Comments on: Math Curriculum Makeover

By: Dan Meyer

Dan Meyer — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 23:04:09 +0000

Ha. Clever. The emptying tank isn’t linear, though. So that’s kind of a drag.

By: Alexis Piazza

Alexis Piazza — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 05:40:12 +0000

I’m curious what y’all think about this repackaging of Dan’s goods.

I’ve been trying to create a 3-act problem for Systems of Equations, and it occurred to me that I could just do this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieavlR30LLY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Thoughts?

By: WCYDWT: Steam user stats « josh g.’s notes

WCYDWT: Steam user stats « josh g.’s notes — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 03:52:12 +0000

[…] per Dan Meyer’s curriculum approach: What Can You Do With […]

By: Jinna

Jinna — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:57:54 +0000

OH! I have to admit with the start of the new semester I’ve been skimming through my reader but I finally get what you’ve been saying w/ this post! Thanks Dan! I can’t wait to try one of my own. =)

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 07:11:23 +0000

Dan – This is the kind of insight I truly treasure from you. I love your examples of how to make a question “less helpful” and consequently more interesting.

Keep going. This works.

By: Dan Meyer

Dan Meyer — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 18:34:32 +0000

Lynn: Maybe go meta? Don’t just give them lessons. Show them how you’re exploring new ways to do the lessons. Show them this post. Then ask their opinions.

Good suggestion, among a lot of other good ones.

By: Lynn Rasmussen

Lynn Rasmussen — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 16:34:55 +0000

Go Dan! While you’re questioning reality, I hope that you’re helping your kids question reality too.

Maybe go meta? Don’t just give them lessons. Show them how you’re exploring new ways to do the lessons. Show them this post. Then ask their opinions.

With your kids who are terribly behind, maybe go meta on their math experience too. I’ve done a lot of tutoring. I find that it’s very important to explain to kids that they are behind because they were maybe too little, too interested in playing outside, and/or had poor instruction. They never added fast enough, never got their times tables down, and then got confused in the division/fractions/decimals/ratios mess. And then school just marched on.

I explain that, when you’re little, you just get confused. How when you’re older, you can step back and figure it out. How it’s not as difficult as you may think it is.

I also say, so what if you’re behind? Of course you can’t get this class right and you’re stuck in it, but all kinds of great people catch up and there’s lots of ways to learn. You can buy workbooks or take adult ed classes. Community college has remedial math classes.

Just as with the water tank, make it real, give it context, and let them find their own way to reach the answers.

You might find that with a bit of hope, even your most discouraged kids will get curious about what they can really do in class.

By: Dan Meyer

Dan Meyer — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:13:23 +0000

Yes, these are my people.

By: Kevin Young

Kevin Young — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:08:51 +0000

I love the background conversation with your neighbor. At 2:42 we see that right away he gets what is needed! Even better is 3:03 when he says “I like the way you do it man. Just like a redneck!”

Maybe we’ll just start calling you Redneck Dan!

By: rhett

rhett — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:02:18 +0000

Most Awesomemest:

– Same as best except the question is changed to: If the water tank was filled with beer, how many friends could you invite to your party?