One of JD2718’s students has a question
Prize question is at the bottom of this post.
When the kiddies are having fun with a topic in math, why not keep it front and center as a motivator? So today's "multiplication of radicals and rationalizing denominators" was relegated to about 5 brief minutes.
Instead, they explored a question posed by John in the comments for "Delayed Gratification" about some funny Pythagorean Triples. (I need to install that LaTex).
How few 4’s?
What percent of numbers (ie, counting numbers, 1, 2, 3, 4, … and keep going) contain the digit '4'?
Round your answer to the nearest whole percent.
(I will look for my source, but I think this has been around a long time)
It’s a start
For those of you have found your way here
For those of you have managed to find your way here, and have returned, thank you.
As you return you will notice that I keep playing around with layout, experimenting with adding pages, adding (and perhaps deleting) links. I have added two pages: Links and Contract. I am not sure they belong. Thoughts?
My Cell Went Off In Class
it was Mayor Mike calling to ask about cell phone policy.
Actually, I just made that up, just like Bloomberg made this up: "I think most teachers would argue that there should not be any of these devices." * He never called me. Probably never talked to a single teacher. Or former teacher, at that. (his chancellor whatshisname never taught)
Delayed Gratification
I was supposed to teach my algebra class “the distance formula” (Note to any and all: how can I display mathematical formulas & symbols in this space?)
Anyway, I wasted most of the period having them hunt for Pythagorean Triples (three numbers such that the sum of the squares of the first two equals the square of the third,
ie a2 + b2 = c2. An example is 8,15, and 17, since 82 + 152 = 172 (64 + 225 = 289).
Then I ran a contest, almost a spelling bee, seeing who could come up with the most triples for a,b,c <= 100. When I get kids cheering and screaming about numbers, I think I am okay
Even Squares; Odd Squares
Is there a largest perfect square with all even digits? What is it?
Is there a largest perfect square with all odd digits? What is it?
(2401 falls into neither category, since the "1" is odd and the "2" "4" and "0" are even)
Calculating Grade Averages
I have been involved in an ongoing discussion of what would seem to be a simple thing.
I assign a grade at the end of each marking period that corresponds to what the student would get as a final grade if the term ended that day. (running total method, RTM)
Others assign a grade based on the first 5/6 weeks of work, another based on the 2nd 5/6 weeks of work, another (unpublished) on the 3rd 5/6 weeks worth of work, and then average them for a final grade (3 separate grades method, 3SGM).
(For those of you who have noticed that this seems like half a year, indeed, most New York City high schools operate two half year terms, with a final grade assigned for each term).
Me: high school math, RTM, both ways are done in my school. (but 3SGM dominates)
and at my previous school both ways were done (RTM predominated).
What do you teach, how do you average, and is your school together on this?
A ‘love’ly math puzzle
78 players enter a single elimination tennis tournament (a player is eliminated after 1 loss).
How many matches will be played in this tournament?
A Day Without Immigrants
The boycott is scheduled for tomorrow. How big will the impact be? How much lower will tomorrow's attendance be? How many kids who do attend are wearing white t-shirts in solidarity? And do the rest of the kids know why?
Good luck.
Deal or No Deal?
This is going to be a busy week. Grades are due, report cards need to be run, conferences held, course selection sheets distributed and collected. I am way behind on my grades, and I am still working on the final exam schedule. Plus my high-speed kit should arrive, and that will get my immediate attention.
But there is something I am looking forward to: my combinatorics* class is taking a detour into probability and expected value, culminating with some simple analysis of the awful game show "Deal or No Deal." I like this description: Read more…
Suspended without pay, then cleared?
One of the worst features of our (UFT) new contract is that teachers accused of sexual misconduct are immediately suspended (this is appropriate) without pay (this is outrageous).
Now we have a report of a teacher accused, suspended without pay, then cleared. I do not find the first report reliable, but since the teacher accused and I have common acquaintances, I may be able to verify the story next week. If anyone else can provide confirmation, please step in.
Dxxxx Txxxxxxn, a fifth grade teacher in Queens Brooklyn, was accused of sexual abuse in February, according to this story in the New York Daily News, which reads in part:
"…Fifth-grade teacher Dxxxx Txxxxxxxn, 51, allegedly accosted two of the students in a hallway at Public School 123 and a third inside a classroom on Monday…"
Yesterday a sketchy post appeared on New York Teachers Chatboard (link to site) entitled "Accused Teacher is Innocent! " It reads, in part:
"Dxxxx Txxxxxxxn, the P.S. 123K school teacher accused of groping three girls, has had the charges against him dropped The three girls made up their story after Txxxxxxxn called their parents to report their horrible behavior in class…"
Summer Vacation Part I
I worked Summer School my first three years teaching, before I decided that unless I badly needed the cash, I was better off finding something else to do with my vacation.
Then I taught college classes for the next four years. Last year my college class was canceled, and guess what? It's nice to have a real summer vacation!
Part I fell into place this week. I purchased air tickets: into Thessaloniki, return from Istanbul, and three weeks in between.
But wow, two months to plan. I love planning. I love reading about lots of options, and then deciding on the fly. I love the whole preparation stage. I will read ferry schedules and guide books and off the beaten path guide books. I am reading Salonica City of Ghosts.
If you have any ideas of what to do between Thessaloniki and Istanbul and maybe even a little out of the way, please share.
More on Retention
Last week the DoE announced, with UFT agreement, a housing incentive to recruit teachers in science, math and special ed teachers. There was a flurry of discussion on the need for retention incentives.
Links: the agreement, UFT commentary, the NYCDoE press release, a post on this site, and a good post and discussion on Ms. Frizzle.
There is more recent discussion of retention / the housing deal at nyceducator (he's angry that EdWize hasn't covered the housing agreement) and insideschools (who strangely believe that hiring good administrators will solve our retention problems).
Last night at the UFT Delegate Assembly the following resolution was passed unanimously (I am omitting the all of the whereas clauses):
Resolved, that the UFT engage in a vigorous, many-fronted, high-priority program of chapter-building to jump-start a pro-unionist awareness among newer members, re-educate our veterans, and spark among the whole Organization, school-based and beyond, vitality in activism, conciliation, and a new militancy
I kind of like that. (Except what is "conciliation" supposed to mean here?).
If we want to build chapters, we need to do something about how quickly teachers move in and out of the job.There are some new teachers who are great unionists, but that is the exception. Especially someone who will be teaching for 2, 3, 4 years, why would that person get involved in their chapter? If we can't improve teacher retention, chapter building is going to be very difficult.
Forgotten Tour of Green-Wood Cemetery
I'm shamelessly promoting a walk that an acquaintance is organizing. In fact, it was scheduled for last Sunday – I would have missed it. Gotta love that rain! Now it's on for Sunday, April 30.
Here's what Kevin says:
"Green-Wood Cemetery is New York City's premier burial park. Park it originally was: families convened here for Sunday outings in the latter half of the 19th Century and first half of the 20th. Join your occasionally convivial Webmaster as we explore the Cemetery's northwestern end, including visits with Charlie Ebbets, Henry Chadwick (who helped formulate baseball's present-day scoring system) Leonard Bernstein, sewing machine inventor Elias Howe, DeWitt Clinton, as well as some less-heralded non-luminaries. This is probably the best time of the year to visit.
Demonstrate Support for TWU Leader
When: Monday April 24
Time?: 4 PM
Where: Brooklyn Borough Hall* (Court & Joralemon Sts, Brooklyn)
What: Rally in support of TWU President Roger Toussaint
Why?: Because they are union members jailed for acting in their members best interests; because they were jailed for violating a law that is aimed at teachers as well (The Taylor Law); and because they showed us that it is possible to stand strong.
We need to remember the risk they took to protect new members, and even members who have not been hired yet.
And we need to remember how expensive it can be to strike without winning.
* 2,3,4,5,M,N,R to Court St / Borough Hall
* A, C or F to Jay St / Borough Hall (2 blocks away)
2.71828182845904523536……
So for today a beginning. We can go a lot further. The direction is clear. The end may be less so.
I will add links, decorate, clean up. All in good time.
I will define some direction, also in good time. (Think: math, New York City, sewers and trains and streets, teaching). The direction exists; it needs to be spelled out.
For now, 2 puzzles:
1. Closed – How many squares are on a regular 8 x 8 checkerboard? (not just the little ones. Remember, the whole board is a square, and there are 2 x 2 squares, and 6 x 6 …..)
2. Open – How high can you count with your fingers? (assuming you have 10). How would your counting system work? Is it realistic? (ring finger and pointer up at once, with the middle finger down, is that realistic? _|_|_ ? )
Jonathan
Recruitment Incentives for (semi)-experienced Math, Science, SpecEd Teachers (New York City)
There is an article here in today’s New York Times with some descriptions. There’s a bunch of issues worth exploring.First, the details. You need two years experience. There is $5000 in up-front money, followed by a $400 monthly housing subsidy over two years. In return the recruits agree to work three years in a high needs middle or high school. They expect to recruit about 100 teachers with this.
1. Recruitment, not Retention. This is a recruitment incentive, not a retention incentive (to the same degree that joining the Teaching Fellows gives you a 2 (or is it 3?) year commitment. These teachers will be agreeing to 3 years up front.
2. Retention not addressed, needs to be. NYCBoE still hasn’t addressed retention, and personal knowledge, anecdotes, etc, say that while recruitment and retention are both problematic, retention is the far bigger problem. A few months ago City Sue over at EdWize, said:
What had been a recruitment problem in the school system before the current contract is now a retention crisis. If you have five years in the system almost half the colleagues you started with have already left. More than a third left by the end of their second year.*
First Post (imported from blogger)
Fold laundry? Or write first blogger entry? I've folded laundry before, and will again. Who knows about this blog stuff.
JD2718 