tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651514617266100245.post9149186814307287247..comments2024-01-03T04:58:04.221-05:00Comments on I Hope This Old Train Breaks Down...: 11 Recommendations to Middle-ish Grades Math TeachersUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651514617266100245.post-27852763396966130022013-02-26T15:20:20.296-05:002013-02-26T15:20:20.296-05:00Hi, Mimi,
I came across your blog via David Wees,...Hi, Mimi,<br /><br />I came across your blog via David Wees, and love that your #1 is making learning fun!!<br /><br />As a fellow mathematics educator I thought you might be able to help in spreading the word about an educational TV show for preteens about math that we're putting together. "The Number Hunter" is a cross between Bill Nye The Science Guy and The Crocodile Hunter -- bringing math to children in an innovative, adventurous way. I’d really appreciate your help in getting the word out about the project. <br /><br />http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/564889170/the-number-hunter-promo<br /><br />I studied math education at Jacksonville University and the University of Florida. It became clear to me during my studies why we’re failing at teaching kids math. We're teaching it all wrong! Bill Nye taught kids that science is FUN. He showed them the EXPLOSIONS first and then the kids went to school to learn WHY things exploded. Kids learn about dinosaurs and amoeba and weird ocean life to make them go “wow”. But what about math? You probably remember the dreaded worksheets. Ugh. <br /><br />I’m sure you know math is much more exciting than people think. Fractal Geometry was used to create “Star Wars” backdrops, binary code was invented in Africa, The Great Pyramids and The Mona Lisa, wouldn’t exist without geometry.<br />Our concept is to create an exciting, web-based TV show that’s both fun and educational.<br /><br />If you could consider posting about the project on your blog, I’d very much appreciate it. Also, if you'd be interested in link exchanging (either on The Number Hunter site, which is in development, or on StatisticsHowTo.com which is a well-established site with 300,000 page views a month) please shoot me an email. We're also always looking for input and ideas from other math educators!<br /><br />Thanks in advance for your help,<br /><br />Stephanie<br />andalepublishing@gmail.com<br />http://www.thenumberhunter.com<br />http://www.statisticshowto.com<br />http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/564889170/the-number-hunter-promo<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01750774889132999541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651514617266100245.post-68119127893066106252013-01-15T16:51:40.761-05:002013-01-15T16:51:40.761-05:00I think your idea sounds great! I'll have to t...I think your idea sounds great! I'll have to try that. I've written a little bit about this, but nothing substantial or earth-shattering. untilnextstophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15285583728476473117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651514617266100245.post-42290681812690107542013-01-14T21:25:11.263-05:002013-01-14T21:25:11.263-05:00I really like all of these, and how you emphasize ...I really like all of these, and how you emphasize that the MEANING behind all of the concepts that have the "tricks" to remember them is the only way kids will retain the information.<br /><br />I also like you how follow up with WRITING in math class, and a fun learning environment - all in the name of retention!<br /><br />But what I think I love the most, and what I'd love to hear more about from you (and I apologize if you have written a post about this already) -- distinguishing between conceptual and procedural errors in students work. How do you organize your life to provide individualized intervention? I give out exit tickets and then correct them and sort them into similar mistakes. Usually I use these mini groups working together to figure out their mistakes as a beginning of class activity, but its often crudely designed - I am a master at writing a directive for a group on a post it note 2 minutes before class starts.Jessica Aitorohttp://mrsaitoromath.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651514617266100245.post-22971852936937803502012-12-11T18:00:57.765-05:002012-12-11T18:00:57.765-05:00I love your point on rise/run.
I do research in t...I love your point on rise/run. <br />I do research in teacher and student understandings of slope and it is so, so true, that people can know this phrase and have no idea how to solve a problem involving slope if it looks just a little different than what they are used to seeing.Cameronhttp://mathlovergrowsup.teachforus.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651514617266100245.post-15555078586297813872012-12-09T10:50:07.362-05:002012-12-09T10:50:07.362-05:00Absolutely agree in all the points! (greetings fro...Absolutely agree in all the points! (greetings from spain!)xavihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13507465487321961443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651514617266100245.post-69691393793220537032012-12-09T10:37:19.676-05:002012-12-09T10:37:19.676-05:00I think a lot of that is founded in integers, not ...I think a lot of that is founded in integers, not "radical" at all. *cymbal crash*<br /><br />In all seriousness, #10 is a bit of a slippery slope. Um, so to speak. If the students who can see it in their heads are forced to write things down, they may start to see math as just a set of procedures leading to the "right" answer, rather than something intuitive. Or worse, they may start to hate math because they're being forced to write down the blindingly obvious. I think what might be better is to simply toss the "intuitive" students one with a fraction or something, so that they see that there are times when a method is necessary to validate (for them or their peers) what they may already suspect.<br /><br />As for #7 (and #6 for that matter), I think some of that is a facet of human memory. You can teach an entire unit on rate of change and scatterplots and patterning in tables, but then spend just half a period at some point in the subsequent unit on "rise"/"run" (or y = mx + b) and what's the thing that sticks with students at the end of the course? Yeah. Been there. (I think they also teach it in science.) I realize the suggestion leans towards don't do it AT ALL, but in this age of communication, that's impossible. When I first start in on equations for lines of best fit, with them having NEVER done two variable equations before, there's always at least 2 or 3 students who are all "is this a y=mx + b then?" ("NO. This is unit rates. That's later.").<br /><br />Supplement to #2, communication questions or reflections can help solidify some terms that they scramble up. Finally, for some reason, never considered talking about trig ratios as percentages (tend to go with 'it's a decimal ratio to one'. I like that, hopefully I remember to use it. Thanks!Gregory Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06547180132612659893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651514617266100245.post-49917845412409839872012-12-09T08:44:00.356-05:002012-12-09T08:44:00.356-05:00:) I'm glad you don't just think I'm a...:) I'm glad you don't just think I'm a grinch! I tried to offer replacement methods for all the traditional ones I'm shooting down. untilnextstophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15285583728476473117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651514617266100245.post-43293289007246952062012-12-09T02:30:55.127-05:002012-12-09T02:30:55.127-05:00+all of this+all of thisJason Buellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03029995715142652159noreply@blogger.com