Geoff Krall gets mathematical with the food pyramid redesigns:
I was all set to contest that the new (“old”) food pyramid, adopted in 2005, was garbage mathematically and visually. And the challenge was for students to come up with a better, more mathematically accurate, food pyramid. Then the United States government dropped the new MyPlate diagram in my lap.
Dan Goldner, whose recent blogging has been fantastic:
I need an overarching theme, question, or mission for Algebra 2 that transcends and motivates the required skills. The content goals of Algebra 2 are to invert, transform, solve, and apply graphical, tabular, and analytic representations of linear, quadratic, exponential, sinusoidal, and rational equations. That’s R. What’s S?
I count myself fortunate to have never taught Algebra II, the current configuration of which in California probably violates some of the conventions and treaties the US has signed w/r/t human rights abuses. [NB. The R and S thing will make more sense if you click through.]
Allison Cuttler, reminding me how satisfying it is to read math teachers’ descriptions of their own problem solving processes:
My boyfriend and I spent the afternoon at my favorite neighborhood coffee shop, basking in the San Diego sunshine. I was working on my end-of-year comments when I suddenly remembered the dartboard problem. I asked him to tell me how he had solved it. He looked at me somewhat disappointedly. “Really? But then you’ll never keep thinking about it your way.” At that point I still didn’t have a “way” but a small fire lit inside of me – How could I not have a “way”? Some idea, some line of reasoning? What would I say to a kid who asked me for a help with a problem and didn’t have anything of his own to show?
I’ve been facilitating the same workshop around the world for the last year, tightening it down, and refining it to the point where I’m very excited to offer it to a public crowd of math teachers. I’d like to bring 75 of you into a room and leave six hours later with a stronger understanding of perplexing curriculum design and mathematical storytelling. We’ll determine where digital photos and videos fit into that design and we’ll develop the technological skills for designing curricula with any kind of media.
If you’d like to learn more, check out the session website.
If you’d like to sign up, head over to the Eventbrite page. I’m limiting registration to 75 people.
What: The Perplexity Session
Where: The Mountain View Hilton
When: 8:30 – 3:30. September 10, 2011.
Cost: $75
Bagels, coffee, and lunch are included, as is a huge pile of digital curricula and resources I haven’t found time to post here. If you’ll need a room for the night, I have a block room rate from the Hilton. Call them up and use the code “DYI.”
The other extremely important thing about this session is that you’ll have to sign this video release. I have contracted a local video production company to film our work together. This whole workshop is operating at net zero profit so I can get it down on film for wider distribution.
Let’s do this! I’m excited to work with you guys.
2011 June 14. John Scammell in the comments:
As someone who was fortunate enough to see one of the early incarnations of this workshop, I can tell you that it is incredibly valuable professional learning. Dan is a skilled facilitator, and more importantly a great teacher. I highly recommend it. I love that it is being filmed for posterity.
This seems germane to our (roiling) discussion of Khan Academy.
2011 June 6. Sam Critchlow, in the comments:
Lets not forget the contrapositives, which must also be false:
- If they’ve learned it, it’s because I’ve explained it well.
- If they haven’t learned it, then I just must not have explained it well.