It doesn't hurt to ask...

Today, in math we learned...so many things...but what's sticking in my mind is how important it is to know what you need and want for your classroom. Just as important, know how you might use it in the classroom, and why it would make you a better teacher/ help students learn. If you don't ask for the things that will help your career and help students, then how on earth are you going to get them?? You have to ask! And if they say no...No big deal! At least you can reroute and know how to ask again later if needed or if you get the opportunity.


I need to apply this element of preparedness into my life, into my career, into my classroom, because I want to be prepared to help my students and colleagues. Really, it's just a part of being prepared...prepared with ways to grow, learn, and teach. I need to apply this by quite literally having a list of the things I could use and need. So I will be making my list...both in  my mind and physically on a handy piece of paper...My need list!

I'm still wondering how to do we create interest in math? Some students find relevance in school or subjects very easily compared to others. How can we help students find interest to do the work and to do it well?
 For that matter, how do we encourage a passion for education that will continue throughout their lives so they can use it to create opportunities in life?
Yeah..lots of questions..that's just how I think.

Acorns take a long time to grow...

Thank you for the acorns today. I do love those trees...but man do they grow slowly!

I'm thinking about the many ways we learned to be active and interactive while teaching math. Today was full of wonderful tips, ideas, inspiration! I'm letting it all setting in and looking forward to how these ideas will grow with me and become a rooted part of my teaching.

The manipulatives that we worked with today were helpful in numerous ways. The geometric shapes we were interacting with helped me in numerous ways. Being able to understand which shapes and rules apply to each other and can or cannot change in various ways, deepened my understanding of geometry. It helped my technology skills working! That's interdisciplinary (at least for me ;)!

Using the program and interaction with shapes on the "Can you make it" program helps build technology skills AND mathematics; it could be use with students of various ages. I work with second graders and I could see them benefiting from the interaction of these virtual manipulatives. It not only will sharpen their understanding of the quadrilaterals, or other shapes, but it helped them use their motor skills and technology skills at the same time. Sounds like a great way to keep kids of all ages (even in college) interacting with technology and math of all shapes, sizes, and styles....

I'm still wondering about...  How on earth did you get that "Buzz Light Year" to show you exactly the motion and   bounce that you wanted to demonstrate!! That is some serious corduroy, jumper, teacher skill!!

Literacy

I've been having a wonderful time getting to know my buddy, E. He has welcomed my partner and I with smiles and loads of information each time we've been able to visit with him. He shares his interests, skills, and strengths willingly. In school, he likes math the best, although he excels in all subjects that we've seen. His communication is entertaining and exciting; I'm always looking forward to what things I will learn of him next! Amongst his many talents, his reading and writing are exceptional! Although he doesn't claim it's his favorite, he does spend a lot of time immersing himself in both. His favorites are fantasy, fiction, and futuristic style of reading and writing.We were able to get through both the 4th grade reading passages and he scored solidly in the 75th percentile! Only making one or two miscues in each passage! His comprehension is good, and his retell is impressive. Details of the text stay in his memory seemingly effortless.

This last session with E finally revealed something we can work on with him. His comprehension was excellent with explicit questions; however, the implicit questions strained him. He was able to get about half of them right without looking back into the text. When able to look back he found implicit answers quickly and used good strategies to look through the text quickly to help him find the place of interest to the question.
I would like to work with E on his implicit comprehension. Inference skills are always in need for improvement with readers of all levels. I would like to work with E in a book that is favorable to him; a fantasy or futuristic style book would probably be the best. I would like to take the time to slow his reading down and prompt his thinking of the text. E's reading is fast and he is usally eager to hear the story, so he might be missing key parts of the text that allow inference to be embedded. Using prompting questions, predictions, and slowing him down would help him grasp the hidden, deeper meanings that texts can hold.
What have you learned about your buddy’s needs, abilities and interests?
As a result of this knowledge, what learning objectives and materials are you considering using for your lesson?

Tangram! Just make a square...how hard can it be?

Today I learned a new way of using writing in math as a method of interdisciplinary instruction and as a tool to better understand mathematics. In our discussion about creative writing in mathematics, my mind was opened to endless opportunities of mathematical writing. (This discussion  was based off the fun and enlightening article we read, Using Creative Writing and Literature in Mathematics Classes). This interdisciplinary idea is using math as a tool in so many different ways: creativity, assessment in their understanding of mathematical concepts, expression, etc. This isn't a way to assess grammar and fluency, this is a way to understand the mathematical ideas and concepts that they are grasping and/or struggling with.

This would be so great to use in the classroom. It opens the door for students who struggle in math. They are able to use their writing, drawing, and/or story telling skills to express themselves in math in a better way. They no longer have to feel as if they are not "good at anything" in math. Their "strengths" in other  subjects will let them do well in math too. It could help them feel more confident and secure with their work in math. Because after all, math is connected to everything else right? Well lets show the students how, and maybe ourselves! This is useful to both the teacher and the students! Beautiful!

I am still wondering if this lesson can be used often in our "scheduled curriculum" that I'm being more immersed in? I'm picturing teachers struggling with implementing this, because it is a little more time consuming than just asking a student questions via worksheet to find out what they know about concepts and ideas etc. But it is such a valuable resource, isn't it worth the time for both us and our students? If we (as teachers) only resort to the worksheet questions for evaluating how are students understand the material, then we will miss so much that they have to offer. They have much more to offer us in their understanding if we expect them to express it, and if creative writing is the way to get them there, then let's do it! Plus it's fun, refreshing, and supportive of their varying strengths! So how can we get more teachers to take the time to use this lovely interdisciplinary lesson?

Also, I'm still wondering if I'll EVER solve a Tangram puzzle on my own!!!??? It's been slowly eating at my ego my whole life! 

ITouch Differentiated Learning 2

In my thinking about how to use the ITouch in the classroom, I am really stuck. I love the ideas my cohort members have and are sharing via our Wiki site. Using the ITouch for the entire classroom's use and/or for my use with students, sounds like an interactive and exciting way to keep the students involved. Most ideas really utilize time and efficiency. It's beneficial to both me as a teacher and my students. I truly do look forward to using these ideas in my classroom instruction.

 In our literacy class, we get to use it a little with our buddies. So far, my buddy gets really excited that we are using the technology with him. It even seems to let him know that he is so important to us, that we are willing to use this tool to enhance our experience/learning together.  

However, I'm struggling with using the ITouch for differentiated instruction....Other than the ideas  I was able to pull out that could possibly help Cornelius, Bruno, and Maximus. I struggle to find ways in which students who are struggling can find support from the ITouch, especially if they are on their own. If they are struggling to keep up, how will they be able to handle the ITouch? So I guess, I'm wondering how to let struggling students use this tool individually?  

I'm going to need to stretch my mind in the next few weeks. How else can I use this to help my struggling students do better and without my complete support? (other than using apps that scribe the lesson for them etc....)?

Learning to be prepared...is it possible?

Today I learned, to be much more specific with my objectives. I had it drilled into my head again, that they HAVE TO BE MEASURABLE! Indeed...this is why I love math; I can learn how to measure things, even objectives!! Okay seriously, ensuring that the concepts and ideas that are taught, are done so in a measurable way. I'm thinking more concretely...which is good, because I like having my feet on the ground...preferably grass but I'll settle with concrete.
Anyway, I also learned the more math I can immerse myself in the better prepared I will be for my students. I have to have the experience that will enable me to be able to teach math better to students. It is my responsibility to be prepared to offer students different ways solving and understanding problems.
My favorite take away message, is to start with the end in mind! Plan our lessons backwards.

I'm still wondering, about the idea of modeling. Well, when we model we have to be sure to model how to handle failure, struggle, and humility. More on this to come after some heavy percolation...
Confidence is the most intrinsic motivation for math. How do I use this as  a tool and/or power to help them learn, enjoy, and do well in math?

To use these ideas in the classroom...in order to establish confidence and interest in math.... (and this is another favorite quote and thought from today)...use "Open ended work that can be assessed in different ways and taken in different directions...." I'm learning more about this every week. Heck! Every day!

Good timing on the "pep talk"  we have all been being burnt out and beat up with the massive lesson plans and observations....You give us a realistic balance to be "prepared" for teaching. 

Gap Find the Mira

In math I learned and found fun ways to do lessons and activities with the ultimate graphing resource Gapminder. As I've said before, this tool has endless possibilities with students of various ages! And it's pretty fun to just play with for kicks. I really enjoyed the gallery walk...specifically I thought it was unique that we got to leave questions and comments on the graphs and posters. Thinking about how others organized their data forced us all out of our comfort zones. When I came back to my own graph and poster, I loved seeing the comments that everyone left for us. I had to think of alternative ways to represent my data, findings, and conclusion. This can be hard as a teacher..presenting students with alternative explanations of material...

I'm still pondering the Mira that we got to experiment with during class. It was such a simple device...with manipulatives like that it makes me wonder if we really need the virtual manipulatives on my ITouch...Then I play with the fancy apps and ponder the seemingly endless opportunities it brings.
How can we use the Mira in other ways than just for Congruence?
In my school we have a very specific math curriculum, how can I fit these creative math activities into the curriculum? Am I allowed to venture into my own ideas?

I can picture classrooms using the Mira to work with patterns, especially when the patterns are geometric. Patterns are accessible for all ages...I can still remember working with patterns in the second grade. If I'd have a Mira to work with I would have been able to make and understand complex geometric patterns even at such a young age.