Cognitively Guided Instruction: Introduction

One of the most helpful resources in learning more about CGI is the book Children's Mathematics: Cognitively Guided Instruction. They recently came out with a new edition and it is full of incredible resources. As I really spend time on each chapter, I will share with you key takeaways, as I know teachers don't always have the time to read through entire books about teaching strategies :)

Introduction: The book starts by explaining the ideas behind CGI and the goals of teaching math in this way. It does not promise to provide a model for the perfect CGI classroom, because each one is unique. Rather, the goal of the book is to give teachers the chance to collaboratively and independently make sense of the principles in relation to their own classes and teaching styles. In elementary school we are learning about whole numbers which should provide a foundation for learning about fractions and decimals, and lead to a seamless transition to learning algebra. 

The introduction really just set the stage for how to approach the reading and principles that will be presented, stay tuned for chapter 1 that focuses on children thinking and problem types...