Ryan Flessner

Courtney presenting for a room of district leaders from around Indiana.

So proud of @cfless.bsky.social who was chosen to speak at @nctm.org’s Leasership Summit. #rockstar

Six Butler College of Education students standing with Ryan behind large block letters that spell NCTM.

Who has students who volunteer at a conference at 7am on their day off! 🙋🏻‍♂️ Proud to have @skuchler.bsky.social @elliewells-gr.bsky.social @taylorbyrd.bsky.social @emilyg03.bsky.social @sfrancesconi05.bsky.social & @andrea-curtis.bsky.social representing the @butleru.bsky.social College of Education!

Welcome to Indy! After my presentation tomorrow morning (8am), I’ll be hanging out at the volunteer table in the Expo Hall for most of the day.

It’s a fun one, for sure! Just like @kristenacosta.bsky.social 😊

A plate full of cookies and candies. The treats are arranged in a circular pattern.

When the kids start #mathing without even knowing they’re mathing. How many? #howmany

Thank you, @sueoconnell.bsky.social, for facilitating tonight’s #elemmathchat! It’s always fun to be with this crew. @mfannie.bsky.social - hope you arrived home safely. I’m looking forward to your responses to these ideas!

A9: I love answers kids give to questions like: What made you feel confident/powerful today? What was frustrating? What’s one thing you learned? Who taught you something important today? What are you wondering about the math? Or - just tell me what you’re thinking about math today! #elemmathchat

#elemmathchat

Routines, routines, routines! If we want kids to do math, we have to hold them accountable to doing the math!Let’s put routines in place that encourage them to do the math, talk about the math, and document the math.

Yes! Capturing those on a piece of chart paper that can be added to over time, too! #elemmathchat

@sueoconnell.bsky.social - Your ability to facilitate this chat is amazing! How are you responding to everyone, posting questions, adding additional ideas…?! I’m just trying to keep up! #elemmathchat

A6: I’d give kids choices of dice (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12) and ask them to work with their partners to pick just right dice. I love talking to kids about the dice they’ve chosen, how the different dice impact the work, etc.

Same. Division of fractions is why I do what I do! As a first year teacher, it shocked me that I couldn’t explain WHY the algorithm worked. I felt cheated. This moment started me on my mission to teach and learn with understanding (thanks Jim Hiebert and co for the phrase!). #elemmathchat

A4: Task on left provides a visual model and the ability for all players to verify one another’s thinking. Task on right doesn’t ask students to discuss/display their thinking. Task on left seems to encourage automaticity; task on right could easily promote memorization. #elemmathchat

And if they keep their sheets, they can reflect on their growth over time. “At the beginning of the year I drew lots of circles. Now I use base ten blocks and number lines.” #elemmathchat

A3: I feel the same way. Lots of space to work. Lots of possibilities for showing thinking. No directives (e.g., use a number line to show…). #elemmathchat

A2: I used to think worksheets were useless. Now, I try to find ways to learn about kids if I use them. I ask students to pick 3 problems that feel just right to them. I learn a lot about kids through their choices. It’s fun to talk to them about *why* they made the choices they did. #elemmathchat

#elemmathchat

A2: I’ve seen a lot of people starting to offer fact fluency games as options. Let’s get kids and their loved ones laughing and having fun together instead of fighting over algorithms that are unfamiliar. Let’s build bridges, not burn them!

Forgot the tag. Sorry. #elemmathchat

Visual Patterns Explore these patterns with your students and watch their natural tendencies to see patterns morph into powerful algebraic thinking and reasoning. It’s an ideal routine to foster mathematical practice...

I love the sites you’ve mentioned. I also love @fawnnguyen.substack.com’s site: www.visualpatterns.org, @kristenacosta.bsky.social’s site: kristenacosta.com/number-talk-..., and many others.

I’m Ryan. I’m a professor at Butler University in Indianapolis. Thanks, @mnmmath.bsky.social, for organizing. Thanks, @sueoconnell.bsky.social, for leading tonight! #elemmathchat

New episode

What if you don’t understand your student’s math strategy?

We talk with Ryan Flessner about how educators can respond in ways that support student learning and mathematical identity.

Listen now: www.mathlearningcenter.org/blog/ryan-fl...

Season 3 | Episode 15 – What If I Don’t Understand Their Thinking? - Guest: Ryan Flessner Podcast Episode · Rounding Up · 04/03/2025 · 22m

Fabulous conversation with Ryan Flessner! Big Idea: How we respond in the moment when we don't understand a student's thinking matters! #iteachmath
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r...

Please join #ElemMathChat on 1/15/26 at 8 pm CST / 9 pm EST when Annie Fetter,‪@mfannie.bsky.social‬ leads us in a great chat that will definitely include some fun Noticing and Wondering! #ElemMathChat #MTBoS

*you’ve

Thanks for hosting #ElemMathChat again, @mnmmath.bsky.social. I appreciate the space you e created for all of us and your flexibility in ensuring we all stay connected!

I had that same problem. I really only communicated with @mnmmath.bsky.social because I couldn’t see anyone else’s post unless she responded to them. Something must be weird with @bsky.app’s algorithm tonight. I haven’t had that problem on other #ElemMathChat chats. 🤷🏻‍♂️

We analyze textbook lessons in another assignment! It’s not as deep of a dive as I would like to have, but we try to show them how this work aligns with the textbook lessons they may be required to teach. #ElemMathChat

This typically happens the semester prior to student teaching. So, they’ve worked 1:1, they then work with a small group, and then they move to student teaching where they work with an entire class. #ElemMathChat 3/3