As I looked for a cross-curricular resource for mathematics, I stumbled on the website Cuethink. This website was designed to better equip students with tools allowing them to think aloud. A lot of the time mathematics heavily relies on step-by-step processes to answer problems; giving students the opportunity to think aloud ideally cuts back on slight, mental errors which could alter their results. Cuethink also provides extensive, application questions that challenge students to think deeply to solve problems.
Students can choose their topic and grade level, and the website provides a plethora of practice problems. Cuethink provides the 4 steps of problem solving including: understand, plan, solve, review. Each of these categories equips the students with questions like “What strategy do I use?” or “Can someone see how I got my answer?” that challenges them to become better readers/thinkers. This is a very communal based website which encourages students to learn from one another as well as the teacher. Peer-to-peer feedback is provided which allows these students to check each other’s work and encourage growth. Unfortunately, this website does cost money. For one teacher with 30 students, it costs $100 annually. It is a fantastic resource if funds are provided, so teachers don’t have to pay out of pocket.
While mathematics is out of my content area, we have been learning how intertwined subjects are a lot of the time. I very well might have to teach mathematics at some point throughout my career, and I will definitely consider using Cuethink as a resource. Nowadays, tests are so heavily weighted in the application sections, and standardized tests love using application questions. I think Cuethink would benefit all students in the long run because it challenges them to work through difficult problems and ultimately succeed.
https://www.cuethink.com/
(WC:294, Cross-curricular literacy)
What a great resource Joe! My subject emphasis is actually math, and the resource that you chose provides a great plug for students and teachers alike. It is unfortunate that it costs money, but I agree with you that if you are able to gain some fundraising, it would be very beneficial in the future. I think my favorite part about this resource is that it has the option to peer review. By allowing this, we are giving our students the ability to see problems and solutions in different ways that we as teachers might not be able to give a student.
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