Happy talk, Dept.

Those who read Education Week are probably familiar with the breathless reporting that Catherine Gewertz did when Common Core was being adopted by state after state. Her latest breathless report about math education is about how “talking about math” helps students learn it. Or something to that effect.

“Research suggests that when students talk more about their math thinking, they are more motivated to learn and they learn more. Talking about math thinking can also serve as a stealth form of assessment, giving teachers insight into what students have mastered and where they still need help.”

First question: What research?

Second question: Have you ever worked with middle schoolers? Articulation of what they did is not their strong suit.

Oh, you have an answer for what I just brought up? OK, let’s hear it.

“Learning to say things like, “When Robert uses this strategy, it makes me think of…