Mathematical Literacy
Mathematical Literacy Integrating Literacy Development Opportunities in Your Instruction A few years ago I attended a professional development seminar designed to help American math teachers integrate best practices and strategies required for their students to be successful with the Cambridge IGCSE program. I was a guest “reference-source,” in the seminar because of the success … Read more
Favorite Technology
My Favorite Technology With the invention of the radio came claims that, “This will revolutionize education, forever.” Then came television, and more claims that, “This will revolutionize education, forever.” Then came the VHS player. You guessed it, more, “This will revolutionize education, forever.” Then the internet came along, and louder than ever were the claims … Read more
Teaching Square Roots Conceptually
Teaching Square Roots Conceptually teaching square roots How to Teach Square Roots Conceptually If you have taught for any length of time, you’ll surely have seen one of these two things below. 24−−√=62–√ or 4–√=2–√24=62 or 4=2 MathType@MTEF@5@5@+=feaagKart1ev2aqatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLnhiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq=Jc9vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0=yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr=xfr=xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWaaOaaaeaacaaIYaGaaGinaaWcbeaakiabg2da9iaaiAdadaGcaaqaaiaaikdaaSqabaGccaqGGaGaaeiiaiaabccacaqGVbGaaeOCaiaabccacaaMc8UaaGPaVlaaykW7caaMc8+aaOaaaeaacaaI0aaaleqaaOGaeyypa0ZaaOaaaeaacaaIYaaaleqaaaaa@479C@ Sure, this can be corrected procedurally. But, over time, they’ll forget the procedure and revert back to following whatever misconception … Read more
Re-Teach Idea
Re-Teaching Idea Background My Algebra 1 class has miserably failed to demonstrate minimal proficiency with the basic tenets of graphing linear equations. The class average was under 50% on a very basic quiz, one whose questions were well covered during the week. Further, during the week, not a single student reported difficulty with independent practice, … Read more
Influential Teachers
Influential Teachers Teaching was never on the radar for me. I loathed school, and didn’t hold much respect for teachers, or the profession of teaching. When I went to college, not much changed along those lines, at first. Now, I’m so passionate about the profession that I’m devoting a lot of my time and resources … Read more
homework
This article helps you to understand the role of homework and how to better motivate students to complete their homework.
This
Let’s talk about THE question in a teacher’s life … the baleful, “When am I going to use this in my real life?” Yeah, that one. The honest answer is probably, never… and they know it. Why else ask, if not to subvert and diminish your role and purpose? They don’t really want an answer. … Read more
Best Practices
Philosophy and Best Practices Cart Before the Horse The easy part of teaching any curriculum is the curriculum. The hard part of learning to teach a new curriculum is figuring out how to teach it most effectively. For the sake of clarity, effective teaching will develop student conceptual understanding and problem solving. Earmarks of quality … Read more
Student Skills and Tools
The biggest hurdle in transitioning from Middle School to High School is the lacking set of student skills possessed by incoming Freshmen. Students come in failing to appreciate the importance of homework, struggle to think independently, cannot communicate mathematical thinking, and are easily frustrated to the point of quitting. This observation is not a knock … Read more
Thoughts on Teaching
Foundation 1. The goal: If the question, “When am I going to use this in my real life,” derails your class, there’s a problem with your purpose and goal. The truth is, almost nothing after taught 5th grade is knowledge used daily. The purpose of education is not to teach MLA formatting or how to … Read more
