Real Life Math Problems Based on the Pythagorean Theory | eHow.com

Real Life Math Problems Based on the Pythagorean Theory | eHow.com

Summer time for Reflection!

Summer has started and its time to make changes for next year! I attended one day of NC New Schools Project Summer Institute and am overwhelmed with all I learned. There is a wealth of information "out there" I have to remember to stay focused and not try to do too much all at once. Looking forward to NCTM Institute in Orlando at the end of July.

First on my agenda is to read all of Flat Land then decide which objectives are addressed, create activities and lesson plans to meet standards.

Next????

Anyone who has used Flat Land in the geometry classroom and are willing to share activities and/or advice please respond.

Will be back soon . . . . .  

Ready to start!

I believe my classes are established, students schedules are set now. I am worried about the size of the classes, they are larger than I anticipated them being. I hope I can manage the classroom and become a facilitator of learning instead of a lecturer. I am ready to make the change! I am working on the last of the plans this weekend for an angle exploration using the TI-Nspire to start on Monday. Other members of the geometry PLT are concerned about my being "behind" in the geometry curriculum. I just can't teach geometry to students that are not engaged, and every time I start teaching a new group of students I can stand at the front of the room and watch them drop one by one!
I am concerned about the students learning the required curriculum before the end of the semester. However, I am placing my hopes in acquiring the students' attention at the beginning of the course so they will be eager to learn when they enter the classroom and we will "catch up" very quickly. I will check back in later in the week with the good (and the bad).

An Every Day Object

I have begun to make some changes!!  I am feeling less stressed about making sure to "cover" all the material and focusing my energy on making sure students are mastering the objectives.  The first step in my journey has been to assign a project for students where they will choose an everyday object, take it apart to see how the parts function to make the whole.  Geometry is about the study of the relationships and students often miss the relationships of the parts of a figure. It is my hope students will become intrigued by this project at least enough to stay engaged. I need to design a rubric for this project I don't have much experience with grading projects but I hope to get better.
Snow is in the air, I hope we only have a delay in the morning rather than a snow day!

Where did they all come from?

This week has gone well, I'm exhausted! I don't know where all the students have come from? My regular geometry classes have 34 students each! I'm not giving up on my vision, I just have to make some adjustments. Will figure it out this weekend.

Day 1

Wow what a day! I focused on creating those relationships with students and it was great. I will never forget the look on their faces when I asked what their expectations were of me. It was a great conversation.
You to teach me geometry
Don't overload us with homework
Be in a good mood
Keep us from failing
Explain things
Don't go too fast

One student complained I don't like these kind of questions! I am going to have to work hard to keep my goal of inquiry based learning. My two geometry classes have 35 & 34 students!! There is hardly enough room to walk around with so many students, but I am not giving in!!

Overall it was a good first day, looking forward to tomorrow.

First Day Again

Tomorrow the journey begins, I both excited and apprehensive about the beginning of the new semester. I have made my list of notes and objectives for the day.

Why is it so many students (people) find it acceptable to say they can't do math? I do not have an answer to this question. It has been asked and an answer is attempted by minds greater than mine.

My goal this semester is to convince students they can do math! I understand why students feel like they can't do math, often when I look at a students progress reports to see how they are doing in their other courses, geometry is the worst grade. Sometimes these same students struggle in foreign language, but that's a topic for another day. My point is I want to help students not hate math, I know it is too much to ask they like or even enjoy math.

This means I need to get their attention during these first days of the new semester. I have to find a way to "rope them in." It is going to be important to establish relationships with my students, which means I WILL get behind! I have been told if you spend time getting the students on board in the beginning it is possible to get them to work well enough to catch up. I hope it is true!

So tomorrow it is all about beginning relationships, I will check back in at the end of the first day . . .