Final Reflection for Math

Here I sit looking back at all of my math blogs this quarter and thinking about the lesson that I taught today to my third graders.  I had to teach them about equivalency in fractions, and how to make equivalency chains, something I had trouble making relevant for them other than the learning it will lead to.  I wish I had read my blogs last night before my lesson - I may have tried to figure out how to do it in groups.  I was trying to allow each student to have their own "Aha" moment, and somehow group work didn't seem to fit it.  Now looking back, and thinking about how I learn, those moments can happen anywhere, and probably faster when in kid speak for them.  Oh well, a missed opportunity.

Back to my learning this quarter - the thing that stands out for me to carry to my teaching of math (and other) lessons next week is reflection.  Taking this moment now to think about what I taught from the standpoint of what the students actually learned is illuminating.  It makes clear for me where I want to go next. There are a few cultural things I want to work in over the next little while: group work with roles that make everyone active and responsible in the group; asking questions - no "I can't" or "I don't know."  Having students explore their curiosity and savor their learning explicitly - this is the culture that I want to create.

My tool belt of online resources has grown exponentially from this course as well from the likes of discovering Kahn Academy, Geometer's Sketchpad, and Fathom to playing with online maniupulatives.  And the data sites are extraordinary playgrounds for interdisciplinary lessons - especially Gapminder and Tableau.  It was instructive and fun to see Robin's excitement about and use of apps to make class management easier, from attendance checking to RSS feeds of our blogs.

I also appreciate the readings, which I will keep: Creative Writing and Math; Creating Meaningful Work, Group Worthy Work, Orchestrating Discussions and Don't Say what a Kid can Say.  Each one easy to read with many doable and worthy ideas.  Thank you for those.