HS Math teacher since 1987; AP Calc AB/BC; instructional coach; NBCT; passionate about innovative instructional practices & technology; geeky math chick
NC
Joined May 2016
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Shout out to my AP Calculus students for working hard on their #APCalculusBCExam today. Fueled early this morning by #BigStevesBagels
Got a S today from another district; had a lovely color-coded notebook w/glued-in diagrams. Same material we’re doing right now. S doesn’t understand it & can’t do it. He jumped into some #vnps problems w/my class & I overheard him say, “oh, that makes sense” #btcforthewin
Tired of dealing w/educational malpractice. Telling a S “you were supposed to learn this last yr” is mean; S didn’t learn it, the reason is irrelevant, so stop & fix it. If you plan your lessons well, you can make time to fix things & still cover content. Ask me how I know. 😡
It has taken 8 school days, but my incl/strd level math Ss finally trust that I want them to be successful. Everyday, more of them ask Qs & want my help & they are learning to use all their math tools to help them be successful! Whew! We have finally turned the corner. #80togo
Wanted to do a #vnps activity in Strd/Incl Math 2 today, just starting the semester, but ran out of time; BUT the last 5 mins of class, we’re turning in work & several groups of Ss hung around the board arguing over how to get the sum… @mathequalslove (thx!) So excited for Mon!
❤️ @vocaroo ! I record myself reading a test aloud, save the recording as a QR code, add to the top corner of a test. Anyone who needs read aloud can scan & listen with earbuds & a phone. Game changer in my HS math classes for my ELL Ss & other who need read aloud. Easy & Free!!!
I derived QF for Ss; we’ve done standard, factored, & vertex form. Ss understand connections algebraically & graphically. But, . . . w/technology, is the QF still a necessary skill? I’ve been teaching 34 yrs, so I know the math & purpose, just questioning relevance.
For quadratic eqs, let Ss investigate vertex form first via graph investigations that help them understand shifts & scale changes, THEN simplify to std form. You’d be surprised how easy reverse engineering from std to vertex form is (aka Comp the Sq) for Ss this way. #graphs>eqs
Snatch It Match It for inverse variation graphs; understanding shifts, asymptotes, stretch, & shrink
Started the day with thank you notes from Ss in my mailbox! @WjhsNc #attitudeofgratitude
Because I covered a class last week & was a human to the Ss, one stopped by to say hi this morning. I was surprised.
It isn’t hard to be kind, even when doing a bothersome task. Ss deserve kindness. It should be our default attitude.
Obs from this week:
1) Why bother w/“special right” triangles? Cool relationships, but memorizing 2 cases out of all rt triangles? No.
2) Why bother simplifying radicals? Calculators are accurate to 8,9,10 decimal places.
3) Why aren’t our HS math standards updated? #rhetorical
As Ss finish tests, I highlight incorrect problems & they correct them by the end of class. I have been doing it a few years with standard level Ss & know it helps. This year, I have advanced level Ss, & I wanted their take. This comment is exactly why I do it . . .
When Ss work at review stations, but have different problems from the stations to complete, I hear lots of great conversations! @WjhsNc #vnps
Can we stop believing that Honors HS math courses should have loads of homework? That is NOT what makes a course honors. Deep thinking questions & investigations should take precedence over HW in every HS math class, even more so in honors. Say no to HW. Say yes to deep thinking!
Karen Collins retweeted
HAPPENING NOW: @JCPS_NC is celebrating its improved student test scores. Johnston County is the only school system in #NC to see a major decrease in under-performing schools. 14 schools were low-performing in 2018/19. This year, 5 schools are listed as low-performing. @WRAL – at North Carolina, USA
These ALA Schools are starting to pop up in NC, so this is worth a read:
azcentral.com/story/news/loc…
