One component of teaching that Japanese teachers often discussed was bansho, or “board writing”—the art of writing on the chalkboard in a way that helps students learn. Each teacher had her own style, but over time, intricate conventions evolved. Usually, a title went in the upper left-hand corner; the problem of the day, right underneath. The writing on the board then proceeded in columns: selected students’ solution methods, then thoughts about how to connect them, followed by a concluding statement (a final formula, definition, or observation). The key was to make the space a visible
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