tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.comments2013-04-01T17:23:29.294-04:00crstn85crstn85http://www.blogger.com/profile/13549871309834864781noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-65703220670538082642012-01-21T16:46:39.923-05:002012-01-21T16:46:39.923-05:00You need a hobby that fully distracts your brain f...You need a hobby that fully distracts your brain from work! I crochet but sometimes that isn't enough to completely occupy my thoughts so I turn Netflix on too. Or, you know, you could hang out with real people, I hear that works well.Tina Cardonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00549943329133396794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-33733676591540509112012-01-20T19:49:10.908-05:002012-01-20T19:49:10.908-05:00This is my goal in life right now. I've been ...This is my goal in life right now. I've been going 200 miles an hour for 2 and a half years (I took one full week off this summer, just one.) All of a sudden, I've started looking around and wondering where all my friends went and if the way I've been teaching is healthy for either me or my students. I'm a better teacher when I'm relaxed. The biggest problem is while I relax, I worry about all the stuff that needs to get done but isn't getting done and the only way to relieve the stress this worry causes is by working...Lizzy-Senseihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16697599110257655917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-34887080511687959202012-01-19T18:01:17.651-05:002012-01-19T18:01:17.651-05:00Thanks! I'll be sure to download it.Thanks! I'll be sure to download it.Tina Cardonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00549943329133396794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-35430527097495241652012-01-18T21:46:48.597-05:002012-01-18T21:46:48.597-05:00Though not specific to the iPad, wolfram alpha is ...Though not specific to the iPad, wolfram alpha is a really good app to use... Extremely versatileMr Olahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03563660537679693434noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-69673337491999715672011-12-09T15:58:38.426-05:002011-12-09T15:58:38.426-05:00I just saw the video last night after posting this...I just saw the video last night after posting this! Fear not, I will show it to them on the day before winter break where one of their options is to make a Koch Snowflake.Tina Cardonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00549943329133396794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-62531608101209654602011-12-09T08:43:19.305-05:002011-12-09T08:43:19.305-05:00Please tell me that you're having your triangl...Please tell me that you're having your triangle quilt students watch the latest Vi Hart video. Or that you'll play it while they're coloring next year. Or something.Sarahhttps://twitter.com/cannonsrnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-4843460641062054622011-12-04T21:11:36.056-05:002011-12-04T21:11:36.056-05:00I'm not sure exactly what it was about last we...I'm not sure exactly what it was about last week, but I definitely hit my limit. Glad to hear there are others reaching that point as well. Thanks for stopping by!<br /><br />Also, sorry to anyone who clicked through expecting a post on calculus, I'm just a geometry and algebra 1 girl this year!Tina Cardonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00549943329133396794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-1147380938072272482011-12-04T21:07:10.880-05:002011-12-04T21:07:10.880-05:00I thought I was the only one who felt like it was ...I thought I was the only one who felt like it was a long week..... thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-6180908704146898702011-11-18T18:47:27.549-05:002011-11-18T18:47:27.549-05:00At least I'm not alone!
Things kinda blew u...At least I'm not alone! <br /><br />Things kinda blew up with one woman (I bet you can guess who!) the day after I wrote this, but it resulted in progress on all fronts and I now have weekly meetings with all my co-teachers which I think is going to be a major plus.Tina Cardonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00549943329133396794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-10738387668151432122011-11-18T18:10:57.988-05:002011-11-18T18:10:57.988-05:00I don't have any advice other than to say that...I don't have any advice other than to say that I don't share well either :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-27324409951507210202011-11-15T17:58:21.758-05:002011-11-15T17:58:21.758-05:00Oh excellent. I like this approach and I always l...Oh excellent. I like this approach and I always like simplifying the number of things we need to consider. My co-teacher actually did a lesson today on trying numbers in equations to see if they do or don't make the equation true, it's as if she read your mind! (Or your comment, but she doesn't know about this blog as far as I know.)Tina Cardonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00549943329133396794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-70274694143196099562011-11-14T18:36:23.915-05:002011-11-14T18:36:23.915-05:00Great post. Some really good ideas here.
In gene...Great post. Some really good ideas here.<br /><br />In general, I don't agree with #3. In the equation 5+3=A, A can still be any number. Depending on the choice for A, the equation is true or false. The language "solve for x" hides what is really happening: finding the value(s) that make the equation true.<br /><br />Going the other way with this ("a specific number we don't know") leads to big problems quickly, in equations with zero or multiple solutions, and especially in equations with an infinite number of solutions, such as 2x+3y=12 or x+1=1+x.<br /><br />This actually reduces the number of different ways to have to worry about, and eliminates the "unknowns" thing altogether.<br /><br />Thanks and keep up the great work!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-63950924728120003712011-11-13T13:07:15.716-05:002011-11-13T13:07:15.716-05:00I like the idea of using different words for unkno...I like the idea of using different words for unknowns and variables. There are so many details that we often gloss over. I look forward to seeing what you come up with when you get to this unit!Tina Cardonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00549943329133396794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-74027184449586164682011-11-13T11:59:26.247-05:002011-11-13T11:59:26.247-05:00I always find it somewhat funny, but most of all c...I always find it somewhat funny, but most of all cool, when someone post on an idea that I've been mulling over for the past few days/weeks/months. My math department (all three of us) had a conversation a few weeks ago about the difference between a variable and an unknown, and how and when we would teach this distinction. [FYI: the decision was 6th grade: unknown, 7th: variable]<br /><br />But it got me thinking about all the different ways we use letters to represent numbers. So far I've come up with four: 1. variables, 2. unknowns, 3. parameters (like m & b in y=mx+b), and 4. special numbers (like e, i & pi). I like your distinction between variables as quantities that change and as placeholders. <br /><br />One of my goals in sorting this out is to be very consistent in my language with students and only refer to the letter with its actual name and not just call everything a variable, as I often slip up and do. I'll probably wind up creating a "toolkit" note page about it at some point when I get around to our variable unit in 7th grade.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-17719376393066578542011-10-11T21:09:42.136-04:002011-10-11T21:09:42.136-04:00Thanks for stopping by! I think the key is to sta...Thanks for stopping by! I think the key is to start the quiz corrections as an in class activity along the lines of "Okay, now everyone fill in the reflection questions while we hand back the quiz. .... So, I noticed a lot of people had trouble with ____ let's fix that one together. ... Now let's take 5-10 minutes to correct the rest and then be sure to staple and hand them in when you're done." After the first time, going over ones everyone got wrong is good, but the rest can be assigned for homework if you're short on class time because they've seen the benefit of corrections.<br /><br />Link to the quiz correction sheet: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5478453/Quiz%20Corrections.docTina Cardonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00549943329133396794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-28610578461430115822011-10-11T20:24:18.887-04:002011-10-11T20:24:18.887-04:00Thank you for this post! I started doing quiz corr...Thank you for this post! I started doing quiz corrections and was somewhat disheartened by the number of students who took advantage of the opportunity to earn half of the points they missed back. I asked them to explain what they did wrong, show/explain how to get the right answer on a separate piece of loose leaf. I think I am going to steal your doc for quiz corrections because providing students with the template may encourage more to partake in the opportunity. I really want students to learn from their mistakes and understand the content so ultimately I'd like EVERYONE to turn one in.<br /><br />Do you have suggestions on quiz format? You mentioned a half sheet? My school does not allow for test corrections but they do allow for quiz corrections and out of 65 students last quiz only 6 students turned them in (and none of the actual failing students). I would love to hear more about your procedures. Do all students have to fill out the first sheet? Thanks for all your help! Love the blog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-4062479342400123992011-10-03T20:25:38.091-04:002011-10-03T20:25:38.091-04:00I do ask questions like those as a part of the dai...I do ask questions like those as a part of the daily journal. That's the "second question" which I didn't really go into. We also investigate and discuss those types of questions throughout class.<br /><br />I am rethinking the phrasing, and I get your adverse reaction to it, I feel the same way about the generic PD. But I still want students to reflect on what it was they were supposed to be studying today, and so far I don't have a better way to ask them to prove that they accomplished the goal.Tina Cardonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00549943329133396794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-74430232623324165662011-10-03T19:41:58.859-04:002011-10-03T19:41:58.859-04:00It would be better to ask them to write something ...It would be better to ask them to write something that requires mathematical thinking related to the day's topic—like "why does AAA not prove congruence?" "If you draw two circles of different sizes, how many points can their intersection be? What about circles of the same size?"<br /><br />Asking them generically to reflect on the "objective" does little for their mathematical understanding. If you are looking for real-world connections, many (most?) people are turned off by discussion of "objectives", "mission statements", and other time-wasting exercises that managers inflict on people trying to get some work done.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-4375129538480786722011-10-02T12:54:46.448-04:002011-10-02T12:54:46.448-04:00First, a student certainly won't fail math bec...First, a student certainly won't fail math because they don't submit their journals; the point is not to penalize students, but to give them an opportunity to reflect. <br /><br />It was a particularly useful exercise in my pre-algebra class because that course was entirely context based math. Students studying the "dogs and buns" problem needed to tease out that we were studying multiples, not hot dogs, and directing them to the objective helped them to do so. <br /><br />This year I teach mostly Geometry, which is filled with vocabulary. The more students can use the vocab that we learn, the better. All the ELL trainings, SPED trainings and literacy workshops I have attended say the same thing: the more opportunities they have for writing, the better. Sure, journaling on its own isn't going to fill in all those gaps, but it's a start.<br /><br />If you have a suggestion for how to rephrase the "how did you meet the objective" question, I'd love to hear it. As I said, I've gone back and forth on how to phrase it; I want students reflecting on and sharing what they learned and what they're struggling with, but without requiring paragraphs each day.Tina Cardonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00549943329133396794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-34303180576928967582011-10-02T12:28:10.593-04:002011-10-02T12:28:10.593-04:00I too have to ask the "writing in math class?...I too have to ask the "writing in math class?" question—not because I object to writing, but because pointless writing does not help students.<br /><br />If you were teaching them how to write mathematics, using Halmos's "How to Write Mathematics" essay, for example, I'd applaud. But "how did you meet the objective?" is not a prompt that will lead to either good writing or good math. All it is likely to do is to turn off those students who are good at math but not good at writing (like the English language learners).<br /><br />There are some places in math classes where writing might be valuable, but journaling does not strike me as one of them.<br /><br />Disclaimer: my son is a very adept math student who would balk at this sort of exercise, and fail a class rather than do it, so I have a rather stronger than usual negative reaction.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-42197648630078268942011-09-25T20:01:47.166-04:002011-09-25T20:01:47.166-04:00Cool, thanks!Cool, thanks!Tina Cardonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00549943329133396794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-54661231635596778162011-09-25T19:58:09.621-04:002011-09-25T19:58:09.621-04:00For about $10 you can get a custom stamp made. Se...For about $10 you can get a custom stamp made. See, for example, http://www.simonstamp.com/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-83868681329416579572011-09-16T18:40:30.478-04:002011-09-16T18:40:30.478-04:00Way cool. We did a number line activity where we ...Way cool. We did a number line activity where we colored multiples of a certain number the same color and looked for patterns. It was great to be able to really see what was happening. I will totally use that with the positives and negatives, thanks!Tina Cardonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00549943329133396794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-30595453649856812272011-09-16T18:38:14.639-04:002011-09-16T18:38:14.639-04:00It's funny that after writing this last night ...It's funny that after writing this last night several other teachers mentioned the same thing today. The influence of those few students really is significant!Tina Cardonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00549943329133396794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355442528570693080.post-86911619469146194752011-09-16T17:37:13.879-04:002011-09-16T17:37:13.879-04:00we had a field day in the park earlier this week w...we had a field day in the park earlier this week with all 200 8th graders. we divided them into groups of 50 and they rotated between 4 stations, each with a different group team-building activity. like you, i was so amazed at HOW DIFFERENT the tone and participation level was in each group and how a tiny minority of kids would set the tone for the entire group (whether positive or negative).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com