Rich Tasks

This week we learned about what exactly is a rich task and how can we incorporate rich tasks into math class for our students. Rich tasks are ones that encourage students to think outside the box and look at things from different viewpoints. Rich tasks must first and foremost be engaging. If a task in a lesson is not engaging then it is very easy to lose the students attention and focus. I found that back in my elementary and high school math classes, that math was a very one way worksheet and formula subject that incorporated no engaging tasks and word problems that were hard to understand and only had one right or wrong answer.

http://www.triedandtrueteachingtools.com/2016/08/rich-mathematical-tasks.html

Problem solving is crucial in math, but I strongly believe there needs to be more problem solving where students are encouraged to take different routes to find the answer and have opportunities to reason their way to new understandings. Rich tasks can also incorporate other subjects or areas of the curriculum such as visual arts, science, language, and more. Students can evolve their skills in just more than one area. Often students will be performing a task and not even realize that they are doing math in disguise. Rich tasks must also be ones where the student is able to demonstrate their learning in multiple ways and offers options. Students must be able to represent their knowledge orally, visually, or in written form.

Differentiation is key with rich tasks as students are not all the same and we must provide them with opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge in multiple ways. Every student must be able to start the task in a way that they feel most comfortable but also provide a challenge to every student so that they are able to learn and develop. Lastly students must always be entering a task with a positive mindset and perseverance. Mistakes must not only be welcomed but encouraged because this is when students will be learning the most.

http://ca.mathletics.com/richlearning/