Skip to main content

6/21/11

Today I've really gotten to harnass my inner English teacher! We've been updating training manuals for the newest version of Hy-Vee's software. We found a very quick and easy way to include Tables of Contents and hyperlinks so that the manuals are more user friendly and easier to navigate online.

I've gone back and forth in previous instances about the role of writing in the math classroom. There's no doubt in my mind that writing about math is an extremely valuable tool, and I absolutely want my kids to be used to writing their thinking and putting explanations down on paper from the very beginning of the school year. I wonder how much emphasis I should put on using proper sentences and correct grammar. If I am only thinking about their understanding of math, then perhaps their grammar and punctuation are not very important; however, if I consider their other classes, the college requirements they will face, and the skills they will need for almost any job, I should definitely use writing about math as another opportunity to strengthen their overall writing and communication skills. They will need to write professional emails even in high school to their teachers. They will need to write essays and business letters to get into college and when applying for jobs, and that probably won't be all. This externship is a perfect example of how you never know when you're going to need to use your writing skills.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

God and Classroom Management

Ezekiel 20:11-13 "I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws," (God gave clear and consistent expectations. I would bet he made sure they were available in multiple formats so people could both read and hear them.) "for the man who obeys them will live by them." (I have way more wisdom and knowledge, not to mentioned a fully developed frontal lobe. I know the results of those bad choices already, so seriously, listen to me for your own good...) "Also I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the Lord made them holy." (Here I imagine God feels like I do when I spend hours planning a hands-on lesson that would make me curious and excited as a student. I bet he looked forward to the Sabbath because he imagined how excited he would be as a human to have this day to rest and appreciate what a great and loving God they have. He wants us to know he loves us and wants what's best for us, just like I want my ...

School vs. Real Life

I read a post on facebook today about things in the real world that students don't learn in school. It got me thinking about how we spiral everything in Geometry and Algebra 2. Here's how it works... We teach a brand new unit for about 2 weeks. During that time, we review something from a particular previous unit each day so that by the end of those two weeks, they have learned all the new material a little bit each day and reviewed all the "spiral" material a little bit each day. Then we give two tests, one over the new material and one over the "spiral" material. By doing this, they will experience all material once as new and a second time as spiral. This will allow them to take two tests over every unit. Their first test score affects their grade, but if they score higher on the second test, they get to keep just the higher score. If they score lower on the second test, we average the two test scores. Most students score higher on the second test becau...

"I feel like a bully when I expect the same achievement out of all students at the same time."

I have been teaching exponents to freshman and sophomores for the last week and a half. I had a carefully planned graphic organizer. I planned on spending 1 or 2 days per exponent property and moving on with the year without too much difficulty... Little did I know what I was up against. Apparently, exponents are not as simple as I had always thought they were. I don't think I really cared in high school why the properties worked. I was great at memorizing things that I needed to know, and so I never had a problem or a need to know, "Why." I was a grade-chaser all the way. Well after teaching every exponent property in the unit and giving a 5-question lesson quiz, I learned that perhaps some of my students had learned nothing over the last week and a half... That's not really true. They had partially learned the properties in isolation, but putting everything together was just too overwhelming. I agree, the students need more practice, but if I had sent them home ...