Should you require student's to show their work in mathematics? Whose work? When? How much work? For what purpose? In this episode Pam and Kim discuss classroom culture and the importance of communication in mathematics, diving into these questions and more.

Talking Points:

• Whose work are you asking student to show?
• Motivations for showing work
• Don't fix the math, mentor the mathematician - Cathy Fosnot
• Communication is a mathematical behavior
• Determining 'just enough' is a mentoring opportunity

Check out our social media
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: Pam Harris_math
Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education
Linkedin: Pam Harris Consulting LLC

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on July 9, 2025.

Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.

Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.

Twitter: @PWHarris

Instagram: Pam Harris_math

Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education

Want more? Check out the archive of all of our #MathStratChat posts!

How can Problem Strings help build big ideas? In this episode Pam and Kim walk through a Problem String that helps students dig into area and multiplicative equivalence and helps you know how to expertly facilitate.

Talking Points:

• Facilitating the string
• Teacher moves during the string
• Modeling the string
• Equal products means total area is the same
• Why we want students to have lots of experience with concepts rather than just direct teaching.

Check out our social media
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: Pam Harris_math
Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education
Linkedin: Pam Harris Consulting LLC

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on July 2, 2025.

Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.

Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.

Twitter: @PWHarris

Instagram: Pam Harris_math

Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education

Want more? Check out the archive of all of our #MathStratChat posts!

How does a Problem String look in front of real students? In this episode Pam and Kim give a play by play for how a Problem String could be facilitated.

Talking Points:

• When to circulate and when to ask for choral response
• Helping students communicate thinking
• How and when to engage students in conversations
• When to anchor strategies
• When to be intentionally curious to solidify thinking

Check out our grade level Problem String books!

Grade 1 Problem Strings: https://www.mathisfigureoutable.com/nps-1

Grade 2 Problem Strings: https://www.mathisfigureoutable.com/NPS-2

Grade 3 Problem Strings: https://www.mathisfigureoutable.com/nps-3

Grade 4 Problem Strings: https://www.mathisfigureoutable.com/nps-4

Grade 5 Problem Strings: https://www.mathisfigureoutable.com/nps-5

Check out our social media
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: Pam Harris_math
Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education
Linkedin: Pam Harris Consulting LLC

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on June 25, 2025.

Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.

Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.

Twitter: @PWHarris

Instagram: Pam Harris_math

Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education

Want more? Check out the archive of all of our #MathStratChat posts!

What if finding equivalence between fractions, decimals, and precents wasn't just a task for students to do, but a tool making them more efficient in rational number computations? In this episode Pam and Kim talk about code switching with rational numbers to make complex problems more figure-out-able.

Talking Points:

• What is code switching in rational numbers?
• A Problem String using equivalence to think about multiplication
• Tasks that use equivalency to solve problems rather than just practicing conversions

See episode 219 for learning about finding the mean: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1062400/episodes/15561786

Check out our social media
Twitter: @PWHarris
Instagram: Pam Harris_math
Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education
Linkedin: Pam Harris Consulting LLC

In today’s MathStratChat, Pam and Kim discuss the MathStratChat problem shared on social media on June 18, 2025.

Note: It’s more fun if you try to solve the problem, share it on social media, comment on others strategies, before you listen to Pam and Kim’s strategies.

Check out #MathStratChat on your favorite social media site and join in the conversation.

Twitter: @PWHarris

Instagram: Pam Harris_math

Facebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics education

Want more? Check out the archive of all of our #MathStratChat posts!