tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85693280585331925872024-03-05T11:27:45.465-08:00Teaching Math: From Student to TeacherMichelle Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18345620479300155787noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569328058533192587.post-24811600468746899922016-06-28T11:55:00.001-07:002016-06-28T12:14:52.967-07:00Go Shawty... It's My Birthday... In A Super Magical Square (6)Well it's not my birthday today... so I'll celebrate a couple weeks late. I was totally in love with and fascinated by these magic squares, especially by using your birth date. I love Sudoku puzzles and this reminded me of that, but using more math! I know, here I go again... but Jo B says that puzzles are a perfect way to engage your mind in mathematical thinking. I started by using my own birthday and honestly, that one was pretty easy. Like many others who have explained their thinking, I started by doing the diagonal first (obviously after the first row) and once I got that to add up to 120 then I worked down from there. However, I quickly realized my other diagonal was not adding up to 120 and was much lower. So I had to do some rearranging. Since I had two low numbers in the first two columns as the top square, and one much higher number in the last column, I was able to use a nice range of numbers to get to my sum (120). After I got the whole square set with each column, row, and diagonal adding up to 120... I decided to add a little extra challenge and make it a SUPER magic square. So I focused on making the 4 corners add up to 120, then the first, second, third, and fourth quadrants to also add up to 120. Lastly, I calculated the middle square to see if it would add up to 120 and it already did!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaoiYDqbPGElvzahjfN3aQ_VWsejGswFNu_TO0F0L6uWaI6c9QFqaGArX_6q1SMWR-I4WkGGwG8BltbhCBpYvpWc8X1l9hJBxFH2mVnjpAZExE7Medwg1v8r4WRVDKs15cjaa4q5y0dAo/s1600/SelfBdayMS.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaoiYDqbPGElvzahjfN3aQ_VWsejGswFNu_TO0F0L6uWaI6c9QFqaGArX_6q1SMWR-I4WkGGwG8BltbhCBpYvpWc8X1l9hJBxFH2mVnjpAZExE7Medwg1v8r4WRVDKs15cjaa4q5y0dAo/s320/SelfBdayMS.tiff" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
So I decided to try more birthdays... because I'm a puzzle addict. So I started to work on Emma's, one of my littles, and since she was born 4-2-20-11... I didn't have a huge number range to work with and I didn't have a very big sum to work with either (37). The amount of combinations I could use to total 37 without repeating was very tricky. So I gave up for a little while and did my boyfriend's birthday instead. Even though he was born in January, eliminating early my ability to use the number 1, the rest of his numbers gave me a good range: 25, 19, 80. I tackled his the same way I did mine by starting with the diagonals but for his, since I had already worked with quadrants for my square, I decided to try those first. I think this actually made it easier... because once I got all the quadrants and middle squared away... with very minor adjustments the rows and columns were already in place.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju11KoYOfPqN5giEYEkUAauJOIWVk5DQ4A_IXl1NqaO5OTIUwgfjCmlq-qwUkr8o1pwHYaS7W5xfqN4A8zZnsDAQATilvyiElBgKEG238F1anHbqTQcYZwM5-y2Yg4ehFR3EBg_5QWzcE/s1600/TonyBdayMS.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju11KoYOfPqN5giEYEkUAauJOIWVk5DQ4A_IXl1NqaO5OTIUwgfjCmlq-qwUkr8o1pwHYaS7W5xfqN4A8zZnsDAQATilvyiElBgKEG238F1anHbqTQcYZwM5-y2Yg4ehFR3EBg_5QWzcE/s320/TonyBdayMS.tiff" width="320" /></a></div>
Now for my crazy little Emmeline, I had to get creative. So like Nick did, I also used a negative number. I felt like this was probably an "illegal" move also... but it was the only way I could get it t work. Especially since she already had 2 and 4 in her birthdate, I was limited about which small numbers I could use to adjust the sums.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguOQuyzUiFULNnztuS6lSrG5vTf-uB89TIr8WTydGCIxwWIpGBhhi7IGOSq6HVj6LftugvppZxPQdzoPTtJEQ7sGThgoEpSGXWy-i86yQe7ugkbqzWe9b14yh2wX4uZsD-yMRKL2VQhbo/s1600/EmmaBdayMS.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguOQuyzUiFULNnztuS6lSrG5vTf-uB89TIr8WTydGCIxwWIpGBhhi7IGOSq6HVj6LftugvppZxPQdzoPTtJEQ7sGThgoEpSGXWy-i86yQe7ugkbqzWe9b14yh2wX4uZsD-yMRKL2VQhbo/s320/EmmaBdayMS.tiff" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
So THEN I wanted to do something kind of crazy and see where it went. Because I'm not adventurous enough, or experienced enough, I stayed in a 4x4 and used the first 4 letters of my name [MICH]. Then I assigned those as a number value [13, 9, 3, 8] and then developed kind of a "mod" style number association where numbers could be negative and also higher than 26.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYvGM3S7Zqf9FZp-A2CrsN6yD6GdbE8IVfHsXkBgbgSPSUgnRVKiHgVzErVpF1cjB0hvp8197ZGtoYrEsZpQYiSOYg26F62aMZdcTipmJsHBG3WrlybEx0ysAfiW3f2OkaQec-kl5UcTk/s1600/NumberVersionofLetters.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYvGM3S7Zqf9FZp-A2CrsN6yD6GdbE8IVfHsXkBgbgSPSUgnRVKiHgVzErVpF1cjB0hvp8197ZGtoYrEsZpQYiSOYg26F62aMZdcTipmJsHBG3WrlybEx0ysAfiW3f2OkaQec-kl5UcTk/s320/NumberVersionofLetters.tiff" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
That is actually the finished square once I got everything to be SUPER magical and equal to 33. I tried to stay within 1-26 but it was basically impossible. I mean, is it actually impossible? Because the total was 33 so I need 24 combinations of addition expressions equal to 33 using only numbers 1-26, without repeating. So since I could NOT figure out how to do that (I'm sure there is a formula... I just can't figure out how to figure it out lol) I went to using negative numbers and numbers above 26. This led me to the above square... FINALLY without repeating - Well, technically I did repeat but when I tried to change it... I evened out all the rows, columns, and diagonals but then my quadrants and were not equal to 33 :( So I went with second best.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
THEN....</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_AUMl6b0G3BI5IKYjh-fHJm_SRZHpyS_VAK147jRKy1Q9sEzlGb3CvOv0AehGmD_JX7kwtCi697zjxCSFNLsjanOMxYqMtvg0wORnSXq-_phD_6hzBvyshLG7j0LWgKguh3OVcCArkwk/s1600/LetterSquare.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_AUMl6b0G3BI5IKYjh-fHJm_SRZHpyS_VAK147jRKy1Q9sEzlGb3CvOv0AehGmD_JX7kwtCi697zjxCSFNLsjanOMxYqMtvg0wORnSXq-_phD_6hzBvyshLG7j0LWgKguh3OVcCArkwk/s320/LetterSquare.tiff" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I subbed in the letter equivalents. However, you will notice that many of letters ended up repeating. So does this have something to do with the fact that I cycled them in a modular form... which I technically didn't even do correctly because I started A as 1 and not 0. At this point, you know I had to go back and try to fix it to be done the way it is supposed to and with a correct modular formation (because my growth mindset makes me). In this square, for the number portion I could NOT get it to be correct without repeating one number; same problem from the first time as well. However, with the letter portion, I was able to eliminate one of the repeated letters!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgde5Zzw8P8rieD7Nkh2JPbbYBfqzB-dErVD6fpAZQkWvAwHiJBxAmBea9YWxBP67hMhtCq1MqWBakTU4tI-L5EBxzvRR6FIvMNBM4eX9se2mkgRZcIc2AxzU6LHbuR-JLEtHhH4O3Mosg/s1600/LetterProperMod.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgde5Zzw8P8rieD7Nkh2JPbbYBfqzB-dErVD6fpAZQkWvAwHiJBxAmBea9YWxBP67hMhtCq1MqWBakTU4tI-L5EBxzvRR6FIvMNBM4eX9se2mkgRZcIc2AxzU6LHbuR-JLEtHhH4O3Mosg/s320/LetterProperMod.tiff" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
By default, the repeated number (12/M) would be a repeating letter but the only other letter that repeated was U when it was used as 20 and -6.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
While these puzzles took a fair amount of time, going forward I would love to further research the patterns or formulas that go into making the squares "magic"... if there even is one. Based on my understanding of what math is though, I assume there must be a pattern. Reflecting on what was taking place during the activity was actually a lot of adding and subtracting. I roped my 7 year old into helping me with her birthday square, while she loves puzzles and math... it was a little over her head. She WAS however at least practicing adding 4 numbers up to equal a certain sum. So in that aspect, I believe there was educational value for her.</div>
Michelle Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18345620479300155787noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569328058533192587.post-89858541040912481392016-06-16T15:40:00.001-07:002016-06-28T12:15:09.850-07:00The F word. (5)Word, phrase, whatever it is. Dun dun dun... The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. The bane of my existence. When calculus is put in front of me... this is what happens on the inside.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="269" src="https://giphy.com/embed/tBb19f4QY7Mm4i7VmpO" width="480"></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
And outside really. Don't tell my best friend Jo B, but I "have yet to" [i.e. can't] understand calculus. If I were in a battle and I was propositioned with "Give Me Calculus or Give Me Death," it was nice knowing you.<br />
<br />
So I activated my growth mindset and after another failed attempt of understanding any form of calculus thought, I said to myself "Lulu, you are capable of understanding this and you WILL get a deeper understanding." Here I am, back at it again. First, I went to dummies.com to try to explore The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus for dummies.<br />
<br />
Here is my now [much deeper] understanding of the (1st) FTC:<br />
<span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #252525; display: inline-block; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 16.94px; height: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px; white-space: nowrap; width: 7.795em;"><span style="border: 0px; clip: rect(0.947em 1007.79em 3.663em -999.997em); left: 0.003em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: -2.535em; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-36" style="border: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;"><span class="mstyle" id="MathJax-Span-37" style="border: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-38" style="border: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;"><span class="mi" id="MathJax-Span-39" style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: STIXGeneral-Italic; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;"> F<span style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; height: 1px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px; width: 0.062em;"></span></span><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-40" style="border: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.18em; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;"><span class="mo" id="MathJax-Span-41" style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: STIXGeneral-Regular; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;">(</span><span class="texatom" id="MathJax-Span-42" style="border: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-43" style="border: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;"><span class="mi" id="MathJax-Span-44" style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: STIXGeneral-Italic; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;">x<span style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; height: 1px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px; width: 0.003em;"></span></span></span></span><span class="mo" id="MathJax-Span-45" style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: STIXGeneral-Regular; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;">)</span></span><span class="mo" id="MathJax-Span-46" style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: STIXGeneral-Regular; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.298em; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;">=</span><span class="msubsup" id="MathJax-Span-47" style="border: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.298em; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; height: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px; width: 1.597em;"><span style="border: 0px; clip: rect(2.482em 1001.07em 5.08em -999.997em); left: 0.003em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: -4.011em; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;"><span class="mo" id="MathJax-Span-48" style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: "stixintegralsd"; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: -0.587em;">∫<span style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; height: 1px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px; width: 0.475em;"></span></span><span style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; height: 4.017em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px; width: 0px;"></span></span><span style="border: 0px; clip: rect(3.545em 1000.42em 4.194em -999.997em); left: 1.243em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: -5.133em; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;"><span class="mi" id="MathJax-Span-49" style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: STIXGeneral-Italic; font-size: 11.9766px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;">x<span style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; height: 1px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px; width: 0.003em;"></span></span><span style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; height: 4.017em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px; width: 0px;"></span></span><span style="border: 0px; clip: rect(3.545em 1000.42em 4.194em -999.997em); left: 0.593em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: -3.067em; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;"><span class="mi" id="MathJax-Span-50" style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: STIXGeneral-Italic; font-size: 11.9766px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;">a</span><span style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; height: 4.017em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px; width: 0px;"></span></span></span></span><span class="mi" id="MathJax-Span-51" style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: STIXGeneral-Italic; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.18em; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;">f<span style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; height: 1px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px; width: 0.121em;"></span></span><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-52" style="border: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.18em; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;"><span class="mo" id="MathJax-Span-53" style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: STIXGeneral-Regular; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;">(</span><span class="texatom" id="MathJax-Span-54" style="border: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-55" style="border: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;"><span class="mi" id="MathJax-Span-56" style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: STIXGeneral-Italic; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;">t<span style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; height: 1px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px; width: 0.003em;"></span></span></span></span><span class="mo" id="MathJax-Span-57" style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: STIXGeneral-Regular; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;">)</span></span><span class="mtext" id="MathJax-Span-58" style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: STIXGeneral-Regular; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.18em; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;"> </span><span class="texatom" id="MathJax-Span-59" style="border: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;"><span class="mrow" id="MathJax-Span-60" style="border: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;"><span class="mi" id="MathJax-Span-61" style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: STIXGeneral-Regular; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;">d</span></span></span><span class="mi" id="MathJax-Span-62" style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: STIXGeneral-Italic; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px;">t<span style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; height: 1px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px; width: 0.003em;"></span></span></span></span></span><span style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; height: 2.541em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: 0px; width: 0px;"></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px; color: #252525; display: inline-block; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 3.004em; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: static; transition: none; vertical-align: -1.211em; white-space: nowrap; width: 0px;"></span><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>It's important. Phew! That was a tricky one at first. You did it! Press on...</li>
<li>Then... we have a function "f(t)", okay I'm totally with you. The function creates a line on our graph.</li>
<li>Now... they want me to find the area under the curve? This is called F(x). So this F(x) IS the area under the "curve" or the function. I still feel okay, pending I'm not completely wrong.</li>
<li>Now, the area that we are measuring starts at value <i>a</i> and ends at value <i>x</i>. Makes sense.</li>
<li>Now I'm getting lost... dt represents the derivative of f(t) which is the amount that it is increasing or decreasing? </li>
<li>And that's it!</li>
</ol>
<div>
<img alt="\int_a^b f(x)\, dx = F(b)-F(a)." class="tex" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/math/a/3/6/a36595e3ea1f1e62f58fb55ede520334.png" data-pin-nopin="true" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #999999; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 21px; vertical-align: middle;" /></div>
<ol>
<li>Okay... so now we tackle the 2nd FTC, which I guess solves for all definite integrals? Well they switched me from f(t) to f(x) but I guess they're the same thing? Also, F(b) - F(a) is apparently F(x) evaluated from a to b... but where did b come from? Now I am lost. But hey! I got through at least half of the explanation without crying. I call this a win all around.</li>
</ol>
Michelle Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18345620479300155787noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569328058533192587.post-22178628454134956472016-06-12T13:05:00.000-07:002016-07-05T20:23:14.505-07:00My Bff Jo B. (4)If I haven't already said this... <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mathematical-Mindsets-Unleashing-Potential-Innovative/dp/0470894520/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465872498&sr=8-1&keywords=mathematical+mindsets">Mathematical Mindsets</a> is the best education "text" book I've ever read. Jo Boaler, "Jo B", starts by taking you on a journey through how the brain works and what we can do as educators, parents, peers, etc. The brain is such a complex being but the most fascinating piece was that our brain never stops changing or growing. Inherently, we think that our "smartness" is what we are born with and we simply activate our preexisting knowledge by learning in classes. Now if you actually think about that... it sounds ridiculous. That's exactly what Jo points out.<br />
<br />
Jo follows up this exploration of the brain by how the brain reacts when we are making mistakes. I think so many of us have gotten used to knowing or finding an "easy" way out of many tasks and activities. This has been evidently true in my learning and even my teaching. Students are always wanting the "answers" and never interested in figuring out how to get there. Students are TERRIFIED of making mistakes. That is the standardized testing, cookie-cutter education that we are bringing students up in today. Jo fights strongly to combat that, explaining that it's a total waste of time to teach and learn that way because your brain is not actually learning.<br />
<br />
I've been politely reminded by Jo that math is an art, a beautiful art that is for the creating. She spends a lot of time (and I won't lie... gets a little repetitive) explaining how to bring back the art and creativity of math. Not only does she give many, many creative and realistic ideas to apply to the classroom but also apps and assessments. This definitely one of the best books I've ever read in the field of educator education. Not only do I plan on implementing a growth mindset into the classroom for it's overall benefit; I also see mathematical mindsets in my students' futures.<br />
<br />
The one awesome thing about this book is that I have been able to relate much of this discussion to what I have experienced with a few teachers, and in this class. I find myself learning much better when the activities are "hands-on" and I'm able to try to understand it through my own mind first and then get an explanation. As I have mentioned many, many times, I do still battle with this fixed mindset that I have had since at least high school if not before. I wish I knew when my learning started to change but I could relate to so many of the negative thoughts and experiences that Jo expressed in the book. Even thinking I was "good" at math because I did well on timed tests or that I didn't have to try to understand things until very high level math.Michelle Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18345620479300155787noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569328058533192587.post-85892508449381447022016-06-05T22:30:00.000-07:002016-07-05T20:08:39.053-07:00The Dog Ate My Homework (3)After reading Mathematical Mindsets (Boaler), I was intrigued by what she stated about the research on homework and why homework (or at least the kind that teachers give today) is NOT beneficial for the student. How crazy is that thought? I've always thought students need to practice what they have learned otherwise they won't remember it or understand it, but apparently, I'm wrong!<br />
<br />
I decided to invest some extra research into how learning math is related to homework. I'm pretty much a "type A" person so I decided to make a list of the negatives of homework that is being assigned and then the positives (if there even are any!) The points I will reference refer to mostly the type of homework that I mentioned, problems presented after a lesson to practice those new skills.<br />
<br />
1. Differentiation: There is no varied level of ability to the homework. All students receive the same homework no matter what level of understanding they have that day. This can be detrimental to all levels of students encouraging some students to be bored and others to be defeated.<br />
<br />
2. Amount: Students are being assigned "too much" homework or "too many" problems. Once a student understands a concept, the repeated practice of it does not help the students understand the concept any better than they already do. So students who struggle are not going to learn anything more than they did during the lesson that day. Students who understand it do not need to keep doing it for 10 or 15 or 20 problems because they already have an understanding of what is being asked. <br />
<br />
This quote from the journal below describes perfectly what goes wrong when students are assigned too many rote practice problems.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"The first gets frustrated and quits, the second gets bored and quits, and the third might get frustrated and bored by all the time it takes to get done or hastily complete the work with errors. Some may copy each other's work along the way, too."</div>
<br />
These are not the emotions we want our students to go through when they are trying to practice or continue learning at home.<br />
<br />
3. Parental Involvement: Parents are either too involved or not involved enough for their child to successfully complete it. There really is no winning. Parents, while I totally love them and value their importance, are not trained in education or teaching of a child (in most instances). Most parents are used to the way they grew up and the way they were educated and we are not trying to recreate the 70s, 80, or even 90s... we are trying to revolutionize education and learning. So what sense would it make to spend the whole day putting a child in one mind set, to send them home and ask their parents for help who have a completely different understanding and mindset about learning. This does more harm than good. Other parents may just want their child to succeed and think that good grades will mean that... while robbing their child of understanding, they rush their child into answering.<br />
<br />
4. Home-School Relationship: Students are encouraged by parents, teachers, and friends to be involved in many "extra-curricular" activities. Not only are these activities great for learning and their self esteem and to teach the child many aspects of appropriate social interactions. When we assign homework to be 30 minutes for this subject and this many problems for this subject (which could vary from child to child in being 10 minutes or 2 hours!), we rob children of these opportunities outside of academia.<br />
<br />
Sources:<br />
https://thejournal.com/articles/2007/10/22/homework-a-math-dilemma-and-what-to-do-about-it.aspx<br />
<br />
One of the most interesting things that I've taken away from this class is our "homework". I've made the connection already between Jo Boaler's book, this website, and the class about the reflection piece of learning, like how in class we make a quick reflection on every discussion topic to kind of wrap up any thoughts or take-aways. The blog acts in a similar fashion to be a reflection of something we explored in class or in our "homework" time and to take a step further. While I have honestly found the blogging a little painful (which I really normally love) I think I was definitely trying to actively stretch my thinking about math. I'm also a little hard on myself by not thinking my work is good enough... can't pin point if that is from my fixed mindset admitting defeat or my growth mindset always wanting to do more.Michelle Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18345620479300155787noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569328058533192587.post-48219796010229597122016-05-29T21:30:00.000-07:002016-06-28T12:45:15.463-07:00...My {Math} Life Is A Lie (2)I can't even believe how great this book is (and I'm a math-y... not a read-y) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mathematical-Mindsets-Unleashing-Potential-Innovative/dp/0470894520" target="_blank">Mathematical Mindsets</a>. I have easily spent over two hours of outside class time reading, highlighting, rereading, note taking, and side-researching everything the book talks about... and I haven't even gotten to the good stuff! All of the "which I write about in Chapter yada yada" that she has said so far.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Why has my whole life been a lie, you wonder? Well, that is because "math education" or math in schools today (and in my day) is not actually what math is! Timed tests, repetitive procedures, rules and memorization, all of it... We've been forced to think that that is what math is, and it's not! I'm here to tell you [or at least pass on from Jo] that we need to take back math. As math teachers, elementary teachers, mathematicians... all of us. We need to put the conceptual process back into math so kids, students, adults, anybody can explore math and realize that it is about more than just answering as fast as you can and using rote procedures.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Math is patterns! I feel like most (if not all) math can relate back to patterns. The book talks about how babies and infants (which I think are the same thing... no?) are obsessed with math and patterns. I didn't even think about this! So we just shove math at kids from the time they are born all the way through preschool and they love it. They just manipulate, create, build, learn and conceptualize and then as soon as they get to kindergarten we say "Math is a test and you have to be the fastest or you suck at math." Math trauma anyone? Math anxiety anyone?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I don't know about you, but the school I taught at had a SCHOOL WIDE GOAL for timed tests. Like hearing that the first time, made my heart hurt. But now, with Jo B in my life, I literally want to die thinking about it. #stopthetimedtests #mathisnotarace Another thing I heard all day long was "[the students] HAVE to know their facts first or they won't understand this"... the lie detector determined that that is ALSO a lie Jerry. I know how you're feeling right now, breathe through it. Jo B herself did not memorize any facts growing up and she went to become a famous mathematician and author. This is crazy, right?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So HOW do we teach math facts then. HOW do we teach math if we can't use the same rote methods that really haven't been working for years. Number sense - of course!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What is number sense you might ask? Teaching kids to memorize numbers right? Wrong-o. Teaching kids to be flexible with numbers, to PLAY with them, that's right I said PLAY with numbers... while learning. It can happen people. <a href="http://mathsolutions.com/making-sense-of-math/number-sense/understanding-number-sense/" target="_blank">This</a> website tells us that the five components of number sense are: number meaning, number relationships, number magnitude, operations involving numbers and referents for numbers, and referents for numbers and quantities. Basically what you need to know about number sense is that it's the foundation for math and it helps kids make sense of math.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I bet if you talk to someone who specializes in ELA or who has seen a dynamic reading program they will tell you all about the fundamentals of phonics and how phonemes has revolutionized learning to read. Well, guess what? Number sense will do that same thing for math and your kids will LOVE it. What it comes down to is that kids need to be able to learn numbers without structure, without rules, and without stress!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The other step towards freeing students of math anxiety by doing the REAL math is to do so much modeling our faces fall off. And I don't mean stand up there and talk at the kids and show them method after method after method. I mean put that pencil in their hand, that array on their desk, those chips or coins or blocks or whatever in front of them and let them do it THEIR way. Then, you have 26 little modelers in the room who will completely engage their classmates by showing their thinking, their process, and their creativity. Exploration is the answer, what was the question?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Michelle Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18345620479300155787noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569328058533192587.post-8845842217898200022016-05-22T19:53:00.002-07:002016-06-28T12:45:23.299-07:00Math Toys (1)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvyfa5pHFu-s9ld3ytBWDyNHUbA1I6mIRCF81SXRw3bqJwTW3OvhrvlOIWIavrd3kJNppy3RIFzW8S4nBu5nyYnvzMreHdhc7dAfhJ8WZgXJaKkk_V5eUDPtmanwI5LlgueieMXewa70/s1600/Pastellation.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvyfa5pHFu-s9ld3ytBWDyNHUbA1I6mIRCF81SXRw3bqJwTW3OvhrvlOIWIavrd3kJNppy3RIFzW8S4nBu5nyYnvzMreHdhc7dAfhJ8WZgXJaKkk_V5eUDPtmanwI5LlgueieMXewa70/s400/Pastellation.tiff" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
So since I've been introduced to this <a href="http://mathtoybox.com/index.html#.V0JnwJMrJjU">Math Toybox</a>... I've been addicted to these <a href="http://mathtoybox.com/patblocks3/patblocks3.html#.V0Jn4ZMrJjU">Pattern Blocks</a>. I started a tessellation in class and spent a good chunk of time continuing it. The problem is, I will be honest, I think at some point I didn't copy it correctly so it's really (maybe) not a true tessellation... very sadly. But overall, it looks totally awesome! In addition to it being very addicting, time consuming, and fun... this could also be an awesome tool to use in the classroom! (Everything I do gets connected back to the classroom some how :-P ) One of the things that I love most about this website is that it defies the teacher complaint of manipulatives.<br />
<br />
"They take too long to get out" - This takes about 33.4 seconds to load on a classroom iPad/computer/laptop/chromebook/smartboard/whatever!<br />
"The kids play with them and don't do what they're supposed to" mixed with "They're too distracting" - This is on the interweb so you can easily have them "put it away" or out of sight and pull it right back up!<br />
<br />
Manipulatives are SO beneficial to math. Don't believe me? Well I did a little research...<br />
<br />
By using manipulatives in mathematics, it allows children to be create their own models and commit it to memory. If we think about the popular "gradual release model", we think about how first the teacher models a new skill. After that, the teacher will walk through the skill supporting students and asking for them to support her. Then, the students are to explore and practice the skill on their own. Just like the practicing of the skill, students must also be practicing new concepts. And by practicing, many students learn best by using their hands to discover and manipulate. This is even more important in today's instantaneous environment for students to be required to explore the process before getting to the solution and a "rule" for solving a problem.<br />
<br />
This ties in with the book I'm reading, "Mathematical Mindsets." So far, Jo (Boaler, the author) has talked in depth about the negative attitude toward mathematics that so many people have. This is including the influence that is being put on students in and outside the classroom. Where I'm going with this (and Jo) is that overcoming the instantaneous environment that society has created for today's student ties in with Jo's focus on utilizing the growth mindset specifically focusing on mathematics. Empowering students to learn their own process is key for encouraging growth mindset and also in encouraging a love and understanding of math!Michelle Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18345620479300155787noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569328058533192587.post-46711557039302500152016-05-10T12:57:00.000-07:002016-06-28T12:45:33.868-07:00What even IS math? (0)What a fabulous question. <br />
<br />
At first, my answer is what I knew math to be growing up. Which is what I consider a system of rules, equations, formulas, etc. I always loved my math, and my brain loved math (even thought I'm a girl!) I loved math every single day until it was conceptual and applied. This is how we teach math today. When I was growing up it was about "knowing your facts" and memorizing formulas or using a "formula sheet" and just plugging in numbers.<br />
<br />
Math is SO. much. MORE! As a classmate described working in math, he says doing math involves wearing a tool belt. If you think about when you're working on a project (or a problem) and you use different tools for different things. The tools are put in place to make the project easier or faster. Sometimes you have to try to different tools if you are inexperienced with the project until you find the right tool that works. Sometimes you have a new project and you have to learn what tools to use to do the project. This is how math works.<br />
<br />
Math also explains the things that are going on around us. Like when I go to the grocery store and I need to know how much food I can buy. Well, first I have to know how much money I have. To figure out how much money I have, I have to know how many hours I worked and how much money I made for each hour I worked, or the total amount of money I made. Doesn't make sense? Okay, well I want to play outside with my friends after school. But my mom says I need to do chores for 45 minutes and then I need to do my homework for 20 minutes and I also have to read for 30 minutes. And if I want to play with my friends the whole time then I won't be able to watch my normal 30 minutes of TV, but if I want to do both then I'll have to factor that in too. So how long can I play outside in order to make sure I get all my things done... well that's do some math! Now you're getting it!<br />
<br />
Math can be proven... and it has been. That's why when we are working with problems today, we get to utilize our tool belt! Because there is proof in the proofs :)Michelle Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18345620479300155787noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569328058533192587.post-56511473886026249822015-04-16T09:18:00.001-07:002015-04-16T09:18:33.445-07:00Learning the Mean<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7000007629395px; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of my other favorite activities was the initial lesson. I think introducing them to the multiple methods of finding the mean is really beneficial. I loved doing with our group of students because we had three students and three methods and each student picked a different method as their favorite and most easily understood at the end.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7000007629395px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7000007629395px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lesson:</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Authentic tasks related to understanding the mean. Your goal is to assess whether the students can think about the mean as fair sharing and also as balance point.</span></div>
<ol style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><ol style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: lower-roman; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Use the sticky notes tasks from Kader or the GAISE report or Russle & Mokres (1996) as a starting point.</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How many pets do you have?</span></div>
<ol style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><ol style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><ol style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ask them for their information to start the data, then we will build the remaining data points around their data, assuming our predicted numbers will include their data.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mean:3 Sum: 27 9 data points</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
</ol>
</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 72pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> x </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">x</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> x </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">x</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">x</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 72pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">x</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">x</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">x</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">x</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 72pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8</span></div>
<ol start="2" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><ol start="2" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><ol start="2" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Use sticky notes on the board or table to record data for all the students to view (We used sticky notes to make our number line as well, and that was confusing, so make sure to have a separate number line so then can separate the two concepts in their head, or draw a number on the board)</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Maybe discuss the "average" before hand... what is an average? The students had trouble answering the question without really knowing what an average is) Ask each student to explain how they think we could find the mean/average of the data points. (Maybe indicate that you want them to manipulate the data to find the average- ours answered only verbally)</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Observe how they get to the mean.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Use their ideas and manipulate them to fit balance point and fair share models.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Start with balance point by having them visualize the mean as the balance point (like on a scale) by moving the data toward the center so that it is “stacked” on the balance point. **Demonstrate moving it back out to start to gain the concept of the "balancing" on the scale. Tell them that at each point when you're moving the data, those are completely possible data sets. Show them how moving two- one spot on one side is the same as moving one-two spots on the other side... because it is still "balanced". This might be a good place to insert MAD too.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With fair share, we will change the representations from the number line to a 3D version of the data (we used Base10 blocks). Each data point will have a “stack” with that many pieces and they will manipulate the stacks so that the blocks are “fairly” “shared” (or all towers are level) between the number of data points we have (maybe have them use a sticky note as a place holder to remember that that space needs a stack).</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
</ol>
</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">b. Questons to Ask:</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">i. Can you show/tell me how you are doing that?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ii. What questions do you have?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">iii. How do this work?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">iv. How has your thinking changed?</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-fdd6eb5b-c2fb-a629-fe34-5b4f761be172" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">c. Several multiple-choice (Plickers-style) assessment tasks at the end that check for understanding.</span></div>
<ol start="2" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><ol start="2" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: lower-roman; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is a mean?</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 72pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a) The middle of the data points</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 72pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">b) The average of the data points</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 72pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">c) The maximum minus the minimum</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 72pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">d) The most used number in the data set</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ii. What is the fair share strategy of solving for the mean?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a) Deciding which number gets the most data</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">b) Sharing the mean with each data point to be fair</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">c) Rearranging the data so that each point is equal</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 72pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">d) Deciding if the mean is a fair number or not</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> iii. What is the balance point strategy for solving the mean?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a) balancing all the data points on the mean</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">b) moving the data toward the center to find the mean</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">c) balancing the amount the data is moved toward the center to equal 0</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">d) all of the above</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anticipated Student Responses:</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Correct:</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Add the numbers and then divide by the amount of numbers</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Incorrect:</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Might pick the number that is used the most</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-With fair share, they might forget to keep 10 stacks and make either less than or more than 10 stacks</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Might multiply the numbers by each other instead of add them</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Might try locate the median thinking it is the mean.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I definitely think this activity will go along with the GAISE report because it came from the GAISE report! I would like to find a way to, going along with the report, get students to pose their own questions at this level. I think I would be able to probe their thinking to get them to think out loud or ask each other questions. At the Math in Action conference during the Towers Task, we watched a video about it where they had each student show how they find the solution. The other students were asking questions about the students method and the student had to defend their method. While this tactic could easily go bad, I think it would be worth it to get the students asking each other questions and being able to explain what they are doing to show evidence of thinking.</span>Michelle Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18345620479300155787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569328058533192587.post-8549398089555812082015-04-16T09:04:00.000-07:002015-04-16T09:04:01.056-07:00Samples Jump AroundOn the last day of working with our students, we did an activity to represent that samples jump around. For our activity, we had 100 random numbers for 3 different cities: Zeeland, Grand Rapids, and Holland. Each number was representative of the number of pets in a household of that city. We had the students choose 10 numbers out of their data set. We had them calculate the mean, the TAD and the MAD. We didn't have a lot of time to explain the goals of the activity, as it got crunched into the last few minutes of our lesson. I would really like to run the activity again for a longer session and touch on things like how samples jump around, the variability of each data set, the "one MAD rule of thumb", and other statistical concepts.<br />
<br />
The lesson would be:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Distribute random number samples of a couple different cities.</li>
<li>Have the students randomly choose 10 numbers.</li>
<li>Have students calculate the mean.</li>
<li>Have students calculate the TAD.</li>
<li>Have students calculate the MAD.</li>
<li>Sort data into 3 columns on the board for each city. Have students record their data for their city.</li>
</ol>
<div>
As a class, discuss the data.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Questions to Ask:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>"What are similarities/differences overall?"</li>
<li>"How can we decide if there is a difference between the number of pets per household in each city?"</li>
<li>"Could we get the same mean or MAD in all three cities? What does that tell us about the population?</li>
</ul>
Introduce or Review "One MAD Rule of Thumb"</div>
<div>
Discuss how samples jump around... "what does this mean for things like polls, like in magazines or online?"</div>
<div>
Discuss factors of variability</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Extensions:</div>
<div>
Find newspaper, magazine or online polls and ask them to evaluate them for their classroom to see how likely the results are to happen again.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In my opinion, this activity would go along well with the GAISE report. I think that this activity has a lot of real world relevance which is kind of the point of studying statistics, according to the report. We want students to be able to thrive and I believe that understanding this information about samples and collecting data and studying data is really important.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Michelle Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18345620479300155787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569328058533192587.post-74699664938921020152015-04-16T07:43:00.002-07:002015-04-16T07:43:36.890-07:00#mathEDchatOn April 8th, I participated in a "twitter chat". This wasn't a traditional twitter chat, but it was pretty interesting none the less. Since it was Spring Break, they posted a playlist of videos of michEDchat-ters talking about experiences in their classroom. <a data-id="l-8993528983" href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGpkibXv9iBjqc3oAhcXdA-lunzYZRpGx" o-href="https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fplaylist%3Flist%3DPLGpkibXv9iBjqc3oAhcXdA-lunzYZRpGx" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Lucida Grande', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.25px;" track-href="https://www.smore.com/app/reporting/out/ysvnf?u=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.youtube.com%252Fplaylist%253Flist%253DPLGpkibXv9iBjqc3oAhcXdA-lunzYZRpGx&t=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fplaylist%3Flist%3DPLGpkibXv9iBjqc3oAhcXdA-lunzYZRpGx&w=w-2924300882&i=&l=l-8993528983">https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGpkibXv9iBjqc3oAhcXdA-lunzYZRpGx</a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
There were a lot of really interesting topics covered over the videos. One of the points that I always find interesting is integrating technology into the classroom. Mike Kaechele talked about using social media to collect data. Erin Mastin discussed how she is incorporating new technology like “Genius Hour, Student Choice, 20% Time”. Heidi Gascon works in a 1 to 1 environment and said it takes a lot of patience to make progress. Another important point was showing students how to use the internet responsibly and safely. One of the ways I use technology in my classroom is similar to how they use it in Traci Jackson's classroom. One of the challenges she has found is working with kids from high to low at the same time. They have been able to utilize technology to let kids who are higher work ahead on different applications or websites, and also kids who are lower can use them for more in depth practice or understanding. One of the teachers I had in high school was actually on a video, Doug Ragan, and his story was actually really touching. He had a student in his classroom who was out on extended absences because she had Leukemia. Having a flipped classroom where they integrating technology for so much of the learning allowed to stay on track with what was happening in the class and when she came back she was excelling.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another big point in the videos was removing the rigorous structure of the classroom. Mike Kachele said that he feels education is too structured, too scripted, has too many standards and is too much of adults telling kids what to do. We need to remove some of the set expectations to be able to let students develop their own focus and goals and learn to self motivate and lead. We need to set our students up for success, as Dave Goodrich noted, which is part of the investment of being a teacher. In order to do this, we can't be constantly telling them what to do or how to do something. Learning is about being investigative and thinking critically. We need to give the kids opportunities to connect with each other more and have meaningful discourse. Jeff Bush mentioned this and I've seen it in my own classroom, by simply believing that our students can do something already starts them on their way to achieving it. If they know one person believes in them, that could be all the motivation they need. Jeremie Coplin talked about understanding their atmosphere and to allow students to excel on their own time. He was referencing students with ADHD or ADD struggling in the large group classroom but being able to do really well in the correct atmosphere.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another thing that is extremely important in teaching is instilling values that will help build the future of America, which Keith Tramper said. Tara Maynard expressed that one of her biggest challenges in the classroom is combining students with all different backgrounds and getting them to be collective learners and support each other in spite of their inequalities. We should not only be teaching our children to "tolerate" differences or accept them but teach them to embrace them in the classroom. This can be experienced in all things from the color of their hair, skin, eyes to their home life to the way they think at problems to their strengths and weaknesses. The same way we need to be infiltrating real world scenarios and lessons and concepts into the classroom daily. The greatest benefit for students will be learning how to apply their knowledge to the real world. How often do we hear people say "I'll never need this!" Is it because we haven't given them the ability to recognize it in the real world?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I will take all of these ideas into my classroom in the future. I loved getting to participate this way and thought it was really interesting. When I've participated before in the more regular setting, I thought it was really cool to hear many different perspectives of teaching. I will definitely utilize twitter for more opportunities for professional development and assistance as a teacher.</div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Michelle Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18345620479300155787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569328058533192587.post-17076006293738081542015-02-05T03:47:00.001-08:002015-02-05T03:50:52.367-08:00It's True What They Say About TeachersFollow this link ---> <a href="http://confessionsofatwentys0mething.blogspot.com/2014/09/just-teacher.html?spref=bl">Confessions of a Twenty-Something: Just A Teacher</a> for an interesting read on being "just a teacher".<br />
<br />
... and watch my favorite video, maybe ever, Taylor Mali's slam poem about "What Teachers Make"<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RGKm201n-U4" width="459"></iframe><br />
<br />
"I make parents see their kids for who they are and who they can be."<br />
<br />
Those are two things I remember when I have a day where I feel like I'm not making a difference, or I'm doing everything wrong, or my kids aren't learning anything. Teaching is so much bigger than teaching facts and information. It's molding minds. Changing human behavior. Instilling life skills. It's like knocking down someone's tower of blocks again and again and again until they are confident enough to rebuild it, and build it higher, and build it stronger, and think creatively and objectively about what goes into making the tower. All while not crushing their spirits and dreams and confidence.<br />
<br />
Teaching is a delicate task. So if that's all I'm going to be, oh well.<br />
<br />
-MsTeachMathMichelle Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18345620479300155787noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569328058533192587.post-33001919920124070842015-01-29T09:59:00.000-08:002015-01-29T19:58:56.014-08:00Hello!<br />
<br />
This is my first blog post as a student entering the teacher world. It's kind of a long exaggerated story about how I got to be where I am but I will try to make it short and sweet, don't want to bore you this early. I spent my first 4 years of college studying Hospitality & Tourism Management; I graduated and changed my mind! (told you, so short!) I then sought out a job teaching preschool. I started coming home from work every day feeling totally exhausted... and totally fulfilled. I decided that I wanted to do more than the sales or management that I had been trained to do and felt so naturally able; I wanted to mold minds and influence people's lives, little people. I find myself in my last semester of "undergrad" classwork before I will enter the Graduate Teaching Certification program. What lies ahead of me is making the transition from being the student to the teacher. I will be teacher assisting in Fall of 2015 and student teaching in Winter of 2016. I'm excited to see what the future holds and yet so nervous at the same time.<br />
<br />
I've been teaching 3s and 4s preschool for 2.5 years at this point. I've been in the same classroom and I have transitioned from being the assistant to the lead teacher. I've been running the show (most days) for a little over a year and a half. I've done a lot of laughing, loving, and even some crying. I've never felt a bigger love than being with these kids for 8 hours a day. One of the most beautiful things that I find about teaching is being able to be that person that leads children to connecting the dots of new ideas and pushes them to challenge them self.<br />
<br />
I can see myself reflecting on the experiences I am going to go through and hopefully be able to share ideas that work really well or maybe not so well in my experiences of teaching. I'm looking forward to seeing what this experience brings!<br />
<br />
Ms TeachMathMichelle Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18345620479300155787noreply@blogger.com1