Check out this series.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/opinion/series/steven_strogatz_on_the_elements_of_math/index.html
Monday, November 15, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
The Zen of Junior High Math
Yesterday while co-teaching integral exponents to seventh graders, one class whined and belly-ached throughout the class about how we didn't show them how to do all the different types of problems and how they just couldn't get it. After doing the corrections, we could overhear some of them conspiring to fill the board with questions so as to not have homework assigned. My brilliant co-teacher started in on the day's lesson before going over the corrections and then assigned homework anyway. I suggested throwing in the word problems at the end of the worksheet for good measure.
The next class came in. No whining, only questions about what they must not have understood from the day before. Nearly everyone in the class participated and worked really hard to understand the concept. "What's the base?" resounded throughout the room in booming bass voices. We could see the light bulbs starting to go on for more and more of the kids. One boy at the front sighed, "Oh, I get that." After homework was assigned (sans the word problems), one girl came to us and said, "I feel so smart. I think I get it." The other teacher grinned and said, "That's because you are smart, dear."
The first class reminds me of the Zen story about the young monk who goes to a monastery to learn from an old master. The master serves tea to the student and keeps pouring until the teacup overflows. The student protests and tells the master that he is spilling the tea and wasting it. The master calmly looks at the student and says, "You are like this teacup. You are already so full of yourself that there is no room for anything else."
The second class was receptive and open to learning. Not being full of ideas about how the integral exponents ought to work, the class allowed us to guide them through the various rules and pitfalls. The other teacher and I can only help where there is willingness to be open to a new idea.
The next class came in. No whining, only questions about what they must not have understood from the day before. Nearly everyone in the class participated and worked really hard to understand the concept. "What's the base?" resounded throughout the room in booming bass voices. We could see the light bulbs starting to go on for more and more of the kids. One boy at the front sighed, "Oh, I get that." After homework was assigned (sans the word problems), one girl came to us and said, "I feel so smart. I think I get it." The other teacher grinned and said, "That's because you are smart, dear."
The first class reminds me of the Zen story about the young monk who goes to a monastery to learn from an old master. The master serves tea to the student and keeps pouring until the teacup overflows. The student protests and tells the master that he is spilling the tea and wasting it. The master calmly looks at the student and says, "You are like this teacup. You are already so full of yourself that there is no room for anything else."
The second class was receptive and open to learning. Not being full of ideas about how the integral exponents ought to work, the class allowed us to guide them through the various rules and pitfalls. The other teacher and I can only help where there is willingness to be open to a new idea.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Math Club at Rock Island Main Library
This summer the math club is dubbed "Monster Math" to coincide with the RIPL's summer reading program's theme "Scare Up a Good Book." Nothing too monstrous about what I have in store for the children, though. Here's a rundown of what to expect:
June 8: We will read What's Your Angle, Pythagoras? to start exploring Pythagorean's Theorem. Hands-on activities will include measuring with rulers in both metric and U.S. customary units, using graph paper, and exploring the irrationality of
.
June 15: We will read Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi. We will discuss and measure the diameter and circumference of circular objects. We hope to discover pi for ourselves.
June 23: We will read Blockhead : the Life of Fibonacci and Growing Patterns : Fibonacci Numbers in Nature. We will explore the Fibonacci sequence in natural objects.
June 30: We will read Mummy Math: an Adventure in Geometry. We will discuss solids, edges, vertices, and faces. We will explore Platonic solids using gumdrops, marshmallows, and toothpicks.
June 8: We will read What's Your Angle, Pythagoras? to start exploring Pythagorean's Theorem. Hands-on activities will include measuring with rulers in both metric and U.S. customary units, using graph paper, and exploring the irrationality of
.June 15: We will read Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi. We will discuss and measure the diameter and circumference of circular objects. We hope to discover pi for ourselves.
June 23: We will read Blockhead : the Life of Fibonacci and Growing Patterns : Fibonacci Numbers in Nature. We will explore the Fibonacci sequence in natural objects.
June 30: We will read Mummy Math: an Adventure in Geometry. We will discuss solids, edges, vertices, and faces. We will explore Platonic solids using gumdrops, marshmallows, and toothpicks.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
An essay by a math student
As I was leaving school this morning, I glanced over at the board with photos and articles about Jordan Catholic School. I enjoy seeing what others in our school are doing. One of my favorite things to read are the essays published in The Rock Island Argus that are written by students at Jordan. Imagine my delight and surprise when I read the following.
Enriched Math
By Molly C.
Seventh Grade
Enriched math is a wonderful program offered by Jordan Catholic School to students who have a keen interest in math. The program is for 6th and 7th graders who enjoy math, work hard in Jordan math classes, and like to be challenged with "thinking differently". Mrs. Russell is our teacher, and she makes having to come to school earlier than normal two days a week fun! Our class begins at 7:05 a.m., and we go two days a week. A commitment to get up early and start thinking when we know our friends are still eating breakfast is not always easy. Mrs. Russell manages to mix things up with not only learning from books, but also playing games and working with partners and in groups.
Math is my favorite subject in school, but I never thought of myself as a great math student. Enriched math has taught me to look at math problems in a different way and try to logically figure out math problems. It has helped me raise my math ITBS scores as well. I highly recommend this class to any younger Jordan student who is invited to participate. You and your parents will be pleased with the program. I have enjoyed the two years I have been involved in Enriched Math.
We all need a little confirmation that what we are doing makes a difference to someone. Thanks, Molly, I needed that.
Enriched Math
By Molly C.
Seventh Grade
Enriched math is a wonderful program offered by Jordan Catholic School to students who have a keen interest in math. The program is for 6th and 7th graders who enjoy math, work hard in Jordan math classes, and like to be challenged with "thinking differently". Mrs. Russell is our teacher, and she makes having to come to school earlier than normal two days a week fun! Our class begins at 7:05 a.m., and we go two days a week. A commitment to get up early and start thinking when we know our friends are still eating breakfast is not always easy. Mrs. Russell manages to mix things up with not only learning from books, but also playing games and working with partners and in groups.
Math is my favorite subject in school, but I never thought of myself as a great math student. Enriched math has taught me to look at math problems in a different way and try to logically figure out math problems. It has helped me raise my math ITBS scores as well. I highly recommend this class to any younger Jordan student who is invited to participate. You and your parents will be pleased with the program. I have enjoyed the two years I have been involved in Enriched Math.
We all need a little confirmation that what we are doing makes a difference to someone. Thanks, Molly, I needed that.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
The Mathman (taken from Don Cohen's website)
9 March 2008 Homeschooling mom emails Don: "Dear Don, ..I teach an enrichment math class to 6th and 7th grade students. I also tutor between 8-10 children a week separately from my work in the classroom. I am excited by your philosophy and methods. I am not a certified teacher. I just happen to be a homeschooling mom who was passionate about preventing innumeracy in my children. I read Marilyn Burns and used Miquon Math. From there I discovered Harold Jacobs' books and The Number Devil. I hate timed tests for times tables. I always want my students to find the pattern and connections between math topics. I especially want them to get excited and see the beauty of mathematics.
Don Cohen is my math hero. His site is not flashy, but his methods are nothing short of wondrous. I had the privilege of spending two days with him and his lovely wife, Marilyn. Watching him in action with his students is what I imagine it is like for people who claim to gain a spiritual benefit by being in the presence of their guru. Don's presence and manner with his students inspired me as much as his work, Calculus By and For Young People.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Miquon Math
When parents ask me for my recommendation for math curricula for younger children, I sing the praises of Miquon Math, six consumable workbooks used with Cuisenaire rods, a necessary investment for this program. As a person who values discovery and understanding over rote memorization, I appreciate the connections that this series fosters. As much as I believe that math facts are best internalized (and memorized backwards and forwards), some people really have an inability to hold on to rote facts. This is one of the strengths of Miquon with its emphasis on mathematical relationships and pattern recognition. Miquon is great for visual and kinesthetic learners.
Because I mostly work with middle schoolers, I am particularly sensitive to the gaps that I notice in math education as they mainfest in the 6th-8th grades. I often create lessons based on Miquon Lab sheets for my math enrichment students. (These are the "top-scoring" students on standardized tests.)
Real-life scenario:
My then seven year old daughter happened to be working on square and triangular numbers in the Green Book as I was teaching my sixth grade class about numerical relationships, including these topics. As I heard protests from some of my students that the work we were doing was "too advanced," I pulled out my daughter's workbook. "If my second/third grader can figure this out, I imagine that you all will be able to learn this as well." I worry that the sense of adventure and discovery in learning has been lost to most of my students. Miquon fosters this "I can figure this out for myself" sensibility.
Now, I must say that I don't adhere to using the lab sheets as presented in Lab Sheet Annotations and Mathematics for the Primary Teacher. Sometimes I show my children a standard algorithm (the step-by-step method of solving a problem), and sometimes we skip pages. I don't count on Miquon to teach my children their math facts, but I know that my children are not afraid of math and do not have math blocks. There are plenty of other ways to learn math facts (games, flashcards, songs, etc.), and I know most other parents supplement with these methods regardless of curriculum. Let's face it; the children who excel in school often have parents who are supplementing in some way at home. Why should it be any different for homeschoolers?
Benefits:
Inexpensive (Each book is about $7.00.)
Simple, uncluttered layout
Promotes problem solving ability and discovery
Caveats:
May need supplementation for math facts (especially if this makes you feel more comfortable)
Nerve wracking for parents who prefer using the math algorithms they learned in school
Lack of instructions for first time users (buy the Annotations book)
May lead to frustration when your child places in Saxon 65 at the end of the program (or is that a benefit?)
Because I mostly work with middle schoolers, I am particularly sensitive to the gaps that I notice in math education as they mainfest in the 6th-8th grades. I often create lessons based on Miquon Lab sheets for my math enrichment students. (These are the "top-scoring" students on standardized tests.)
Real-life scenario:
My then seven year old daughter happened to be working on square and triangular numbers in the Green Book as I was teaching my sixth grade class about numerical relationships, including these topics. As I heard protests from some of my students that the work we were doing was "too advanced," I pulled out my daughter's workbook. "If my second/third grader can figure this out, I imagine that you all will be able to learn this as well." I worry that the sense of adventure and discovery in learning has been lost to most of my students. Miquon fosters this "I can figure this out for myself" sensibility.
Now, I must say that I don't adhere to using the lab sheets as presented in Lab Sheet Annotations and Mathematics for the Primary Teacher. Sometimes I show my children a standard algorithm (the step-by-step method of solving a problem), and sometimes we skip pages. I don't count on Miquon to teach my children their math facts, but I know that my children are not afraid of math and do not have math blocks. There are plenty of other ways to learn math facts (games, flashcards, songs, etc.), and I know most other parents supplement with these methods regardless of curriculum. Let's face it; the children who excel in school often have parents who are supplementing in some way at home. Why should it be any different for homeschoolers?
Benefits:
Inexpensive (Each book is about $7.00.)
Simple, uncluttered layout
Promotes problem solving ability and discovery
Caveats:
May need supplementation for math facts (especially if this makes you feel more comfortable)
Nerve wracking for parents who prefer using the math algorithms they learned in school
Lack of instructions for first time users (buy the Annotations book)
May lead to frustration when your child places in Saxon 65 at the end of the program (or is that a benefit?)
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