In one of my recent classes, we had a guest speaker. The speaker was a Black professor of math education. She spoke of one of her favorite high school math classes and math teachers. He was a white Calculus teacher. She loved that class and thought he was a phenomenal instructor. However, she mentioned that … Continue reading Your cultural lexicon: who’s “in” and who’s “out”
A protocol for emerging bilingual problem solvers: a reflection on Kitchen (2014)
(Note: this blog post is cross-posted in my weekly page of doctoral musings (Week 5). If you're interested in the journey or random insights from research, be sure to check those out. In this case I found the research article eminently practical so I figured it'd be worth posting on the BLOG blog.) Of all … Continue reading A protocol for emerging bilingual problem solvers: a reflection on Kitchen (2014)
Math Bootcamp Mini-Series Part 5: Putting it all together. Additional nuts & bolts and an example syllabus.
In this miniseries we’ve covered how to promote and incorporate diverse identities into your syllabus, ways to promote a myriad of types of mathematical thinking, how to establish and teach norms, and laying out the year in a Hilbertian “challenge problem” style. Now we’re going to put it all together. I’ll give some additional suggestions … Continue reading Math Bootcamp Mini-Series Part 5: Putting it all together. Additional nuts & bolts and an example syllabus.
Math Syllabus Bootcamp Part 4: Anchor Problems. A Hilbert-ian approach to curriculum mapping
In 1900, mathematician David Hilbert famously published 23 as yet unsolved math problems. The problems covered a large swath of math fields. They served as a challenge and inspiration for 20th century mathematicians. I propose taking that same approach to laying out your content units for the year. Most syllabi showcase content via unit titles: … Continue reading Math Syllabus Bootcamp Part 4: Anchor Problems. A Hilbert-ian approach to curriculum mapping
Math Syllabus Bootcamp Part 3: Norms. What are expectations for quality collaborative work?
(This is Part 3 in a mini-series on constructing a math syllabus. I hope it challenges you to think about possible ways to vision your classroom, even if you don't utilize all the ideas. Check out the previous entries via the links below.) Norms exist in every classroom, whether they are on a placard on … Continue reading Math Syllabus Bootcamp Part 3: Norms. What are expectations for quality collaborative work?
Math Syllabus Bootcamp Part 2: Smartness. What does it mean to be a mathematician?
In Part 1 of this mini-series, we looked at how we can promote diverse identities in mathematics from the first artifacts students see: you, your syllabus, and your classroom. Here in Part 2, we’ll examine the mathematical habits, behaviors, and skills that ensure students will be able to participate fully. Like with identity, students and … Continue reading Math Syllabus Bootcamp Part 2: Smartness. What does it mean to be a mathematician?
Math Syllabus Bootcamp Part 1: Identity. Who is a Mathematician?
Part 1: Identity: Who is a mathematician? (Good morning and welcome to Math Syllabus Bootcamp! This is Part One of a five part Emergent Math mini-series. Today’s topic is on how to incorporate and welcome diverse identities from the very outset of the school year. Be sure to check out the other parts of this … Continue reading Math Syllabus Bootcamp Part 1: Identity. Who is a Mathematician?
Your Math Syllabus Boot Camp
This blog post introduces a new mini-series from Emergent Math: your math syllabus bootcamp. Also, be sure to check out Geoff’s previous mini-series: Routines, Lessons, Problems and Projects. I often stumbled into the school year. August appeared and suddenly I was aware that I needed to get back into a proper working routine. Most of … Continue reading Your Math Syllabus Boot Camp
A DRAFT rubric to assess the Common Core State Standards of Mathematical Practice
The Common Core Standards of Mathematical Practice (MPs) have been available for a while now. They lay out eight habits that mathematicians embody. They've been instructive in what to teach and how to teach. They've also been helpful in providing a comprehensive vision of what math classrooms can be. MP1. Make sense of problems and … Continue reading A DRAFT rubric to assess the Common Core State Standards of Mathematical Practice
Where does a letter occur in a word? A matching activity
Whenever and however we come back together as math classes this Fall, we're going to need to spend considerable time building up students' mathematical identities. Chances are students are going to be entering your classroom with a wider array of math learning experiences over the prior six months than ever before. Therefore we need a … Continue reading Where does a letter occur in a word? A matching activity
