• Math in not a Problem
• Reading assessment = Word problem
• Translating it into arithmetic
• Doing computations
• Getting the correct answer

• engage students' intellect
• stimulate students to make connections and develop a coherent framework for mathematical reasoning
• based on knowledge of the range of ways that diverse students learn mathematics

1. Entry Phase

• What do I know?

  • Reading the question
  • Past experience

• What do I want?

  • Write the problem in your own words.
  • Watch out for possible ambiguities.
  • Don't make assumption

• What can I introduce?

  • Make a diagram
  • Write in mathematical notation
  • Think outside box

2. Attack Phase

• Brute Force

  • Four color theorem

• Clever Strategy

  • Pattern recognition

3. Review Phase

• Check

  • Make sure your solution actually works.

• Reflect

  • What were the big realizations?

• Extend

  • Generalization

• Caution!

  • Patterns can be misleading

• Book

Thinking Mathematically by J.Mason