Hacking Mathematics: 10 Problems That Need Solving (Hack Learning Series Book 17) by Sheeran Denis

Author:Sheeran, Denis [Sheeran, Denis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Times 10 Publications
Published: 2018-03-17T16:00:00+00:00

A blueprint for full implementation

Step 1: Sell it to your students.

Any time a new product comes around, its longevity is made or broken by the sales pitch. I saw an ad for a kids’ science kit that gets delivered to your house once a month and has what looked like unique and cool experiments for you and your kids to do together. But then it happened. In the ad, one of the parents walked around the corner with the new science box, smiled expectantly, and kneeled as the kids rushed up for a big hug, because, you know, YAY, their new science kit was here . . . Sorry, as a father of four, the ad didn’t resonate with me because I know that the real scene would either be much more like hyenas tearing up a freshly fallen giraffe, or a wave of teenage indifference. The sales pitch of hugs, smiles, and family chemistry time turned me off as too fake, despite my initial interest in the product.

Develop a sales pitch that will make your students want to buy into the “product” of relevant math. This is usually done by good storytelling. You don’t have to be Shakespeare; you’ve just got to know how to tell a story without making it all mathy right away. If you’ve got an idea from a photo or video or experience that you want to turn into a great math question, plan the story so that the kids are the ones who get around to asking the question. Bait the hook, don’t toss dynamite into the pond. They’ll take the bait.

Step 2: Start as small as you need to and gradually increase.

Maybe you’re the type of teacher who’s married to the pacing guide, till death or a new textbook do you part. You may feel the struggle of wondering where you’re supposed to fit these types of questions and activities into your already packed schedule. Take out a useless part; that’s where you find the time. Andrew Stadel ( @MrStadel ) has a great talk on the classroom clock and how we spend too much of our time on things that should take up almost no time at all. Evaluate your classroom clock and see what you can sacrifice to make space for more relevant topics. Then try it.

If you’re recently or long-since divorced from your pacing guide, and time isn’t a problem, then you may be ready for more right away. Start with stories from your experiences that lead to good math questions. Become great at listening to your students speak so you know when to prospect the gold mines of their perspectives and interests. I firmly believe that you could remake a full math course curriculum with questions you discover day by day.

Step 3: Document what you’ve done and save the good ones.

If you’ve found an excellent experience, photo, video, location, or mystery that you realize has led to an excellent math experience in your class, document it and include it in your classes for as long as it is relevant.

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