Three Things

Posted on by stilllearning2b

I’m enjoying my first slow cup of coffee since the start of the new school year. My tired feet are enjoying their morning free of heels. My throat, scratchy from overuse, is relishing a day without the need for much in the way of vocalization. This, the first pause of the school year, is when I finally get a chance to get to know my students.

From almost my first year in the classroom, I’ve started the year with the same homework assignment. It’s simply titled Three Things.

Three Things

Please write in complete sentences.

What are three things you like about math?

What are three things you don’t like about math?

What are three things I should know about you?

It seems so simple, doesn’t it? Basic questions that should elicit basic responses. Yet, every year, the papers that turned in tell me more than you can imagine about the person behind the writing.

Of course, I learn the basics. I learn if they follow directions. I can tell if they struggle with communicating in writing. Some never even complete the assignment at all and I certainly learn important information from that! I discover who prefers algebra to geometry and who likes to perform computation (not me!). I find out cool facts about each of them that would not be revealed in class (these kids have some great taste in music and hobbies!).

But it goes way deeper.

I learn about their history, both with schooling and with math. Their attitude towards the subject and themselves is clear upon the page.

Some celebrate the challenge of math and discuss the joy of struggle followed by success. They realize that we all fail. They are not afraid to try and try again. They do see themselves as failures even when they fail.

Others share their frustrations when they do not understand something and they internalize the message, calling themselves “dumb” or “stupid” or “bad.” They see their failure as fixed. They are usually timid in class, afraid to try. Many will hide their discomfort behind behaviors, becoming the class clown or the “bad” kid. They would rather not try than to try and risk failing, adding yet another tally to negative view of themselves. When describing what I should know about them, they often say things like, “I try hard even when it seems like I don’t,” “I get upset when I don’t understand things” or “Even though I can be bad in class, I’m really a good kid.”  They want people to know that they are more than their grades. More than their failures.

Those are the kids I focus on from the beginning. Before I ever teach them how to graph a line, I have to reach them. I have to start to change their view of themselves, show them that they are smart and capable. Help them see that everybody struggles with something. Let them experience the pride and accomplishment that comes from hard work and perseverance.

These are the kids that believe that they can’t do math. And the thing is, they’re right. But only because they’re limited by that belief. I have to help them change their beliefs about themselves first. And then I can teach them anything.

It’s amazing to me how ingrained these internal messages can already be in a thirteen year old kid. Just imagine what ours, as adults, must be. What beliefs do you have about yourself that you have been carrying around since childhood? What things do you believe you’re bad at or simply can’t do? Are those beliefs accurate or are they self-fulfilling? Do you ever become the adult version of the class clown or the “bad” kid to hide your own insecurities and feelings of failure? Are you limited by your beliefs?

My homework for you is to complete the adult version of my Three Things assignment.

Please think in honest sentences.

What are three things you value in yourself?

What are three things you believe about yourself?

What are three ways you limit yourself?

Don’t worry; I won’t mark it late if it’s not in by Monday morning:)

For All You Parents…

Posted on by stilllearning2b

I wrote this piece about how to help your child in math for Yahoo. This is the same advice I give the parents of my 8th graders during open house every year. I find the parents are often more fearful of algebra than the students:)

I thought I’d share it here as well, since I know many of you are parents of school age children. I hope this can help lower the stress level in your home this fall!

How to Help Your Child In Math (When You Don’t Know It Yourself)

When Am I Ever Gonna Use This?

Posted on by stilllearning2b
Saarbrücken, HTW, Mathematics Workshop
Saarbrücken, HTW, Mathematics Workshop (Photo credit: flgr)

“When am I ever gonna use this?” As an eighth-grade algebra teacher, I hear this refrain at least once a week. It’s a difficult question to answer. I mean, when is the last time that your employer asked you to factor a polynomial or prove two polygons congruent? The truth is that most of us will never use the myriad of math facts and algorithms in our post-school lives. However, that does not mean that math does not have some valuable lessons for us. The following are lessons that can be learned in an algebra classroom and applied in your life. No calculator required.

Read the rest on The Huffington Post.

What Set Theory Can Teach Us About Marriage

Posted on by stilllearning2b

I was reviewing sets and Venn diagrams with my 8th grade math students last week as I was getting them ready for the round of state tests.  Perhaps it’s a sign that I have been teaching this way too long, but my mind was wandering all over during the lesson.  For some reason, the vocabulary and diagrams of set theory reminded me of marriage.  Weird, I know.  Well, I didn’t include this in my lesson (although maybe they would have been more interested?), but here is what I realized about the connection between three terms in set theory and how they relate to three styles of relationships.

Union

Venn diagram showing A union B.

In math, a union is when two or more sets are combined.  In the Venn diagram above, the union of A and B is the entire shaded region.  The symbol for union is a U.  In a relationship that forms a union, each partner brings his or her whole self to the marriage and loses nothing when their lives overlap.  The area in the center represents the deepening that occurs when two whole, healthy people unite.  The shared region is the marriage, whereas the shaded regions that do not overlap represent the individuals and their independent beliefs and activities.  The symbol for union, U, emphasizes that these relationships are open to outside influence and change.  This would be the ideal relationship, each person contributing, benefiting, and yet remaining intact.

Intersection

Venn diagram showing A intersects B.

An intersection is the region where two or more sets overlap, shown by the center area in the Venn diagram above.  It is represented by the symbol ∩.  In a relationship characterized by the intersection model, each individual came to the marriage whole, but since has lost the part of him or herself that is not shared with the partner.  This is a limited relationship as each person exists only in the overlap.  The symbol for intersection demonstrates this closed, insular nature.  These relationships may last, but you would be hard-pressed to find a happy partner in one.

Subset

Euler diagram showing A is a proper subset of ...

A subset is a set contained entirely within another set, shown with a symbol that looks like a C.  In this type of relationship there is a power imbalance as one partner becomes completely absorbed by the other.  The symbol represents the subset spouse being open only to his or her partner and not accepting any other influence.  A relationship could start out in this fashion or this subset/superset could develop over time.

Which type of relationship best describes your marriage?  Which type do you want to be?  And could you pass the state algebra test now?

 

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The Mathematics of To-Do Lists

Posted on by stilllearning2b

Try as I might, I just can’t seem to figure out the mathematics behind to-do lists.  Sometimes the lists are brief, deceptively hiding the magnitude of the tasks that lie ahead.  At other times, the list can span for pages, yet contain not much more than a moment’s worth of work.  Sometimes  I look at a list that is all crossed off and I feel relief, a sense of accomplishment.  Yet that same page can leave me feeling drained.

This has been one of those weeks where I have felt overwhelmed.  It is a busy month at work, with many pressures from all sides.  My sleep has been fitful, most likely because my mind is spinning and my yoga practice has been somewhat neglected.  My instinct when I feel like this is to slow down, spend quiet time in solitude, and rest.

This is where the strange mathematics comes into play.  I have found when I feel like my lists are taking over, the best way for me to recover my balance is by adding something to my list.  Not just any task will do; the best combination is time with a friend in the outdoors.  Simply going for a walk, hike, or run with a companion helps to reset my brain, calm the anxiety impulse, and remind me that I am not the sum of my tasks.

By adding just one more thing, I effectively whittle my to-do list down to nothing.  The mathematics may not work out, but the effect on my well-being sure does.  The weather is supposed to be nice this weekend; I think I’ll make time for a hike.