Yummy Math, Lots of Cookies, and My Battle with Sweets...

So...some of my fellow math coaches introduced me to Yummy Math (www.yummymath.com). This site is so cool, and relevant to "The Movement." On the page is a banner that reads, "We provide teachers and students with mathematics relevant to our world today." This site is so good, it's only natural for it to be called "Yummy Math." It is full of math from real places, real people, and real problems (not a factory, or textbook software program). Teachers, parents, and students can access problems by interest, grade level, and by focus. This is exactly the direction we should be tailoring our instruction and learning experiences to. This is good stuff. Yummy, actually.

I have been trying to eat healthier. So I guess it would only be right for me to come across a problem entitled, "A Whole Lot of Cookies."

So, this is how it goes...

Whole Lot of Cookies!

Jennifer Fairbanks from Hopkinton, MA sent a picture of the cookies that she baked in 4 hours using 13 eggs and 5 cups of sugar.

Questions:

1. About how many cookies are there? What techniques did you use for counting the cookies?
2. About how many cookies made per hour?
3. About how many cookies is it possible for her to make per day?
4. How many eggs or how much sugar per cookie?
5. About how much value if sold at a bake sale?
6. About how much profit could we make from a bake sale?

Now CHEW on This... How much more would students benefit from engaging in a problem like this than completing 50 procedural problems from a textbook using algorithms?

Number Talks

Inside Mathematics: Number Talks

Today, we are discussing the power of Number Talks. A key part of "The Movement," Number Talks is growing in momentum and popularity. To me, this is a good thing. Students must learn to engage and critically think about Number in order to acquire true understanding. In their quest for true understanding, communication is key. With Number Talks, students must talk about their thinking, and share their strategies. Yes, the strategies should be theirs. They need to own it. In order for them to internalize the strategies they develop and apply them flexibly in problem solving situations, strategies should come from the students themselves. As a bonafide "control freak," this was hard for me. I wanted total control at all times. However, I am reminded of a saying that comes from a colleague of mine that shares the same last name..."If it is for the children, then make it so. In addition to the video, I have provided a link to Inside Mathematics. It offers a beautiful illustration of Number Talks. Check it out!

My First MOOC, "How to Learn Math"

So, I am starting to engage in a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) at Stanford Univeristy entitled, "How to Learn Math." Jo Boaler, the professor publishes videos, questions, and interactive platforms about the subject matter. I predict a "butterfly effect" to occur, which is a good thing. Today, I watched a video from the MOOC. From it, I learned about a study conducted where certain habits of learners were identified and examined. When solving problems, many low achieving students used counting all and counting on to solve problems. However, most high achieving sudents were able to use numbers more flexibly and apply a variety of strategies to solve problems accurately and efficiently. The power lies in the reality that even though low achieveing students are able to learn and use strategy and numerical flexibility, their support systems are typically based on procedure. What implications does this make about changes that need to be made with the way we remediate and support our students? This disparity also carries over to algegbra. It is documented that many students struggle in "upper mathematics" such as algebra because of a lack of number sense. I agree. As an adult who used to struggle with mathematics, I remember having the most difficulty when I had to remember lots of steps or procedures and not have the ability to apply them. The video compares this type of math to a "never ending ladder." However, I experienced the most successes when I could make sense of what I was doing. My brain was able to internalize, organize,and apply my understandings to a variety of scenarios. There is power in true numerical understanding and flexibility. As a matter of fact, the video calls this type of thought processes as "compression," which is more like a well-organized math triangle. This is powerful.

The Journey Begins...

I am a part of a forward thinking group of math leaders. Currently, we have been issued a challenge...to blog about the "math movement" in a suburban Metro Atlanta County. So, the journey begins...