MOOC is ready!

Well, you may have noticed I have not posted in a while. As you may have guessed from previous posts, I have been finishing my PBL MOOC. It is now ready at: Coursesites. Though currently there is only one class available, you can find the latest information about new MOOC's (assuming this first one goes well) at the website:

Enjoy!

Gantt Chart

Is there anything prettier at the start of a project than a well thought out Gantt Chart?

In case you hadn't guessed, the MOOC planning process is entering its final stages. I hope to be live for the beginning of the high school spring semester. The class lasts about a quarter and if successful, I hope to have part two for the next quarter.

Engineering Task Force

I am having fun making my resource files pretty for some engineering/math projects I have used in preparation for the KSTF Engineering Task Force fall meeting. It is great to go over old lessons, reflect on what worked and what didn't and be able to share them with the world. Enjoy, Jim Engineering/Math projects More information about the Engineering Task Force.

Furlough Over/Arduino in the Classroom

With the furlough finally over we can get back to work. I am excited to continue my work on creating a Project Based Engineering MOOC geared towards high school students who don't have engineering options at their high school. Besides being free to sign up, I am looking to make it free to participate also. This means that all of the projects will have to be made at no cost to the student. This presents a fun challenge, though not altogether new. As a classroom teacher, I always struggled to provide my students with meaningful tasks that fit within my school's budget. So many (if not all) of the MOOCs I have seen are simply lecture put on the internet. I think this is wasted time for those who want to make the information accessible to a broader range of students (ie ones traditionally underrepresented in higher education and engineering) because we know that lecture only works for a subset of students (citation needed). I just found out that now you can read about one way I integrate technology and programming into the classroom: http://makezine.com/2013/08/26/arduino-in-math-class/ Enjoy, Jim

Achievement Gap Graphic

From a presentation by Jerry Valadez from Fresno State, the grade 4 TIMSS Math scores with the added columns of "US Wealthy" and "US Poor." It struck me that the former is 2nd and the latter is 2nd to last. I had never seen the disparity put quite so clearly or succinctly. This just punctuates the need for us to get all students excited about STEM in order to close the achievement gap.

What is the graph showing?

As renters go up homeowners go up? I mean you can infer from the text what it is trying to say, but the way they labeled those axes just makes me shudder.

Einstein Fellowship

Now onto the third iteration of this blog. The first, a simple homework problem listing (scroll way down), the second a place to organize my thoughts as I went through the National Board process (I passed!), and the third to add my thoughts and plans to the internet. Because what the world needs most is another teacher blog (sarcasm really doesn't read well on the internet, someone should fix that). Knowing that this may be more white noise than useful to the world, I see it as a way for me to work out what I am thinking and hopefully start a conversation.

Ok, i video taped geo doing trisquare rugs (classic) and i think it went well, though i have to watch it to see. Each group got to the main idea eventually and in their own way. The group i taped got there last, but i think it is ok.

44.00
C has had her hand up forever, like five minutes now. I should address that.
51 i come back
53 i leave, they create the squares
55.20 m
55.40 i return for wrap-up
1.00.0 almost there
1.01.30 aha moment, j upstaging

C1 checked out easily, s was distracted, c2 and h were awesome,
46.33 looks like good place to start to 1.01.30 to end, i like 44-46, but i think the aha moment is more important.

29 to 43.30 ok, but i think the other set is better
What about 19

Wow, i was a terrible teacher today, i just had an exreme lack of classroom management and then couldn't figure out why they wouldn't settle down. Silly me, i'll just have to regroup and start my new stricter self without losing the open, caring, safe general attitude. No patience for misbehavior, high patience for math problems. Then once it is ingrained, it will still be there when i am tired. I really wish this had spell check, this is atrocioius! Need to video tape group work this week and plan another. Need to check out the final exam problems to see if i can use them for part 1. Need to check evidence with requirements before i start writing stuff.

I couldn't have asked for a better quote from c today for part 1. He handed me his work and said, "i didn't understand this when we did it, but i worked really hard on the quiz and now i do." It was awesome :-)

I don't know why i feel so annoyed right now, i've only been in productive mode for a couple days. Ususally this dooesn't settle in for a few weeks. Hmm. Anyway, i had a good day today. I think the algebra 2 class is really starting to get the idea of logs, which once they have it, the rules should seem natural ( no pun intended). But the geometry class is still driving me crazy, it's like each little group wants me to teach them individual,y and just sit there and stsre at the wall until i do. How can i get them to take charge of their learning? Welp, i should be starting chapter 4 tomorrow, so.. that should be fun. Take care.

Still need permission slips for geom so i couldn't tape today, maybe i can plan one for next week. I definitely think H, C, S, C is the group to go, so many possibilities. I had also hoped to start section 4 today, oh well maybe tomorrow. I did read through the requirements of 2 and 4 today so that is something. Mostly a bust, but i think the process has already made me become a better teacher. It is crazy that it happened so quickly, but true.

I taped my first class today, i haven't watched it yet, but i think it went well. No one dominated the conversation and i remember to include students who weren't volunteering and even checked for understsnding a few times. I think it went well over all, now i just have to make sure i get all of the permission slips in. I'll have to look up whether or not they have to be able to see the board. I gave them time to think individually, then in groups, then had the whole class discussion to tease out their misunderstandings and get to the heart of the matter, doing an exponent backwards. This will set up the discussion about how exponents are related to logs and hopefully not make it such a mystery.

I start lesson at 14.22 ish
Silent board starts at 16.32 ish
Hint at 23.45
L out at 25.26
I start talking again at 26.49
i need to enunciate more when i am at the board
talk with groups 29.19
Discussion wrapup start 32.42
Discussion done approx 44.00
having watchednit, i think we may have a winner they were engaged and i think understood what ibwasntrying to getnoutbofbthen

Weqll this is looking to be a place to write down my thoughts for national boards. I don't see why this would be useful or entertaining to anyone but me, but if you want to read it, go nuts.

2/23
IMP 1 - none (if you finished pg 44 #5 = 40)
Alg C - pg. 344 9-15

2/24-25
IMP 1 - packet pgs. 22-23
Alg C - pg. 350 5-8, 11-14 (quiz today)

2/26-27
IMP 1 - packet pg. 24 (quiz Monday)
Alg C - none

--
town-math.blogspot.com
james.town@ouhsd.k12.ca.us

12/01
AR - none
IMP 1 - finish Sublette's Cutoff pg 220
Alg B - none

12/02-03
AR - pg 241 #'s 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 21
IMP 1 - pg. 221
Alg B - pg 539 #'s 7, 8, 16, 18, 31

12/04-05
AR - study for test
IMP 1 - pg 233 print neatly or type
Alg B - none

--
town-math.blogspot.com
james.town@ouhsd.k12.ca.us

11/17
AR - none
IMP 1 - none
Alg B - none

11/18-19
AR - Study for quiz
IMP 1 - Finish Cars Part 2 pg 3
Alg B - none

11/20-21
AR - Quiz today
IMP 1 - Linear Models Sheet (Mid Unit Test Tuesday)
Alg B - pg. 522 14, 16, 17, 28, 29, 38

--
town-math.blogspot.com
james.town@ouhsd.k12.ca.us

11/10
AR - none
IMP 1 - none (finish questions, if you have not already done so)
Alg B - none

11/12
AR - none
IMP 1 - finish finding the slopes in the packet
Alg B - none

11/13-14
AR - none
IMP 1 - finish #1 and 2a on pgs. 217-218
Alg B - none

--
town-math.blogspot.com
james.town@ouhsd.k12.ca.us

10/27
AR - none
IMP 1 - Hmk 14 (POW due 11/3)
Alg B - Finish worksheet (Warm-ups 83-84)

10/28-29
AR - none (study)
IMP 1 - none (study)
Alg B - none (study)

10/30-31
AR - Benchmark Today
IMP 1 - Benchmark Today
Alg B - Benchmark Today

--
town-math.blogspot.com
james.town@ouhsd.k12.ca.us

10/20
AR - none
IMP 1 - none
Alg B - none

10/21 (10/22 off)
AR - none
IMP 1 - finish "Out Numbered"
Alg B - none

10/23-24
AR - finish worksheet (7th quiz today, 2nd quiz Monday)
IMP 1 - finish hmk 14, start POW #3 (5th quiz today, 4th quiz Monday)
Alg B - finish "Opposite sides of ruler" and worksheet

--
town-math.blogspot.com
james.town@ouhsd.k12.ca.us