know what textbook this comes from? Once upon a time, I had e-access to a district's curriculum to prep for a workshop and grabbed this example to use. But, stupidly, failed to note the actual source. Thoughts?

Page from a math textbook that shows a double number line with four jumps notated on the top, of sizes t, t, t, and 12, and six jumps notated on the bottom, of sizes t, t, t, t, t, and 6 on the bottom. This is surrounded by a dense text explanation of how one might find the value of t.

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 18/01/2026

Let’s hang out and #NoticeWonder together today, friends!

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

A7: Also observed a K lesson where they were doing Venn diagrams about animals that could swim or walk on land or both. Admins with me said it was too hard for K. I pointed out 1) that it was in the textbook, and 2) they were getting it right and having great discussions. #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

A7: I did a measures of center NW with Gr7 kids, and the teacher was AMAZED at all the things they said. I mean, like jaw on the floor amazed. They were brilliant. #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

That wondering about how cars are made is either a 5 year old who, when asked, "What do you wonder?", literally is wondering that, or a 14 year old who is messing with you. #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

A5: I notice there's a big focus on "add a square" going on in this one. #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

A1: I notice the number of squares is the same as the number of days. I wonder if it goes on forever? #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

A1: I notice the worms are made of squares or triangles, depending on how you look at it. #ElemMathChat

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

I'm Annie, joining #ElemMathChat tonight from suburban Philly. I finished a 2000 piece jigsaw over the break (with help from my sister and a tiny bit of help from my husband and dad).

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Annie Fetter @mfannie.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

Sorry I didn't participate in #ElemMathChat tonight - tech problems meant I wasn't seeing posts when I searched. Will try to review and see if I have anything worth adding on later!

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