Tag: resource

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Learning Links: Podcast Edition

Life gets busy. Sometimes in the busy sitting down and giving my attention reading takes a back seat to putting on a podcast while I do all the other things.

This is one of those times.

And I’m grateful for it.

My podcast feed has been full of good stuff:

Learning Links: Podcast Edition. Educational Resource Round Up from Mathacognitive. Picture of a white desk with a computer and a vase of flowers.
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Distance Learning: Independent Learning

As we switch to distance learning, there’s a lot of (good, important, helpful) thinking and talking about platforms and access to the internet and designing for digital learning; there is talk about equity for those with less robust hardware or bandwidth or technical skills; and for folks with disabilities or limited English. There is talk about priorities and expectations and taking care of ourselves.

These are real. 

I’m glad we’re having these conversations. (We need to have more of them. )

And, as I am thinking about helping my students learn remotely, I am wishing we were talking more about the ability to learn (largely) independently.  

Online learning takes screens and wifi, and it takes being able to focus (especially when all of the kids are home and everyone is stuck inside) and it takes being able to make choices and plan your time (when all the schedules have been altered) and pace yourself; and to motivate yourself (when you’re also worried about the news and your job and your kids). It takes being able to persevere when it gets hard and there’s no one around to ask for help. 

Text: Distance Learning. Building Skills for Independent Learning. A white background with colored pencils.

I’ll be honest: I’m dealing with moments of worry, and frustration, and discouragement, and worry (again) for my students and our attempts at distance learning. 

But, I’m also taking it as a lesson: this matters. 

I’ve always thought independent learning would matter for homework, or for college, but we are learning that it also matters for our resilience and flexibility in the face of the completely unexpected. 

I don’t have all the answers, but I spent some time adapting the tools I do have to online learning. I hope they help you and your students navigate this transition, and learn, and grow, and maybe emerge a little stronger on the other side. 

Distance Learning Resources

Brain based Learning: Teaching our students the research on how to learn/study effectively

Stuck Strategies: Helping our students identify strategies to respond productively to moments of struggle

Dear Me/Teacher/Classmates, Please Remember… Helping out students share and reflect on what’s important for their learning

Independent Learning Log: Helping our students track and share their progress

Traffic Light Check In: Helping our students evaluate and describe their learning progress

Psst! All of my distance learning (plus some of my favorite independent learning) resources are free or discounted April 6-9th.

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“When I feel stuck in math, I can ____” (Lesson Sketch)

April 2020 Update. Distance learning versions now available: Stuck Strategies: Data and Reflection and Stuck Strategies: Complete Bundle

I am starting a new class, with a new group of students soon. I’m excited. And nervous. And all the conflicting things that change makes me feel.

There are many things to figure out in any new teaching situation. But this is also when I am most-glad for old-favorite classics. My new class and I are starting with an old favorite lesson  about productive struggle in math class.

I particularly like this one to start with a new group.

It’s powerful to start by saying “Yep, we all feel stuck sometimes. “

It’s even more powerful to start the year by saying “But ‘stuck’ isn’t the end of the story”

Feeling Stuck in Math Class? Reread the question Look at a previous question Re-read the directions draw a picture or diagram check your work think about it differently check your notes check the book work with a peer ask for help ... Keep trying!

Originally published Feb. 2018, updated spring 2020

These hint cards floated across my teacher-media radar. And I was intrigued.

I see too many students hit a roadblock and stare at it helplessly, unsure of how to get around it, and that’s the end of that study session/class/learning until someone comes around to get them unstuck.

I liked the idea of a resource that they could access when they hit those roadblocks, that wasn’t just waiting for me.

I work hard to convince my students that it’s great to ask questions, so I wanted to be sure I didn’t discourage that, just to broaden the options to include resources and strategies that they have or can implement themselves.

(Because self-directed learning, but also, homework.)

((And ultimately, for my students, a high stakes test when I’m not around to help.))

Also, I didn’t want to make a different set of cards for each lesson.

(Because in the reality of my prep time, I couldn’t be sure they’d actually happen every week, and I needed something reliable if students were going to use it.)

So, the idea rattled around in my head for weeks until it was ready to come out.

What emerged: have a discussion about strategies, and combine it with a math lesson so students don’t revolt about losing math time.  (Because, #reasonstoloveadultlearners, they would be upset to miss out of math time)

So, after the introductions and the homework policies and the other start of the term business, we brainstorm responses to the stem “When I feel stuck in math, I can ____”.

Some of my students were far better than others at this, and one class ran out of ideas after ‘keep trying’ and ‘ask for help’.  This says much about the struggles of that particular group of students.

But it also says, come prepared, teacher, with some ideas of your own.

Once we had a list, we collected data about my students’ current habits. (I had my students come to the board and make tally marks, you could use a printable ballot, hands, four corners etc.)

Then we analyzed our results. One class made bar graphs, one wrote statements with ratios. Since that first time, I’ve done percents and a few other math skills.

And, now their strategies (and the bar graphs) are on the wall, right next to my white board. A reminder – I hope! – for the rest of the trimester.

A full version of my lesson is  available on Teachers Pay Teachers

The lesson plan includes the plan (with standards and procedures), extension ideas, multiple data collection variations, and student handouts for fractions, ratios, percents, and bar graphs.

Free! I’ve also shared our answers as a printable handout that could be added to a binder/notebook

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Worksheet Fail

I have one class this year that’s about 40% people who just moved up from our lowest level and are still getting their feet under them, 40% who have been at this level for a while because life and learning challenges get in their way, that one woman whose math anxiety trumps her actual skills and the guy who clearly got placed wrong.

It’s a class where I need to go slow and gentle, but some how still teach all the things.

(You’ve had that class, right? They’re lovely people. It’s so gratifying when they learn. And, slow and gentle, slow and gentle, slow and gentle)

We’re working on area, and we did my compound shapes DIY, and it was great. They were in small groups, they were getting it, they were bored even it was so easy.

And then, I handed out a worksheet.

Splat.

It was one of those generic 12 questions, computer generated free worksheets.

And it did not work.

There were a few too many side measures missing, the format didn’t look friendly, it was all too much for my slow and gentle crew.  None of the confidence they’d built up on the previous activity translated.

It was awful to watch.

So, I went looking for some better options. Something that was clear. And had the sides you needed labeled. And only used quadrilaterals (because, one shape at a time with my slow and gentle folks)

And, right, worksheet hunting is always harder than I think it should be in the era of google.

I found one nice one, that wanted me to sign up for some site to download it

I found lots with the same problems as my first try.

And others that would be good down the line, but had too many moving pieces for a first step.

And the third grade ones that were a little too easy

My pinterest board is full of neat projects, but I just need some practice to solidify it.

And the perfect-looking one that lead to a 404 error.

Some nice perimeter ones.

I really did not want to make my own. I could. But I’m not that great with graphics.

But, wait!

After way too much scrolling, the perfect slow and gentle follow up from TES. (You do have to sign up, but they’re not sketchy about it. )

 

 

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Back. Also, Lesson Sketch: Learning Strategies

So, that happened.

If, we define ‘that’ to mean life, a slight case of overwhelm, and an unplanned 5 month break.

 

But, it’s summer. I’ve been to the ocean, I’m off from teaching, and I now have the bandwidth to come back to this.

And, with my newly cleared head, I’m thinking about one of my favorite lessons.

 

Lesson Sketch: Learning Strategies

Why: 

I preach and plead for my adult students to study outside of class (see , por ejemplo: homework, more homework and planning for homework)

But —  I know the research: most students don’t use particularly efficient strategies to study. I think this doubly applies to my adults who didn’t have great success in the school the first time. And, they have even less time to waste on inefficient studying, this time around.

So, I’ve added preaching and pleading to study effectively. 

Also, this is one of a set of first class of the term exercises I use to ease people into doing math and being a student again. (Other examples: Stuck Strategies, Retrieval Practice)

 

What: Introducing research-backed strategies for effective learning + simple data and analysis.

The Learning Scientists have summarized lots of cognitive research to highlight 6 strategies. I rarely have enough students or time that it makes sense to do all 6, but they’re there if you do. For my class, I generally prioritize: Spaced Practice,  Interleaving, Retrieval Practice and Elaboration. 

 

How: 

I introduce the topic. I might talk about how scientists do experiments to see what works (I might add that if I had known you could do experiments about learning, not just chemistry or physics, I might have liked science better in high school)  I might talk about making the best use of our time, or about shaking things up/experimenting with new techniques, I might remind them how frustrating it is to forget what they’ve learned.

 

Then, I split the class into groups, and assign each group a strategy. One time I gave out these posters, more recently it’s been the bookmarks, because less is more. If tech wasn’t a headache, I’d try the videos. The group is in charge of working together until everyone understands the strategy.  (This can take some coaching) Then we jigsaw, and they teach it to their peers. (More coaching)

 

Once everyone understands the strategies, we take a poll:

Do you already do this?

Will you try it this term?

 

Then I have students analyze the data for the strategy they started with. Depending on the class and the time of year, they might find the percent, ratio and/or fraction of the class who gave each answer.  If I have more time, we might make graphs of the results. In a way less time pressured world, we might make a bulletin board display with the strategies and our data and study tips for other students at school.

 

Results:

Spaced practice is a hit. (at least in theory) Whether it happens or not, in the day to day of busy lives, they get this idea. In the great division between tortoises and hares, many of my students are tortoises. Slow and steady sounds good.

Interleaving, on the other hand,  is a hard sell. It just sounds so much harder and more confusing, and math is hard and confusing enough, thankyouverymuch.  (Although I make them do interleaved practice every week and they tell me it helps, so maybe someday…)

 

Next Steps:

Truth… this is the first class of the term and by the second we’re off and running, and it’s hard to get back to this. But, yeah, one-off’s are not all that helpful.

So, I’m currently pondering ways to fit a follow up in.  I’d love to collect a post- round of data later in the term to see if anyone is actually rying them out.

 

 

Free Resource: I fancied up my tally sheets a bit (ahem, data collection tools) and I’m making them available for free in my TPT Store

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Lesson Sketch: Reading Algebra (Card Sort + Critical Thinking)

Topic: Reading Algebra (CCRS: A.SSE.1a)

Why:

Half of the battle with algebra (well, some significant fraction of the battle anyways, because half is always anxiety and focus and  grit and all the metacognitive things) is just reading algebra. The variables, the changes in notation and conventions, it looks so unfamiliar to new learners. And for those inclined to doubt their math abilities, a string of letters and a lack of familiar symbols is often a trigger to shut down.

So, a lesson to get used it to before we try to do anything with it.

What:

  1. A warm up: Sal Kahn answers a darn good question “Why all the Letters in Algebra”
  2. Some translation (aka direct instruction on the conventions)
  3. And, then the core of the lesson. A card sort. We matched cards with a x b to cards with ab, and b x b to b2, and we kept going a x b x b, and b 2, etc. etc.

(I love card sorts. I love how they prompt collaborative work, and aren’t worksheets, make things a tiny bit more tangible. I particularly love them for teaching equivalence. I wrote here about how playing Concentration is a go to activity for me)

Pro Tip: My new favorite way to make card sorts is using GoogleSlides. Subscribe to receive my tips.

  1. But, as much as I love card sorts, I’ve been thinking about how I could raise the bar, and ask students to do some deeper thinking (to mix directional metaphors)

So after we matched the cards, I distributed some critical thinking questions:  Which were hard? Which were easy? Why do certain cards go together? What do the symbols mean? Write your own examples (because, goals )

Results: It was the first math class after vacation, and all of us were having a slow time getting back to work/school, so something like three quarters of my class conveniently, um, overlooked, the question that asked them to write with words the first time through.

But, in the end, I had one of the best student comments I’ve seen in a while:

Student writing "Tho my mind was pudding we eased into learning. Was very nice"

Pudding brain. I totally get this metaphor.

Also, I take that as a victory.

(This if from my metacognitive exit tickets, read more here)

And, those extra questions? I added them in and prettied it up, and put it all on Teachers pay Teaches for the next person teaching their students to read algebra.

Fall 2020 Update: I love this activty, but found it often wasn’t enough practice on it’s own…. so I made 8 different worksheets. #onaroll #differentiation.

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Goals: Student Written Problems

I’m a goals kind of person. I like them, find them helpful, function best when I’m clear on them. (Classic upholder, for any other Gretchen Rubin fans) So, the document that organizes all of my teaching is topped by a bullet pointed list of goals.

(Best goal ever: “Actually use sick time” That was actually helpful)

This fall, one says “incorporate student-written math tasks/problems/questions”

It’s an attempt to share agency, to give a confidence boost (you, yes, you, can write a math problem…), to switch up the formats (no worksheets!), to have open ended tasks.

 

So, this month I’ve tried two formats, with three topics, in two different classes.  (Because, upholder with goals)

 

Version 1: Passing Problems

The order of operations:

Introduce a model, a template, a pattern, a way to isolate a particular skill. (For us, expressions like 5+3×2 and (5+3)x2 that are different only in their parentheses)

               Students write similar problems on index cards.

Check and double check the cards, write answers on the back.

Collect, shuffle, redistribute cards

Do the problem, without writing the card. (Repeat, and repeat, and repeat this instruction. The impulse to write on the cards instead of the scrap paper is strong)

Check the answer

               Pass the card to the right, receive a new card.

Repeat.

 

Version 2:  Card Sort

The order of operations:

Introduce new material

Small groups complete pre-existing card sort

(This so far, is a classic mathacognitive lesson. I have a bin full of card-sort-like activities )

Students write their own pairs of cards to be sorted.

Once checked, the new cards are scrambled and displayed with our doc cam

The class repeats the process of reuniting the pairs with their own newly-written cards. (For my class, students are just writing on notebook paper which goes with which, you could have a whole class activity of physically moving and matching the pairs, or make copies for everyone to cut out and arrange)

 

Particularly with the passing problems, there was a fair amount of incredulous staring, with verbal and non-verbal versions of ‘you want me to write the problem?!?’

But, incredulity/confusion aside, everyone eventually wrote their own problems and solved some of their classmates’, so I’m declaring it a victory and looking for the next spot to have them write the problems.

 

Bonus: It inspired me to upgrade from my previous, handwritten, kind-of-rushed, oops-there’s-an-error cards to a new actually-typed-and-formatted set of my exponent card sort.

Further Bonus: I was on a roll, so I typed up my cards, then kept going until I had a whole pack of different exponent cards and instructions and templates and a lesson plan for student-written cards. They’re available on TeachersPayTeachers if you’re interested)

 

card sort cover

 

 

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What I’m emailing myself 10.2.18

Does two posts make a series? Can I declare it so (It’s my blog and I’ll declare it if I want to …?)

In any case, fall and school and the teacher-blog-twitter-pinterest-internet world are full of brilliance. So, a second round-up of the links I’m emailing myself.

 

You can learn anything  I never thought I’d get teary from a Kahn Academy video

How Tall is Mini Me? A proportions/measurements lesson from Robert Kaplinsky

No Such Thing as a Math Person So I can argue with my students who believe there is (from the New York Times)

A Kids in Class Policy I have a couple of kids who come with their moms to class and it’s occasionally distracting, but mostly wonderful. I’m including something like this on my next syllabus.  (Via Design Mom)

Happy October!

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Growth Mindset

It’s probably not a surprise that I talk about a growth mindset with my classes. I also talk about neurons, and how to study, and test taking and anxiety, and metacognition and finding your best way to learn.

I make it part of math lesson: there’s a giant decimal number line on the floor and we position ourselves along it to start the discussion (and get familiar with decimals)

Last year, I made a note

“I’m always surprised at how growth-y my students are.”

But really, it makes sense that the people who decide to show up after working and taking care of the family and everything else to learn algebra would identify with grit (the most emphatic answers are always about the value of effort)

This year, I updated the questions on my assessment, and made some of them math specific. And I had my entire class piled on top of each other to declare that there are math people in the world and there are non-math people and that was that, end of discussion, do not pass go, do not collect $200.

And it broke my heart.

And made me mad.

Because I didn’t have to ask whether they thought they were math people or not.  They might believe that effort matters, but they are also certain they are not math people.

I told them there’s no math brain that scientists can find. And I showed them Sal Kahn talking about neurons, and Jo Boaler. Before that I told them all about my belief in them, and that I hadn’t liked math in high school either, and that we all learn in our own ways.

But mostly, I mentally glared at all the people, and messages, and experiences that told them they couldn’t do this.

And remembered that convincing them otherwise is the most important part of my job.

My growth mindset number line questions (plus variations) are available on TeachersPayTeachers

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What I’m emailing myself

I was — decidedly, determinedly, exclamation marks in the out of office email — off for the summer. I worked hard in June, planned much, organized more. And then I was off.

But, other people weren’t, or at least, came back from their decidedly off summer sooner than I did. And they had some cool/creative/helpful teaching ideas.

Summer-me wasn’t ready for them, but September-me will be grateful.

So I lobbed links into my work email, and now, sifting through the mass messages from HR, and the e-newsletters, and whatever the rest of that pile is, there are teaching gems waiting for me.

For everyone else who was definitely off for the summer, a few to share.

(Perhaps the start of a series “What I’m emailing myself”)

((Perhaps with a better title))

A lesson idea: A card sort to order the steps to solve equations (from Miss Calculate)

Classroom décor: Mistakes are.. posters (From Math Equals Love)

Handy resources: Games to practice number skills (Oops! Source unclear, someone in Granby CT)

Good reminders: Asking ‘give me’ to generate open ended tasks  (From Math with Bad Drawings) 

 

Happy September!