Torch - Fall 2017

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“ As a school, we want to develop strong math understanding, which increases girls’ confidence in themselves and in their ability to think independently. —Kathy Kubota Zarivnij

for developing many modes of inquiry: scientific, quantitative, social scientific, humanistic and expressive. In addition to providing that breadth, lessons are interactive and the classroom environment is one where students are encouraged to share their thinking, question assumptions and build informed conclusions. It is perhaps valuable to clarify at this point that the “liberal” in liberal arts is not about political leanings. It derives from the Latin word liberalis , meaning “befitting a free person.” The liberal arts help to develop the skills and knowledge a person needs to be a free and active member of society. That includes having the capacity—and the confidence—to question, evaluate and offer alternatives to any assumptions that encroach on that freedom, such as that women are not biologically suited to certain careers. Ultimately, a liberal arts education provides a solid ground upon which to stand in a fast-changing world. It focuses on developing the ability to adapt, collaborate, reason, argue effectively, communicate clearly, judge fairly and employ what Davis calls “multiple thinking frameworks.” It empowers girls and young women through its breadth of inquiry to have opportunity and choice in their future lives. Possibilities may narrow as personal preferences and individual talents come to the surface. But a life liberalis carries on.

“As a school, we want to develop strong math understanding, which increases girls’ confidence in themselves and in their ability to think independently,” explains Kubota Zarivnij. “We have a lot of tools at our disposal to do that. For example, teachers record on the board the ways in which students are addressing problems and developing their understanding—in real time as a lesson unfolds. It makes their thinking visible so they can reflect on it and build on it. That approach is called bansho in Japanese.” “We also have students engaged in note- taking,” continues Kubota Zarivnij, “where they record the board notes generated during class. That’s a lot different than just recording their answers. Documenting their thinking helps them to remember the connections they made; of course, they can look back later to prompt themselves. That’s the last stage of what we call three-part lesson design. The first part is a quick activation of each student’s ‘math mind’ to get her ready for some math work. The second is the problem- solving stage itself, when students create meaning and use their reasoning to find solutions. The third is consolidation, when there is time to reflect on their learning and record their thinking. Overall, it’s an effective approach to strengthening each student’s mental math muscle.” Taken as a whole, Havergal’s approach to numeracy and literacy lays the bedrock

within a liberal arts approach to help students understand the value of data, have the skills to sift through it and curate its most important points. Literacy and numeracy share the same goal of developing thinking and understanding in both specialized and broad terms.” Kathy Kubota Zarivnij, Havergal’s Coordinator for Mathematics Professional Learning, Innovation and Research, shares the view that mathematical thinking improves a student’s capacity for interpreting and understanding situations across disciplines and topics. “Mathematics is a language,” says Kubota Zarivnij. “It requires precision, critical thinking and creativity to acquire it. And it is helpful to use it—to apply math skills, knowledge and strategies —with any problem we face. A math outlook can help to provide clarity and push us to ask and answer questions that might not come up otherwise. And those questions and answers can join with other perspectives to find a useful solution.” Kubota Zarivnij works with teachers and students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8 to improve student achievement and perseverance in math and to embed professional math learning within the school. She wants all students to believe that they can succeed in math and supports teaching strategies that leverage girls’ interests and deepen their engagement.

TABLE OF CONTENTS | FALL 2017 • TORCH 19