0 Pause Please?

I need a pause button on my summer or something.  These past few weeks have been BUSY!  Vacation Bible School.  Tulsa Math Teachers' Circle Summer Immersion Workshop.  Presenting at the OCTM Summer Conference.

The MTC Training was incredible.  I had so much fun, and I did so much math!  I've always thought that I when I pursue a master's degree it will be in education.  But, spending 3 days doing math alongside mathematicians has made me start thinking about maybe pursuing a master's degree in pure or applied mathematics.

Will I actually pursue this?  I have no clue.  Just last week, I told somebody that I couldn't see myself leaving the secondary classroom anytime soon.

When I graduated from college two years ago, I was done with college.  I was ready to be the teacher giving the homework instead of the student doing the homework.  At The University of Tulsa, I had the amazing opportunity to complete separate degree programs in Pure Mathematics through the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences and Secondary Education through the College of Arts and Sciences.  I never quite fell in love with the process of writing proofs, but I think that experience helped deepen my love and appreciation for the subject.

Fast-forward two years.  During the MTC training, I remember thinking how much I wished I had been able to take a class in Number Theory as an undergrad.  This past weekend, I went in search of a free online number theory book.  And, then I proceeded to start completing the exercises in order.  The first sets of exercises is a set of proofs by induction.  As I started working through these, I realized just how much fun they were.  I didn't think I would ever refer to proofs and fun in the same sentence.

I'll try to write a more reflective post on my MTC experience, but for now I will say that it was a refreshing (and exhausting!) experience to spend 2+ hours on a single math problem.

This week, I'm at OGAP which is an entirely different experience.  It's 5 days of sharing best teaching practices and working through algebra and geometry activities.  And, it's this type of workshop that makes me think that I'd love to teach future math teachers some day.  Be a teacher of teachers.  This would mean pursuing graduate studies in education instead of math.  

Does anyone have a crystal ball I can borrow?  I promise I'll return it.  I just need to take a peek at my future so I can see what type of degree I should pursue.  :)

Be on the lookout for lots of reflection posts soon!

Detail: Pause Please?

0 What I'm Up To This Summer

Summer is already in full swing.  We've been out for a couple of weeks now.  The end of May has been filled with VBS prep, Friends of the Library Meetings, prom fundraising, and time spent with family.  Now that May is already over, I'm looking over my calendar to see just what I'm going to be busy with these next two months.  School starts back August 14th with two professional days before that.  But, I've got a ton to do before then!

June

* Vacation Bible School (5 Days) - This will be my 3rd year directing my church's VBS.  Our theme this year is River of Life.  VBS is a huge undertaking, but I love getting to interact with the kids.  Plus, I get to exercise my creative side with decorating and crafts.

Decoration Sneak Peek

* Story Hour at the Drumright Public Library - I'm pretty sure this is proof that I'm crazy or I just can't say no.  Well, actually, I volunteered to run the very first story hour at our local public library.  We're going to be reading If You Give A Pig A Pancake and making a fun pig-themed craft.

* TU School of Urban Education Breakfast and Brainstorming Session - My alma mater is inviting recent education graduates back for a breakfast to share our teaching experiences and insights on what works in our classrooms.

* Monthly Book Chat - My public library has a monthly book chat that is one of the highlights of my month.  What could be better than spending an hour eating dessert and talking about the books we've been reading.

* Tulsa Math Teachers' Circle Summer Immersion Program at Post Oak Lodge (3 Days) - I'm very excited for Math Teachers' Circle Training this summer!  It will be three jam-packed days of math problem solving, hiking, swimming, and hanging out with other math teachers!  I've had a blast at the Math Teachers' Circle Meetings I've attended this past school year, so I'm looking forward to the immersion program!  

* Oklahoma Council of Teachers of Mathematics Summer Conference (1 Day) - This will be my second year attending this conference and my first year presenting!  I'm excited to share with Oklahoma teachers about "Making Note-Taking Fun and Interactive: An Introduction to Interactive Notebooks."

* Oklahoma Geometry and Algebra Project (OGAP) Workshop (5 Days) - Of all the workshops I attended last summer, OGAP was the one that I learned the most at and had the most fun at.  After five days, none of us wanted to leave!  We each made a two-year commitment to this workshop that focuses on preparing teachers to teach Common Core high school math courses.  Last summer, I attended the Edmond Workshop.  But, due to scheduling conflicts, I will be attending the Broken Arrow/Tulsa Workshop this summer.  I'm going to miss getting to reconnect with the teachers from last year, but I'm excited to network and make new connections this summer!  I've used so many ideas this past year from last summer's workshop.  I'm hoping to blog about more of the activities and workshop this summer.  

* Friends of the Library Board Meeting - I'm Vice President of my local Friends of the Library Board of Directors.  My landlord is the President, and she reached out to me to help form a Friends of the Library Group.  We just started this year, and so far we've planned a monthly Senior Book Day and a bi-monthly Children's Story Time.

July

* 4th of July Trip with my Family - I'm not sure where we're going yet, but my parents are closing down their business for the 2nd - 4th for Independence Day.  This gives us 5 days (including the weekend) to go somewhere.  As small business owners, they have a terrible time taking off during the year.  They've found that they only way to take a vacation is to just close the business down for a few days.  

* Friends of the Library Board Meeting

* Church Camp at Kiamichi Baptist Assembly Campgrounds in Talihina, OK (5 Days) - This will be my 15th year to spend at a week at KBA.  I went as a camper for the first time the summer after I finished the 4th grade.  After three years as a camper, I started going as a junior sponsor and eventually a sponsor.  This is a beautiful place that is very near and dear to my heart.

View From Our Cabin

KBA Sign 

* Twitter Math Camp (4 Days) - I am so, so, so excited to finally get to attend TMC!  After reading about it for the past two years, I'm ready to be part of the action!  I'll even be presenting a session!

* OK Math Convening (3 Days) - This will be a new experience for me.  A group of math teachers from across Oklahoma will be convening in OKC to create tools and resources for all of Oklahoma's teachers.  We're supposed to be thinking about what we want to create to share with others.  I've got so many ideas.  Hopefully, I'll be able to narrow my focus by the end of July!

* Monthly Book Chat


As you can see, this is going to be a busy, busy summer!  There were several workshops that I would have loved to participate in this summer, but I couldn't due to schedule conflicts.  I need a summer that is twice as long so I can fit in all the activities I want to participate in.

This post doesn't even begin to touch all the things I'm planning on doing this summer outside of scheduled activities.  But, that's an entirely different post!

Detail: What I'm Up To This Summer

0 Witzzle Pro Math Game

I adore number puzzles.  Give me a sudoku or a kenken or a paint by number puzzle or a logic puzzle, and I will be in heaven.

At the last Tulsa Math Teachers' Circle I attended, I was introduced to a new number puzzle/game: Witzzle Pro.  The name is a combination of "wit" and "puzzle": "witzzle".

We played several rounds of the game, and each winner got to take home a free copy of the game.  I, sadly, did not win.  But, I did fall in love with the game.

Witzzle Pro Explanation

The rules of the game are simple.  Roll the number cubes to get a target number between -12 and 36.  You must use three numbers and two operations to reach the target number.  The three numbers must come from a single row, column, or diagonal on the card.  First player to achieve the target number, specifying the correct order of operations wins.

For example, if the target number on the card above was 32, you could use the middle row (7 8 3) to achieve the target number.  (7-3)*8 = 32.

You can also make negative numbers by subtracting a larger number from a smaller number.  If your target number was -10, you could achieve it by using the left-hand column (5 7 2).  2 - 7 - 5 = -10.

Want to view a demo of this game?  Click here.

I love this game for two reasons.  Number one: it forces students to practice their integer operations.  Number two: it forces students to consider the order of operations.  A couple of days ago, I wrote a bit of a rant regarding integer operations and how I am refusing to teach them anymore.  While I don't want to explicitly teach integer operations, I do want to provide opportunities for practice so I can work on correcting misconceptions.

The day after learning about this game, I tried playing it with my Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 students.  Since I hadn't won a game at the MTC meeting, I pulled up a snapshot of a Witzzle Pro card that I found via a Google Image search.  I set up my TI-84 to randomly generate integers from -12 to 36.  After a short explanation of how the game worked, I put the card up on the screen and gave my students a target number.

The first student to find a solution shouts, "Witzzle!"  They must come up to the board and correctly write a numerical expression using a row/column/diagonal of numbers from the card.  Order of operations matters!  After the student writes their solution, the class decides whether the written expression equals the target number as written.

Instead of me correcting mistakes, students were correcting other students' mistakes.  It was awesome.  The first student to correctly achieve the target number was given a LifeSavers mint.  (I buy these in bulk!)  A new random integer was generated, and the game continued.  My students loved it!  After playing 5-6 rounds, I was ready to move on to another activity I had planned.  There was an absolute uproar from my students who had not yet won a piece of candy!

I like this game because it reviews mental math, order of operations, and integer operations without a worksheet.  It's fun.  It's fast-paced.  It's challenging.  Anybody can win.  It forces you to think fast AND be able to justify your answer.  Students are critiquing other students' work and offering constructive feedback.  And, students are doing a crazy amount of math without even realizing it.

This is what I want integer and order of operation review to look like in my classroom next year.  Next year, I want to dub Wednesdays as "Witzzle Wednesdays."  I plan on displaying a card and setting a timer for five minutes.  I will give students a target number.  Every time that target number is achieved, that student wins a piece of candy.  And, a new target number will be chosen.  This process repeats until the timer goes off.

Now, I just need to come up with themes for the rest of the week.  I remember reading on someone else's blog that they did "Mental Math Mondays."  I'm definitely planning on stealing that.  Maybe trivia on Tuesdays?  And, "Tease Your Brain" Thursdays?  Of course, I can't get rid of Friday Funnies or my students might just rebel.    

If you're interested in using this game in your classroom, there are several options.  Obviously, you can purchase the board game to use in class.  There are also books of Daily Wittzle puzzles.  See a sample pdf of one here.

Daily Witzzle Fun

Other pdf samples are available here and here.

There is also an online version called Witzzle Lite that you can play for free!

Witzzle Lite

Apparently, some schools have their own Witzzle clubs or host Witzzle contests.  How fun!  Here's a free handbook that has been made available to schools.

Detail: Witzzle Pro Math Game

0 The #1 Thing I Won't Teach Next Year: Integer Operations

I realize it's still April.  Our last day of school is May 14th.  But, I'm already thinking about next year.  In fact, I'm thinking a lot about next year.  Things I want to do.  Things I don't want to do.  Things I need to do.  Things I should think about doing.

Here's the deal.  Oklahoma is changing standards next year.  Originally, we were a PARCC state.  Next year is supposed to be our first year of full implementation of Common Core.  Except, we decided to not call it Common Core.  We're calling them the Oklahoma Academic Standards (OAS).  I referred to them as Common Core the other day in the presence of our elementary principal, and I got yelled at.  I'm sorry.  Changing the name does not change what they are.

Then, Oklahoma decided that we don't have the necessary technology infastructure for PARCC testing.  So, we will write our own test that aligns with PARCC and CCSS/OAS.  All was fine and well.  Then, this month, the Oklahoma senate approved a repeal of Common Core.  Instead of teaching CCSS/OAS, Oklahoma is supposedly going to write their own standards that are more rigorous than Common Core.  As a teacher, this is frustrating.  I just want to know what I'm supposed to be teaching.  Will we teach/test CCSS for a few years while writing our own standards?  Or will we jump directly into new standards that haven't even been written yet?  I doubt we will go back to our old PASS standards, but it seems like anything can happen lately.  How can I prepare to provide the best education possible to my students when we keep changing our minds?!?

So, I tell you all this to say, I'm still not exactly sure what I'm teaching next year.  I'm teaching Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Trig/Pre-Calculus.  But, exactly what those classes will consist of is still up in the air.  I may not have a for-sure set of standards for next year, but I do know this:

Next year, I will NOT spend class time teaching integer operations.

I teach in a school with a history of poor academic achievement.  For the past two years, I have spent at least a week in Algebra 1 on adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing integers.  And, I'm sick of it.  This is one of those concepts that is first introduced in 6th or 7th grade in Oklahoma.  I should not have to teach it in high school.  This year, I gave my Algebra 1 kiddos integer speed tests.  64 questions.  4 minutes.  I told them that they were going to take one every day until they passed.  After a week, I gave up.  Not a single student could even finish the test in 4 minutes.

I've got to raise the bar.  Every day in my class is valuable.  And, I could teach so much more if I can regain that week of review.  Because let's face it: reviewing integers is the biggest waste of time.  They've heard the explanation a million times before.  The ones who need the most help are the quickest ones to tune me out.  After all, a negative and a negative make a positive.  Somehow they missed out on the fact that it only works that way when you are multiplying or dividing.  -3 - 7 does not equal positive 10!

This year, I attempted to go back to the basics. We did exploratory activities with algebra tiles.  I saw a few light bulbs go off, but there was not enough light put off to justify the insane amount of time that was spent learning how to use the algebra tiles.  Last year, I made foldables and taught my students memorization tricks.  That didn't work any better.  

Over the course of the year, most of my students seem to (finally!) internalize the rules for integers.  Maybe it was my incessant singing of "Same signs add and keep.  Different signs subtract.  Keep the sign of the bigger number.  Then, you'll be exact" every time someone made a mistake with adding/subtracting integers this year that helped???

When I took Calculus I in college, we had two gateway exams that were in addition to our 3 regular exams.  One gateway exam was over differentiation, and the other gateway exam was over integration.  If I remember correctly, there were 20 questions, and you were required to get 18 or more correct to pass.  Each gateway exam was taken for the first time in class.  If you passed, you were done!  If you did not pass, you were allowed up to four additional chances to take and pass the exam.  These had to be done outside of class time, and they were scheduled with the professor or TA.  If you could not pass the gateway exam, your final grade would automatically be dropped one letter grade.

I want to take the strategy and apply it to integer operations.  I will give the first integer operations test in class.  The tests will be graded and passed back to the students.  Students who score below a 90% must re-test.  Re-tests must happen on their own time.  And, there will be a set date that students must demonstrate mastery of integer operations by.  Ideally, I want 100% of my students to demonstrate mastery of integer operations by the beginning of September.  We start school in mid-August.  This means I will have to get on this ASAP!  

Students who make less than a 90% on their integer operations test will be provided with a list of websites, online games, flash cards, etc. that they can use to practice with.  I will also be available to help them before school, after school, or at lunch.  Students who have not demonstrated integer mastery by the beginning of September will be required to log 1 hour of integer practice in my classroom each week until they pass.  This time can be spent before school, during lunch, or after school.  This is going to be absolutely 100% non-negotiable.  Students who do not log their hour of practice in my classroom will be given mandatory lunch detention until mastery is achieved.

This accomplishes multiple things.  It communicates to students that integer operations are an important concept for algebra success.  It communicates that this is something that students should have learned in middle school.  It also communicates that if they didn't learn it in middle school, then I am here to help them.  I care so much about their success that I am willing to inconvenience myself to help them master their integer operations.  I am identifying a weakness that I see in the students at my school as a whole.  And, instead of lamenting the weakness, I'm acknowledging it and providing practice opportunities and support.

I want students to take control of their own learning before that first gateway exam.  I will provide them study materials, practice tests, and links to online resources.  They can assess their own needs.  My students are capable of so much more than I give them credit for.  It's time I let them show me what they can achieve when they set their mind to it.

For my Algebra 2 students, I think their gateway exam needs to cover exponent rules.  I should not have to spend a week reteaching exponent rules to Algebra 2 students.

Have you ever done anything like this with your students?  Do you see any changes I need to make?  I'm very open to constructive feedback.  My teaching style is slowly morphing, and I think it's a good change!


P.S.  This blog post did not go where I planned for it go at all.  I started writing this post to tell you about an awesome new game I learned about at my last Math Teachers' Circle meeting.  I will be using it to emphasize integer operations and the order of operations.  That'll have to wait until tomorrow, though!                

Detail: The #1 Thing I Won't Teach Next Year: Integer Operations

0 Math Teachers' Circle Reflection

I've been busy, busy, busy lately!  I've got a lot of recent classroom action that needs to be shared, but it will have to wait.  I promised @pamjwilson that I would blog about this, and I try to keep my promises!  :)  But first, I have to share a picture of a flower that one of my students brought me.

A Gift From A Student

 
So, Thursday, after school, I was in my classroom.  One of my Algebra 2 students from last year is currently taking Pre-Calculus at our local technology center, and I was tutoring her.  As we were working on determining the end behavior of functions, another student came bounding into my classroom.  She presented me with this pipe cleaner flower and said, "I made this flower for you because you're so bright and cheery like this flower."  I was smiling until I heard her say "Not really" as she skipped back out of my classroom.  It's the thought that counts, right?  

On Thursday night, I joined @druinok for the inaugural meeting of the Tulsa Math Teachers' Circle.  This was a new experience for me, and I wasn't exactly sure what to expect.  I had done some reading online about math teachers' circles, but everything I read gave me the impression that each circle is unique.

We met at my alma mater, the University of Tulsa.  I saw several of my math professors from college at the meeting, but they introduced themselves to me like we had never met before.  Our evening started off with a lovely dinner.  I sat with @druinok, two lovely ladies who teach middle school math at a local private school, and my former Calc 1 TA from college.  Over dinner, we discussed what each of us taught and shared some funny stories about what life is like as a teacher.  We also were reminded of what a small world it is that we live in!

Our session was facilitated by Judith Covington, a math professor at LSU Shreveport.  She is a member of the North Louisiana Math Teachers' Circle, and she did a great job of introducing the concept of a math teachers' circle to us all.  The main focus of the night was learning to play the game of SET.  I had heard about this game via several blogs, and I had even tried to teach myself to play once using the Daily Set Game.  That lasted about fifteen minutes before I gave up, frustrated.  So, I was excited to finally learn how to play.

Three out of the five of us sitting at the table were experienced SET players.  Thankfully, these three ladies did an amazing job of being patient with the other newbie and me.  They did exactly what a good teacher should do.  They gave us time to look for sets on our own.  They would tell us when they found a set, but they didn't point it out.  Each time they did point out a set, they would take the time to explain how the number, color, shading, and shape were either all the same or all different.  When we pointed out things that weren't actually sets, they used it as a teachable moment.  What card would you need to make a set with those two cards?  And, slowly but surely, I think I started catching on.

My Very Own SET Game!  

I think it's going to take me a long time to be able to identify sets efficiently, but I at least understand what I am doing now.  Friday morning, I completed my first Daily Set Game.  It may have taken me 12 minutes and 36 seconds, but I finished it all by myself!  I think this is going to become part of my morning routine when I get to school.  If I record the amount of time it takes me each day, I wonder what type of function would best model it?      

After playing the game for a while, we turned our conversation to how the game relates to mathematics.  Our facilitator led us through a great exploration of how SET can be used to teach geometry.  We defined points, lines, planes, and hyper-planes using SET cards.  I have to admit, I got a little lost when we started talking about hyperplanes.  I was reminded once again why I teach algebra and not geometry!  Still, it was so refreshing to spend time exploring and discussing mathematical concepts with other mathematically-minded people.  The evening was most fun and intellectually stimulating.  More information on the mathematics and geometry of SET can be found here.

This brings me to the most important thing I learned about math teachers' circles.  These Circles are not meant to be a gathering of teachers to discuss the best way to teach factoring or share lesson plans.  Instead, the purpose of these meetings is to engage teachers in actually doing and discussing mathematics.  If you learn nothing that you can use in your own classroom, that is fine.  As teachers, we require our students to problem solve.  We continually present them with new material and ask them to grapple with it.  Yet, how often do we do that?  How often do we explore math problems that we don't automatically know how to solve or even approach?  I know my students are amazed by my ability to look at 7x + x - 3x and determine that the expression can be simplified to 5x, but performing that process requires no real mental effort from me.  This summer, I spent 16 days at various conferences, learning how to be a better math teacher.  And, I learned a lot.  But, I'm also excited for this monthly opportunity to just do math, whether it applies to what I am teaching or not.  I hope that I never forget what it feels like to struggle through a problem, to persevere, to try different approaches.

I <3 Nerds Pocket Protector Courtesy of OSSM

Other highlights of the evening include my very own pocket protector!  I also got to meet one of my blog readers which was very cool!  I know that when I write something on here that I am putting it out there for the entire world to read.  But, I'm still amazed to know that others actually read and use what I share!  I also stopped by Dollar Tree while I was in Tulsa.  I picked up these awesome neon starbursts.

Neon Starburts from Dollar Tree

        
When I bought them, I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to use them for, but I knew I had to have them.  I ended up buying three packages.  On Friday, I decided that these starbursts were the perfect size to write reminders of what various buttons on our calculators do.  This was definitely inspired by this pin!  I can't tell you how many times I have had to explain how to type in an exponent on our calculators since school started.  I doubt this will solve the problem, but maybe it will help at least one student.  So far, I have put up calculator reminders for my Algebra 1 students.  I'm still debating on what buttons to focus on for my Algebra 2 students who are using TI-Nspires.

Calculator Button Reminders

Detail: Math Teachers' Circle Reflection