Formatting power of Math 09/28 exit slip

 Assumptions about Math can make it less accessible to learners. People assume that there are "math people" and then those who are not which limits how people engage with the subject. Math is part of our human history and if math is taught with more exploratory methods, I think everyone will be able to engage with it. Prioritizing more games, puzzles and exploration will also make it less about learning technical skills and hopefully less boring. The stories I tell about Math have an impact on students. If only white male mathematicians are referenced, students may not be able to see themselves as mathematicians. I think a beautiful aspect of the subject is that it is universal! No matter where you are, the concepts of numeracy and geometry etc. are present, perhaps different language or notation is used but the concept is everywhere. I think this makes Math a very uniting subject and I am excited to impart that to my students. I want to incorporate Math history, advances in Mathematics, puzzles and games to hopefully tell a story about Math that is exciting and relevant and can reshape students' perspectives. 

Mathematics & Climate Change

Climate change is the biggest threat to the future of our world and as educators, we need to do what we can to give the next generation tools. I appreciated what it said about how citizens need to have a level of preparation in order to be able to engage in political debates and activism. Mathematical understanding is crucial in understanding climate change data. I think including projects on climate data in classrooms is a great way to help students connect with how Math is used daily and prompt important discussions about the climate crisis. Math cannot continue to be taught purely instrumentally or detached from real-world application because we need our students to understand how Mathematicians work with others to communicate to the public and come up with solutions regarding climate change. 

I experience anxiety thinking about what I will see in my lifetime and what my students will have to face as a result of the climate crisis. Living in Canada has put me in a position of privilege as the government will likely be able to go to great lengths to manage the impact of climate change but around the world, many people will continue to experience displacement and devastation. I think that makes it all the more important to educate our students; because it is hard to feel emotionally connected to an issue when it is not directly impacting us. As global citizens, we have a responsibility to do our part. Mathematics is about creative problem solving and I want to encourage and equip the next generation to think that way.

Exit slip 09/21

I have enjoyed the time being outside and I think students would benefit from having time outside as well. Some benefits I noticed were: feeling peace through connecting with nature, community building with the class and generally better mood compared to being inside a class. Many students may come from families that do not spend a lot of time outside and perhaps a lot of their life is spent indoors. I think it is a great educational opportunity to let them interact with nature and explore the beauty of the living things around us. The crafts and skills we learned were a great way to connect with human history and working with my hands is always a relaxing activity that I think students in high school would also enjoy. I find it hard to connect these activities to a grade 11 or 12 curriculum. In the grade 9 curriculum, I notice one of the competencies is to " use tools to explore and create patterns and relationships" as well as "develop, demonstrate, and apply mathematical understanding through play, inquiry, and problem solving". I can see how that could be done in an outside environment. My conclusion is that I want to spend some time thinking of how the competencies could be taught outside. 

Entrance slip 09/21

 

    Our culture is so used to the consumer lifestyle and getting whatever we want immediately. I appreciated that this article challenges readers to take the radical step outside of this lifestyle. I think it's important to take the time to ask where things come from or who made what we are buying? Our society is designed for consumers but that does not mean it is the best way to live. The reading reminded me that the easiest way to get ahold of something is rarely the best way to do it, especially when it negatively affects other people. Sadly, it is time-consuming and challenging to live more sustainably, and I do think there is privilege in being able to take the time/resources to live more sustainably. I hope to see that change more and more.

    It was interesting to learn about the helix structure being a factor in being able to make rope. I think the connection to human history is very special; throughout history in all cultures, people plyed. In general, working with my hands (like crocheting) always feels like a calming yet productive past time.

Exit Slip 09/14

 

I see the importance of allowing nature to teach students and see one's position in an outdoor learning environment as being a co-teacher. As stated in the article, it gives the opportunity for an empathetic relationship with living things which is sometimes missing in Mathematics. I think there are opportunities to include outdoor lessons in the Math curriculum - it gives students a chance to be connected to nature and to realize mathematical patterns and themes in nature. I think a difficulty is that it is not very efficient or convenient like being in a classroom can be. There are many things pulling students attention and there are not the same resources. I think being in a classroom sends the message to students that they are in a space of learning and associate with a place to think about Math. I think being in an outdoor classroom sends the message that we are there to reflect, engage, experience and learn from nature. Both are important in students' growth.

On Becoming a Reflective Teacher

This article is relevant to me as a teacher because being inquisitive is a great teaching practice. In order to continue learning and be adaptable, it is important to prioritize inquiry. Students' cultures and backgrounds are varied in a classroom and it's important to stay creative to best support and relate to each group of students. Further, teaching practice is always changing and there will continue to be new ideas on how to best educate students regarding mathematical concepts as well as social/emotional learning. I appreciated the quote that said reflective teaching is about knowing what we are about. Our course on Educational Psychology as well as this Inquiry course both encourage reflecting on that idea. I think one way this has aged is that this was probably a more radical idea when it was written than it is now. I think many people going into teaching know that fostering inquiry in the classroom and being ready to learn and be adaptable as an educator is an essential part of the job. This is due to social changes, the movement to indigenize education and curriculum changes by the BC Ministry of Education. 

 

I think it is important to reflect on my internalized ideas of learning and the roles of educators and students as suggested in the article. The first step is to be inquisitive about my own ideas and biases.  This article also encourages looking deeper into decisions in the classroom to understand the "why" of an educator's decision. I think this will be an important tool in my practicum as I want to gain the most from learning from other teachers.

Christine Exit Slip 09/07 Teacher Inquiry

I appreciated our discussion about Frank McCourt and how he engaged with his students. I enjoyed the story of how he allowed his students to express dislike about a book they were reading and was interested in why they didn't like it. He was inquisitive about his students' experiences and approached them with curiosity and authenticity. I feel strongly that authenticity is the best way to approach students because it gives them the freedom to be authentic as well. I feel passionate about students having a space where they can be their authentic selves because, with my experiences in high schools, I noticed how quickly students gravitate to adults who create those spaces for them. A question that was brought up was how to maintain professionalism and classroom control while approaching students in an open and friendly way. That is something I want to continue to explore because I want to have a classroom environment that has structure and respect as well. 

hello world

 Hello everyone, this is my first blog post.

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