We're Talking About Practice

When it comes to practice I kind of feel like Allen Iverson during his practice rant http://youtu.be/eGDBR2L5kzI. It is my belief that rich and meaningful task should be the emphasis. However many around me feel that the importance should be placed on practice. 

During a workshop this past year, @ddmeyer described practice using a basketball context. He said, "math practice is like practicing your free throws", it isn't something that you spend the entire time doing but it is something that's beneficial during the game. My thinking about practice began to shift at that moment. So my shift was from no practice to meaningful practice. 

Meaningful practice as defined by @turtletoms is the application of the mathematics once the concept it is understood and explicitly connected to understanding. @mikewiernicki says meaningful practice meets student where they are as it relates to their understanding. A great way to incorporate meaningful practice in your math routine is through games such as those found nzmaths website http://www.nzmaths.co.nz/number-knowledge-activities. These games are leveled based on strategy and number knowledge. 

The cutisie activities are okay, but you have to be careful that the practice activity does not undermine the strategy and concept development which took place prior to practice. I've come across a few resources for practice activities:

GA Frameworks have practice tasks

https://www.georgiastandards.org/Common-Core/Pages/Math-K-5.aspx

Choice Menus

https://sites.google.com/site/sensiblemathematics/ 

Symbaloo

http://www.symbaloo.com/startLogin.do 

I know there are tons more, so feel free to share.