Description
Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics, Grades K-12: 14 Teaching Practices for Enhancing Learning
Peter Liljedahl draws on more than 15 years of classroom research to lay out fourteen practices for building thinking classrooms in K-12 math, places where working through a problem is the normal thing to do instead of copying steps from the board. The book moves teachers away from rote memorization and toward genuine problem solving.
Liljedahl gives specific macro-moves and micro-moves for putting the practices to work, from how to open a lesson to how to answer a student question without handing over the answer. The same framework covers how teachers set up the room, group students and grade the work.
Vertical surfaces and random groups
Two of the fourteen practices get the most attention: having students work on vertical non-permanent surfaces such as whiteboards or windows, and forming groups that change often and are visibly random. Liljedahl explains the collaborative effect of each and how they push students to take more risks in their thinking.
Defronting the room and redesigning assessment
The book covers defronting the classroom, removing the fixed teaching wall so the traditional power dynamic shifts, and rebuilding grading around the process of learning rather than only the final answer. The fourteen practices together aim to make thinking, not compliance, the default behavior in the room.
Book details
- Title: Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics, Grades K-12: 14 Teaching Practices for Enhancing Learning
- Author: Peter Liljedahl
- ISBN-13: 9781544374833
Questions buyers ask
Who is this book for?
K-12 math teachers and instructional coaches who want students doing the thinking instead of following steps. It is written across grade bands rather than for one specific age group.
Do I need a background in education research to use it?
No. The fourteen practices are described as concrete moves a teacher can try in the next class, not academic theory.
What are vertical non-permanent surfaces?
Whiteboards, windows or any erasable vertical surface. Liljedahl has students stand and work there instead of sitting at desks, which increases engagement and willingness to take risks.
Does the book change how I should grade?
Yes. It includes a section on redesigning assessment to reflect a student’s ongoing learning process rather than judging only the final answer.
Is this book aimed at one grade level?
No. The practices are written for Grades K-12, so the strategies apply across elementary, middle and high school math classrooms.
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