Every teacher knows that teaching is an emotional roller coaster -- we are thrilled if a class goes well, depressed if it doesn't. But the reality, I'm afraid, is that every class we teach, even the good ones, is a failure in one respect or another: some students found it too difficult or too easy;… Continue reading Teacher Perfectionism
Tag: Teaching
Student Perfectionism
Some years ago, we surveyed the students at Urban about how they experienced the math program. As I remember it, we tried to ask separate questions about what students enjoyed, and what helped them learn. These are of course not necessarily the same thing, and we wanted them to develop an awareness of that distinction… Continue reading Student Perfectionism
I was the worst student in the class
I am back at school after a year away from teaching. During that time, I was a student three times. I took a painting class -- four hours a day, every weekday, for a whole month at the Arts Students League of New York -- wonderfully relaxing and energizing. I took a Web design class… Continue reading I was the worst student in the class
Interactive White Boards (continued)
In response to my post on IWBs, Joy Wolfe writes:Thanks for blogging a response to Mr. Ferriter's seemingly ignorant bashingof the use of IWBs. Amen to what you wrote! When I first read the article,I was extremely frustrated. It saddened me that Mr. Ferriter seemed to havehad little training in the use of his interactive… Continue reading Interactive White Boards (continued)
Interactive White Boards
An expanded and illustrated version of this post was published in The Mathematics Teacher, November 2010. Read it here. ---------------------------------------------------------------------Teacher Magazine published "Why I Hate Interactive Whiteboards", a passionate article by one Bill Ferriter. Hatred seems like a strong reaction to an inanimate object -- but as it turns out it is tied to frustration… Continue reading Interactive White Boards
Kinesthetic Radians
(Previous kinesthetic posts: Pascal's Triangle, Graphing, Distance.)If radians are introduced strictly with a formula, the meaning of the word is difficult to grasp for many students. Some years ago, I learned two tricks from a colleague, which I'll share here:- Tell students that "radian" is short for "radius angle".- A one-minute kinesthetic activity: ask students… Continue reading Kinesthetic Radians
Even More Kinesthetic Activities: Distance
(Previous kinesthetic posts: Pascal's Triangle, Graphing)These activities are best done in a gym or playground. Start before discussing circles, perpendicular bisectors, angle bisectors, etc. in a geometry class. It may be best to not do all of the activities in one session.I've done much of this with my own students, but not yet all. I… Continue reading Even More Kinesthetic Activities: Distance
Another Kinesthetic Activity: Graphing
In a recent post, I responded to a request for a kinesthetic introduction to Pascal's Triangle. Here is a kinesthetic activity to introduce or review graphing:Ask students to line up along the line at the middle of a basketball court, which will be the x-axis. The middle student will be 0, and students on the… Continue reading Another Kinesthetic Activity: Graphing
Kinesthetic intro to Pascal’s Triangle
Question in an online discussion:I'm trying to figure out how to kinesthetically demonstrate Pascal's triangle with my precalculus kidsMy response: I do a lot of kinesthetic activities in geometry and algebra, but haven't yet thought about this particular topic that way.Here's a possibility:- Have students stand in a triangular number arrangement- Give the top student… Continue reading Kinesthetic intro to Pascal’s Triangle
Job at the Urban School
Full-Time High School Mathematics TeacherFor the 2010-11 School YearThe Urban School of San Francisco seeks a high school mathematics teacher with an undergraduate degree in mathematics or a mathematical science to teach classes ranging from Algebra through Calculus. The school is looking for a dynamic, creative teacher who has enthusiasm for working with high school… Continue reading Job at the Urban School
Henri's Math Education Blog 