Math Student Vital Actions: Guest Blog by Jennifer Hawkins
Make sure to check out The Teacher As… Podcast episode where Jennifer and i talk all about Student Vital Actions.
Student Vital Actions: What are they and why are they so important?
When we think of looking for ‘vital signs’ we think of what to look for to be sure someone is alive. Vital means full of energy, full of life. It also means critical, important.
In education when we speak of looking for Student Vital Actions (SVAs) we are talking about observable actions and behaviors that tell us that students are thinking- that tell us that a community that promotes thinking exists in a classroom.
The notion of Student Vital Actions (SVAs) comes from the work of the Strategic Education Research Partnership (SERP) led by Phil Daro, one of the primary writers of the Common Core Standards for Mathematics. The SVAs are observable actions that will be noticed in a math classroom that incorporates the principles of NCTM and the Standards for Mathematical Practice.
The 7 Student Vital Actions are:
All students participate.
Students say a second sentence.
Students talk about each other’s thinking.
Students revise their thinking.
Students use general and discipline specific language.
English learners produce language.
Students engage and persevere.
Student Vital Actions: What are some details about these?
When all students participate, and are expected to participate, we are creating an equitable learning arena. If there are students that are often quiet in class they can feel like their thinking isn’t good enough. To grow confidence and promote equal access to learning, everyone should be part of math discussions.
Students saying a second sentence isn’t just about justifying an answer, it’s about adding explanation to an answer or strategy that provides a clear explanation. And it is this explanation that is an opportunity for other students to gain understanding.
When students talk about each other’s thinking they are engaged in math class. Active listening leads to an active, thinking mind.
Students will be most comfortable in a classroom where it is OK to make a mistake, and it is OK to change their minds. When students feel comfortable revising their thinking they become stronger problem solvers and more critical thinkers.
When allowing students to use general and then discipline specific language we encourage communication that is evolving to become more precise. When students learn new words in the context of the work, the new words make sense. Promoting precise mathematical vocabulary, as appropriate, will allow students to become familiar with the vocabulary that will be used in subsequent math courses.
Although it is a hurdle, we should encourage English learners to produce language. These students need practice opportunities to develop communication skills.
In our math classes, we want students to engage and to persevere. Learning doesn’t occur when we do something that is easy- it occurs when we have to work and think hard! Productive struggle leads to growth. We want our math classes to promote thinking and to provide adequate challenges.
Please consult the SERP Institute site, linked here, for more information about the Student Vital Actions and the Teacher Moves that support them.
Reflection Questions about the SVAs: How can I grow as a teacher?
Looking back at our teaching and asking ourselves some questions can lead us to draw conclusions or take steps that can improve our pedagogy. Teachers may want to use some of the following questions, connected to the seven SVAs, as reflection tools:
Who contributed in class today? Whose ideas did I bring forward? Is there any student I missed that I want to have in mind tomorrow so that I solicit their thinking and highlight it?
Did I ask students just for answers or did I ask for more than just an answer? Did I ask my students to tell me why they thought that was so? What questions will I use in my next math lesson to encourage students to say more than just one sentence or just an answer?
Does my classroom culture encourage students to talk about each other’s thinking? Do I use a “Turn and Talk” and ask them to tell me what their partner said?
Does the community in my math class support students in feeling comfortable with making mistakes? Is revision seen as a strength?
Did I accept a student's imperfect language today? Did I make connections to more precise language when appropriate?
What resources (e.g. sentence starters, word walls) am I employing to support communication? Are resources printed large enough for all to see, do I promote their use, do they grow and change with new math content/units?
Did I promote productive struggle that leads to thinking, growth, and learning for everyone or was I hinting and just looking for answer-getting today? What questions can I ask to get my students to think deeply? Do I need to incorporate more challenges into my lessons for the students ready for them?
SVAs and Administrators: How can we change what we are observing in classrooms?
Often the presence of an administrator or a team coming into a classroom can make a teacher feel uncomfortable. With the Student Vital Actions, it isn’t the teacher that is being looked at, instead the focus is on the students. What are they doing? How are they communicating? Are they persevering?
The SERP institute has created observation resources for administrators looking to support teachers in creating math classrooms for thinkers. Please use this link to find out more.