Bethlehem Elementary School Math Instructional Leader Jennifer Schnitzer has been working with students to introduce "Thinking Classrooms" as an enhancement to the Illustrative Math curriculum.

Schnitzer worked recently with first and fifth graders on the components of Thinking Classrooms -- students get "thinking tasks," students work in random groups rather than individually, and they then move to standing at the vertical non-permanent surfaces like a whiteboard or easel rather than sitting.

This model creates an ideal setting for learning math skills that fuels collaboration and communication, perseverance, patience, and self-reliance.