#INspirEDmath
August 2018, Volume 2
Welcome back!
Problem of the Month!
Working on skip counting? Fractions? Perimeter? Area? Volume? Conversions? Probability?
Try this! Put this picture up and ask students, "What do you notice?" Give them time. Let them be silly with it. Then ask them, "What do you wonder?" That is where the fun (and the learning) begins!
Small Changes = Big Impacts
Imagine projecting a picture at the beginning of class and asking those two questions: What do you notice? What do you wonder? Not every new idea in math requires an overhaul of one's teaching practices. Even the smallest changes can have big impacts on the learning culture in your classroom. Denis Sheeran gives 10 instructional hacks to do just that in his book, Hacking Mathematics - 10 Problems That Need Solving. Here are a just a few:
- Hack #1: Help Them See Math Everywhere
- Hack #2: Pull a Double Switch and Add Practice Time
- Hack #5: Be Less Helpful and Ask More Questions
- Hack #8: Ask Unanswerable Questions
Love his ideas? Follow Denis Sheeran on Twitter @MathDenisNJ.
Hack #1 - Help Them See Math Everywhere
Check out I See Math for classroom-ready inspiration...NO planning involved! Ready to use images with questions neatly packaged in a google drive folder.
Visit our Mathematics Community of Practice Moodle page and share your ideas! We have another great idea waiting for you there! (Use the enrollment key INspirEDmath if you are joining for the first time.)
Upcoming Events!
Spotlight - Our Newest Math Team Member!
My name is Beau Scott, and I'm so excited to be moving into the role of Elementary Math and Science Specialist! My educational journey has been both unique and exciting! I began my career as a 2nd grade teacher in Lafayette. At the culmination of that year, I hopped across the pond to London, England, which I called home for the next 4 years. While there, I worked at a school for at-risk students, teaching 3rd, 4th and 5th grade, and I was even lucky enough to loop the same group of amazing students for 3 years! Since returning back to the States in 2012, I have been working as a 4th and 5th grade high ability teacher in Lafayette.
I'm truly grateful for this opportunity and I am looking forward to being able to connect with so many awesome educators across the Great State of Indiana!
Your IDOE Mathematics Team
Dr. Jennifer Jensen
Email: jjensen@doe.in.us
Website: doe.in.gov
Location: Indiana Department of Education
Phone: (317) 232-6673
Twitter: @DrJenJensen
Robin Conti
Email: rconti@doe.in.gov
Website: doe.in.gov
Location: Indiana Department of Education
Phone: (317)-233-6098
Twitter: @RobinLConti
Beau Scott
Email: jscott3@doe.in.us
Website: doe.in.gov
Location: Indiana Department of Education, West Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN, USA
Phone: (317)-232-9142
Twitter: @NerdCoreTeacher