In today's math classroom students are required to justify, describe and evaluate problems. Often times the mere focus is on computation and writing is separated from the tasks that students are required to do. When students are limited to one way or one answer how are we helping them make conjectures and formulate ideas? Unfortunately we are not!

Writing provides a deeper understanding and allows students to think for themselves. When engaging in writing students are becoming critical thinkers and it encourages students to reflect on and explore their reasoning.

Now when discussing writing in math we need to shift our thinking, it does not mean essays or paragraphs, yet consider the different forms of writing. Students should be taught to use writing in a variety of genres. This may include pictures, diagrams, exit tickets, graphic organizers, equations, blog posts or even graphing. When incorporating writing into the mathematics classroom the opportunities are endless.

Ways to Incorporate Writing:

• Gallery Walks
• Exit Tickets
• Three Act Math Tasks by Dan Myers
• Polya's Outline
• Writing to Learn
• One- pagers
• Brochures
• Web Pages
• KWL
• Double- Entry Journal

"Making a difference is not about what we teach. Rather, it is about how we teach" (Polick, Cullen & Buskist, 2010, p. 7). Teaching is a gift and it is about connecting students on a deeper level and drawing from their past experiences to make meaningful connections. Writing to learn is a literacy tool that can help make the difference of how content is being taught and shift the tole of students from memorization to understanding the process.

Good Mathematicians...

1. Make models of situations
2. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them
3. Use numbers to describe situations
4. Use a variety of mathematical tools

What do all of these practices have in common? They require WRITING!

Whats Next? ... Lets shift away from worrying about state testing and using traditional forms of writing and teaching to the test. Instead lets have students shift from passive consumers to active creators. Lets give them the opportunity to express their identities through writing. Writing can open up so many doors for students to explore and give them the opportunity to become the critical thinkers that are needed for the work place.

We need students to move beyond the algorithmic nature of mathematical calculations and recompose mathematical knowledge in different formats for different purposes. Students need opportunities to be consumers and producers of math and to make meaningful connections.