Take Away the Stress, Multiply the Fun, Divide and Conquer

The print ad says "Add KENKEN, Take Away the Stress, Multiply the Fun, Divide and Conquer

Brain Fitness for $9.95 ;)
http://www.kenken.com/

Teach Back example

This student-made poster was based on Teach Back questions on Unit Conversion and was a key part of the Teach Back process.

The Benefits of the Teach Back method

The Benefits of the Teach Back method

The Upside of Test Prep: The Teach Back

The Teach Back method uses sample assessment questions for learning and teaching in the classroom.

NYT Learning Network for teachers, parents, and students

A great resource and inspiration for learning and teaching.

Gaining An Academic Edge with the Web

The Wall Street Journal mentions these on-line learning tools in this article about the wave of the future:


http://funbasedlearning.com/ Algebra and Chem

www.dreambox.com Math for K,1,2

www.indianmathonline.com Math for Grades 1- 10

www.brightstorm.com High School HW Help

How To Say Really Big Numbers

Almost but not quite infinity

The New York Times featured a story about VISA bills gone awry. The young woman put this # into Google after typing in

How to Say Really Big Numbers which likely brought her to:
http://www.mathcats.com/explore/reallybignumbers.html
twenty-three quadrillion, one hundred forty-eight trillion, eight hundred fifty-five billion, three hundred eight million, one hundred eighty-four thousand, five hundred












Almost but not quite infinity ;)

Learning on the Computer

How will technology (such as Dimension M's middle school Math video games http://www.dimensionm.com/) blend with traditional instruction for the School of the Future?
This article focuses on the School of One that custom-tailors lessons to each student...perhaps this is the wave of the future -- individualized learning mixed with on-line learning.

Mindset and Success according to Indexed (blog)

This is very reminiscent of Carol Dweck's book Mindset.
http://www.mindsetonline.com/

FASTTMATH develops automaticity

Because students, teachers and curricula spend time on 'understanding' the operations, there is far less school time spent on memorization. Automaticity with Math facts develops fluency, skills, confidence and a positive attitude toward Math.

Yesterday, Steven demoed FASTTMATH and showed off its features to a Dad with two elementary age kids.

The Dad was wowed -- he's placing his order today.

Read this link!!! They hate school ;(

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-07-05-hateschool_N.htm

0 = 40?? Passing with a 7

Focusing on learning and effort reduces the focus on grades
http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/article1014081.ece
A Florida county is thinking of making 40 the lowest possible grade even if the student does not hand in the work.

"How it would work
The Hernando County School District is considering changes to its grading policy at the elementary school level that would get rid of zeroes and create a minimum F score. Here's how it would work:
• A student who does not turn in an assignment or test would receive a 40 percent.
• A student who turns in a test or assignment and scores, say, a 30 percent would get a 49.30 percent in the gradebook. Adding the actual score after the decimal point is a way for teachers to keep track of what the grade would have been if not for the minimum F policy. "

In Engineering school, due to low averages, a 7 out of 100 on an exam could be a passing grade. Starting at 40 would have more than quintupled some scores on exams we actually took ;)

The New SAT Book from the College Board

The new SAT book will be out on July 21st with 3 recently administered tests ;)

It also includes a chapter on the PSAT.

13 x 7 = 28 from Abbott and Costello

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WMi5TUJDso

Afterschooling and Beforeschooling

Afterschooling -- what a great word to describe the supplementation of schooled students!!

Disclosure: Sometimes the extra work is "beforeschooling" as we do 15 minutes (of the daily one hour of extra Reading and Math) before the school bus comes ;)

Success Magazine: Focus on Improvement

The August 2009 Success magazine has an inspiring and uplifting article ("If You Don't Fall, You Aren't Getting Better") by publisher Darren Hardy.

Mistakes can be terrific learning opportunities. Math questions often have only one correct answer and can provide practice in admitting and correcting errors. Mr. Hardy expressed this very well -- "they were markers on the journey toward greatness and should be appreciated, even celebrated."

The next time I hear, "When are we ever going to use this Math?", my answer will incorporate Mr. Hardy's words: "Correcting Math mistakes builds more than Math knowledge and skills -- this improvement process instills character traits that help people break through to a new level of academic, professional and/or personal success."

School - Home Partnership?

U.K. To Parents: We’ll Do Our Part….

Education Leads to Independence and Better Practices

Gardner's 5 types of minds that each individual and community will need to succeed in the future.

The Disciplinary Mind: the mastery of major schools of thought, including science, mathematics, and history, and of at least one professional craft.
The Synthesizing Mind: the ability to integrate ideas from different disciplines or spheres into a coherent whole and to communicate that integration to others.
The Creating Mind: the capacity to uncover and clarify new problems,questions and phenomena.
The Respectful Mind: awareness of and appreciation for differences among human beings and human groups.
The Ethical Mind: fulfillment of one's responsibilities as a worker and as a citizen.

1 + 1 = 2 and 1 + 2 = 3

Log in the base 10 of 100 is 2 -- this is the only log ya gotta know ;)  this is because 10 to the 2 power is 100
Then the log rules (that make no sense because they work off of exponent rules) follow.

log 10 + log 10 = log 100
1 + 1 = 2

log 10 + log 100 = log 1000
1 + 2 =3

It makes people laugh when they see that:

1 + 1 = 2 and

1 + 2 =3!! ;)

Learning on the Web for a Good Cause

Free Rice started as a vocabulary web site and has expanded to include Math and other subjects.
They donate grains of rice for every correct answer.
Check it out ;)

Uh Oh...Calculators and Beyond!!!

The new Wolfram Alpha site does more than calculate -- it does Calculus!!

It remains to be seen if this is good or evil as we humans cannot see into the future. As technology has evolved so has Math curricula. The SAT is so different than it was in 19XX as I-83/4s have been normalized into the classroom and Excel spreadsheets have invaded corpoarte and daily life.

The debate over technology makes for a great discussion about the future of education and the future of society.

Turning Mistakes into Stepping Stones: John Maxwell

As leadership guru John Maxwell states: mistakes are stepping stones and help us to plan for and meet the challenges of the future.
http://www.amazon.com/Failing-Forward-Turning-Mistakes-Stepping/dp/0785288570/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245239881&sr=8-1

Here's to the Guinea Pigs: Geometry Regents Debut!

The much-awaited debut of New York's first Geometry Regents ;)
http://www.jmap.org/JMAP/RegentsExamsandQuestions/3-AdobePDFs/OriginalExams/Geometry/0609ExamGE.pdf

Good luck to all the guinea pigs who took it -- may the curve be kind to you!

National Standard? How's the SAT or ACT?

The Obama administration plans to spend $350 million on national standards -- perhaps Mr. Duncan and his team will consider the SAT and/or ACT which provide an acceptable and common body of knowledge for the college admissions process and is the closest to a national exit exit exam. http://mathconfidence.blogspot.com/search/label/curriculum

In NYC, the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) is a similar indicator for early eighth graders. While some may not prefer standardized exams, test prep can be a tool for teaching and learning especially if old or sample exams are available. Many common Math mistakes and misconceptions can be diagnosed through the use of multiple choice with “good wrong answers” -- this seems to make a stronger impact than just teaching them the right way to do it!!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/14/AR2009061402660_Comments.html

Math Confidence Success Tip #2: Effort and Learning

Be consistent with effort and learning as test grades may fluctuate!!
Math test grades often seesaw due to content difficulty level as well as performance factors (breakfast, mood, weather, etc.). 'Little mistakes' can easily add up to 10 - 15 points.
Recommendation: Think of an 85 as being a very good Math grade.

Math helps with brain processing and speed

I often ask students to think about their thinking (metacognition).
Math helps the hamster in your head run faster.
This is a great metaphor for the brain fitness that Math inspires.

Great fast hamsters in this video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXRH50fvHWA

Education Online -- A Wave of the Future

While there will always be a need for teachers and classrooms, on-line learning is here to stay. The Internet and on-line learning offers a flexible and economical alternative to classroom learning. This article featured Staples High School in Westport, Connecticut and the success they have had with on-line learning in Algebra and other Math classes.

Math Confidence Success Tip #1: Don't Look at the Answers ;)

Don’t write the answers on your review sheet -- otherwise the reworking of the problems may not happen. In Math, skills and knowledge are gained by working and reworking problems until the process is almost memorized (rather than the formulas)

Rising Above IQ: Perseverance and Drive

Perseverance and drive helped our son learn to read!!!

As a Math peak performance coach and the Mom of a dyslexic son, I can see the fruits of hard work and parental involvement. By the sweat of our brows, an awesome whole-language program (Al Dicker Reading program), an excellent reading teacher weekly and a parent/child half hour daily session for the past 15 months, our 9.5 year old son can now read. This afternoon, we finished Little House on the Prairie. Tomorrow brings On the Banks of Plum Creek.

Below are some comments from March regarding Nisbett's book from my Math Confidence blog:
Innate intelligence as measured by IQ can be increased
IQ is not the most important success factor

Women in Science...Mindset for Success: Average = C

Like poster mav62, my high Math SAT landed me into a technical discipline. While there were many more men than women in Electrical Engineering, we studied in groups in public places rather than by twos.

Stephanie Pfirman of Barnard mentions that getting an A- or B+ doesn’t spell the end of your career – it is important that women (and men) STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) majors are aware that most introductory technical courses have a C average. http://mathconfidence.blogspot.com/search/label/mindset

PS Glad you were able to use trigonometry on the job ;)

http://fray.slate.com/discuss/forums/thread/2859080.aspx?View=Flat&ArticleID=2219701

"Test Prep Really Does Help Us Learn"

This New York Times article "New York City Shows Gains in Math" ended with a quote from a sixth grader: "Test prep really does help us learn."

Math Confidence workshops show how test prep can benefit learners:

“Using ‘Good Wrong Answers’ to Achieve Math Confidence and Success”
Test prep can be used as a learning tool as multiple choice tests have tempting incorrect answers that often reflect students’ common misunderstandings. Studying these “good wrong answers” and identifying potential errors leads to deeper comprehension, higher confidence and better grades while improving problem-solving skills.

“Exchanging Ideas and Strategies for Math (Regents/SAT/SHSAT/3-8) Success”
This forum includes a lively and engaging discussion on multiple choice questions, metacognition, TI-83/4 strategies (for Regents and SAT) and topics generated by the participants.

In New York, prior state tests are public information, creating a teaching and learning opportunity for students, parents, teachers and the public at large. Using old or sample exams as an educational supplement, people can raise metacognition (thinking about thinking) and gain content exposure.

The Stuyvesant/Bronx Science exam (SHSAT)is a much more intense indicator (than the state tests) of expectations for early 8th graders. Here is the link to the SHSAT handbook that contains two sample exams.
http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/D6C3C010-DD6B-4B04-BFFB-3A9C240F27C9/0/SHSAT_Hndbk_0809_toDOE.pdf

NYS Elementary and Intermediate exams for all subjects
Grades 3 - 8 http://www.nysedregents.org/testing/eleminttests.html

Click here for high school content http://www.jmap.org/

Robin Schwartz
www.mathconfidence.com

Would You Ever Retake the SAT?

WSJ.com: I Took the SAT Again After 41 Years: Inspirational? Fun? Zany? Brainy? Would you ever retake the SAT?

http://digg.com/d1sGRZ

Many congrats to Sue Shellenbarger! The headline on WSJ’s home page says “the terrifying experience of retaking the SAT after 40 years.” Education needs better PR!
As Robin the Math Lady, I teach Algebra and Geometry for the SAT but really focus on the psychology of studying and learning Math. Many people have Math and test anxiety hence the name of my web site -- Math Confidence.

By viewing test prep as an opportunity for learning, people can improve their brain fitness (just like going to the gym increases physical fitness). Congrats to Sue for taking on this challenge! You have inspired me to seriously consider registering for the October SAT ;)

Inspiring Students To Think ;)

This letter is reminiscent of a student who said:
"The reason I don't like your class is that it forces us to have to think!"

New York Times Letter
Latin? Try Basic Math
Published: May 25, 2009
To the Editor:
A May 19 letter suggested teaching Latin to make college diplomas more readable.
Although making sure that the college population gets a well-rounded education is a laudable goal, I, a professor of college math for more than 30 years, bemoan the fact that people cannot do simple arithmetic.
Many college students (and, yes, college graduates) cannot add fractions, multiply decimals or calculate the square footage of an L-shaped room (forget about calculus or higher math.)
These things are required in everyday life to convert recipes, calculate a sale price or buy an air-conditioner. Calculators are a bad substitute. They absolve the student from the requirement of thinking.
On a recent exam, a student complained to me not that the exam was too long or too hard — but that he had to think.
Arnold FischthalNew York, May 20, 2009
The writer is an assistant professor of mathematics at Queens College.

The Mind Can Drive While it Does Other Things

The title of this blog post links to Verlyn Klinkenborg's article called "The Paved Mind" about how we can weed out the inessentials and drive while multitasking (talking on phone, texting, filing nails, etc)

This is what Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi says about the mind and flow
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_on_flow.html

Studying Math can provide this flow experience ;)

SAT Score Cut-Offs: SAT as an Indicator, National Curriculum?

In response to: Colleges Acknowledge SAT and ACT Score Cut-Offs in Admission

It is important to note that some fields of study use the SAT as a measure of ‘keeping up with the Joneses’. Engineering schools want high Math scores (to follow along with profs who write a dozen equations on the board); likewise, journalism schools want high verbal scores.
Because grades are subjective, the SAT is a broader indicator. Due to the absence of a national curriculum, we can think of the SAT as a unifier for a reasonable body of knowledge for high schoolers.
Studying for the SAT (or any test) can promote brain fitness at any age
http://mathconfidence.blogspot.com/2009/03/sat-as-predictor-indicator-brain.html

Can You Resist the Marshmellow? Self-Control and Success

This excellent article highlights the importance of self-control and mentions the famous marshmellow experiments done at Stanford in the 1960's and 1970's. Includes Math as a subject that benefits from self-control.

AP Classes for College? for National Curriculum?

AP classes are increasingly popular. People debate whether to allow all students into these classes. While I am unsure of a fair requirement, there is something that the AP does quite well -- it nationalizes curricula. If more students have studied AP World History (for example), perhaps colleges can assume more uniformity in student preparedness.

Why Don't Students Like School

This book is excellent for teachers, parents and students. Dr Willingham's main point is that thinking is hard and takes a lot of work and for most people, it does not come naturally. Today, this book enhanced my professional development Math workshop as it highlighted many of the attitudinal issues that Math teachers must address.

Sigh...it's still not cool to be smart

Brain fitness has yet to catch on -- it is still not cool to be smart!!
Please see the NYT article (4/29/09)

“Where we see the gap narrowing, that’s because there’s been an emphasis on supplemental education, on after-school programs that encourage students to read more and do more math problems,” Dr. Hrabowski said. “Where there are programs that encourage that additional work, students of color do the work and their performance improves and the gap narrows.”
But he said that educators and parents pushing children to higher achievement often find themselves swimming against a tide of popular culture.
“Even middle-class students are unfortunately influenced by the culture that says it’s simply not cool for students to be smart,” he said. “And that is a factor here in these math and reading scores.”

Is Math Applicable? Brain Fitness Part 2

College Board 2009 Forum Proposal:

While students would like relevant content, high school curricula dictate traditional subjects. In particular, classic high school Math (algebra, geometry, trig) is often viewed as the least applicable topic. However, quantitative reasoning can improve metacognition (thinking about thinking) and is an excellent way to boost knowledge, skills and attitude for success in the twenty-first century.

Brain Fitness for Academic, Professional and Personal Success

Proposal for College Board's Forum 2009 Part 1

To break the barriers of college access and success, we need to promote intellectualism by reshaping the view of brain fitness and putting it on par with physical fitness.

Participants will exchange ideas on motivation, instructional strategies and confidence-building with an emphasis on critical thinking and Math.

Helping Women with Math

Allanah Thomas has recognized the need for Math for women. She emphasizes mental Math and has trained thousands of people. Many of them have qualified for better jobs and therefore a better standard of living.

Alternatives to Inflict (see 4/16)

Alternatives to “inflict”:
Improve
Develop
Expand
Progress
Enhance
Boost
Upgrade
Bolster
Encourage
Give Confidence

How To Raise Our IQ: "Inflict" Kids with Books!!!

Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times:
"One indication of the importance of school is that children’s I.Q.’s drop or stagnate over the summer months when they are on vacation (particularly for kids whose parents don’t inflict books or summer programs on them)."


"Inflicting" to describe books or summer programs!! This word illustrates the attitude and sentiment of many people regarding education. It would be terrific if we valued mental fitness as much as physical fitness.

Here's the American Heritage Dictionary definition
http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/inflict

in·flict (n-flkt) KEY TRANSITIVE VERB: in·flict·ed , in·flict·ing , in·flicts
To deal or mete out (something punishing or burdensome); impose: inflicted heavy losses on the enemy; a storm that inflicted widespread damage.
To afflict.

Math's Image: Trig Class seen as "Forever "

Thanks Roz Chast...waivering between "funny!!" or "bad Math PR".

Macy's CEO would love more emphasis on Math

Please see below for Macy's CEO Terry Lundgren's comments on Math:


Q. Anything you would like business schools to teach more? Less?
A. In our business, there’s not enough emphasis on math. Coming out of college, we really like to have kids who like math, study math and get it. And so I’d like to make sure that there is an emphasis on math. I think there is a strong emphasis on marketing already, and we want that and we need that. But to me, the math piece is weak in most business school educations, and I’d like to have more emphasis on that.
Q. But somebody might say, “That’s what calculators are for.”
A. And that’s exactly the problem. Because when, at least when I was in school, we didn’t have the computer technology that we have today to do a lot of the work for us. And so I think there’s logic that has to go into this. And I don’t think you should actually have to have a calculator for every decision that you make that has numbers attached to it. Some of that should just come to you quickly, and you should be able to quickly move to your instincts about that being a good or not good decision.
And I think that just knowing how to manage people for the situation and individually, managing them differently — what I would call situational management — is really important. You really have to have some instincts there to adjust to get the most out of people and the most out of different situations. I don’t know how you teach that; I just want to make sure that it’s known that it has to be different, and you have to make adjustments.

Math Confidence and Math Facts

The title links to a posting by Keith Devlin the Math Guy about Algebra.

One of the posters to this article brought up the dependency that today's students have on calculators. An interesting study would be a comparison of Math confidence and fluency with Math facts for current middle schoolers, high schoolers, college students as well as adults.

It's the New Algebra II/Trig Regents!! (for 2010)

Click on the title and then scroll down for the Power Point on latest info on the Alg II/ Trig Regents coming soon to a school near you!
First adminstration of this Regents will be June 2010.
Good news -- it appears to match the SAT content more closely than the Math B material.

Motivation and Math -- thanks www.coolmath.com

This is an awesome web site -- for the Math and for the inspiration.

Success Later = the intersection of Failure, Determination and Thinking

http://thisisindexed.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/card2085.jpg

Where failure, determination and thinking intersect on the Venn diagram is success later-- thanks to Jessica Hagy for her terrific www.thisisindexed.com representation!!

Big Numbers in the News...Estimation

Earlier this week, there were two fabulous Math-related items in the NYT:

The excellent visual (click on the title of this entry) shows a million vs a billion and promoting quantitative literacy for order of magnitude.

Interestingly, the Science Times also had a Math article on estimation along with an interactive quiz. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/03/31/science/20090331-angier-quiz.html
Check it out -- especially the last question on how many times a year the avergae teen says "like".

Estimation Quiz NY Times

Check this out -- interactive Math!!!!

Intelligence and How To Get It

From the New York Times review of Richard Nisbett's book

But beyond a certain threshold — an I.Q. of 115, say — there is no correlation between intelligence and creativity or genius. As more of us are propelled above this threshold — and, if Nisbett is right, nearly all of us can be — the role of intelligence in determining success will come to be infinitesimal by comparison with such “moral” traits as conscientiousness and perseverance. Then we can start arguing about whether those are genetic.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0393065057

Two important take-aways:

Innate intelligence as measured by IQ can be increased

IQ is not the most important success factor

Instilling Core Values with the Life Skill and Discipline of Math

Math appears content-oriented making students wonder "When Are We Ever Going To Use This Math?". However, the study of Math instills many core values such as perseverance, self-discipline, and excellence, while providing challenge and the opportunity for ‘flow’ experiences. Math is a life-skill that generates critical thinking, broadens career choice, and enhances performance in the classroom and in the workplace. Viewing Math through this lens can positively address the attitudinal aspects of teaching and learning Math helping to develop a life-long appreciation and confidence in quantitative reasoning.

DIY Approach to Education: Response to NYT Brooks Op-Ed

Our complex education system can benefit from a pro-intellectualism perspective. And while it is “no picnic”, supplemental education and the DIY (do-it-yourself) approach has been around for a long time. Michelle Obama’s mother also tutored her kids with workbooks.

While test scores do not paint the entire picture, studying for an exam can build the knowledge, skills and attitude for academic, professional and personal success. It can also build life skills such as focus, persistence, and critical thinking.

Whether we love the content of the SAT/ACT, it is closest to a national curriculum – visit http://apps.collegeboard.com/qotd/question.do for the free Question of the Day.

Learning how to learn and study is an important component of education that highlights the self-satisfaction that comes from personal development while also increasing brain fitness and confidence.

Link to comment
http://community.nytimes.com/article/comments/2009/03/13/opinion/13brooks.html?permid=192#comment192

Grading without A's

Response to New York Times article "Report Cards Give Up As and Bs for 3s and 4s"
http://community.nytimes.com/article/comments/2009/03/25/education/25cards.html?permid=61#comment61

While parents, students, teachers and society at large would like to know how students are faring, a good grade is not the only measure of learning. In fact, for the bright student, an A may be a result of their excellent 'raw materials' yet once these bright students reach Algebra, most will have to buckle down and actually study to learn the quadratic formula.

In secondary Math, an 85 is an excellent grade since 15 points will be lost to 'fuzzy errors' made under the pressure of an exam. It is hard to get an A in Math. As Barbie said “Math is hard” and it can be -- while offering many other life skills such as
Problem-Solving, Critical Thinking, Optimizing Your Potential, Escaping the Perfectionism Trap, Appreciating Effort vs. Obsessing about Ability, Financial / Medical Information Fluency, Expanding your self-teaching Skills, Finding a (new) career, Lifelong Learning and Brain Fitness.

As a Math peak performance coach, I help students and their families to focus on the learning and the effort expended while quieting the quest for perfectionism.

As Jim Rohn says, "Make measurable progress in reasonable time".

Robin Schwartz, Math Confidence

Test Prep as an Opportunity for Core Knowledge

In today's New York Times (3/23/09), E.D. Hirsch the Cultural Literacy guru espouses the idea of infusing test prep with core knowledge (general background knowledge)...here is a link to the benefits: http://www.coreknowledge.org/CK/about/index.htm#Benefits

While Math isn't mentioned in this op-ed piece, quantitative ideas mixed with core knowledge -- graphs and charts, taxes and population, and current events show the applicability of Math. This perspective can help learners relate to Math in and out of the classroom.

When Are We Ever Gonna Use This Math? (for THINKING!)

What do you say to the question "When are we ever gonna use this Math?"

Are people really searching for the utility of Math (perhaps in hope of avoidance!) or it is a challenge question?

Perhaps the real intention is:
"If we're not gonna use it, then please don't make us learn it."

Most are not saying "Wow! This is so cool -- when will I get to use this?".

Please post your comments -- thanks!

PS In "The Magic of Thinking Big", David Schwartz (same name as my Grandpa) writes "Anything that improves thinking ability is education."

Metacognition -- Thinking About Thinking

In Geoff Colvin's book Talent is Overrated, he analyzes what makes world-class performers. On page 118, he stresses the importance of metacognition -- knowledge about your own knowledge, thinking about your own thinking....Top performers do this much more systematically than others do; it's an established part of their routine.

"Helpful", "Insightful", "Beneficial": Feedback from Workshop

Feedback from the debut of
"Exchanging Ideas and Strategies for Math B Success"
at the Ten County Math Educators conference
Orange County, NY(http://www.tencountymath.org/).

• "It was helpful to talk in a group about different approaches"
• "I gained insightful information about successful testing strategies"
• " I feel talking to other teachers about strategies was eye-opening and beneficial"

How does working with other teachers help you?

This workshop will be featured at the New York City Math Project conference at Lehman College on Saturday, May 2nd.

It's Not Just About the Math!

Math appears content-oriented making students wonder "When Are We Ever Going To Use This Math?". However, the study of Math instills many core values such as perseverance, self-discipline, and excellence, while providing challenge and the opportunity for ‘flow’ experiences. Math is a life-skill that generates critical thinking, broadens career choice, and enhances performance in the classroom and in the workplace. Viewing Math through this lens can positively address the attitudinal aspects of teaching and learning Math helping to develop a life-long appreciation and confidence in quantitative reasoning.

'Formal' Brain Fitness and/or Math

These links connect to brain fitness.
So do Algebra, SAT Prep and Decimals ;)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alvaro-fernandez/top-11-books-for-brain-he_b_157062.html

http://www.brainrules.net/the-rules
http://www.lumosity.com/info/company/about

Math B Workshop Sat 3/14 and also in May

Exchanging Ideas and Strategies for Math B Success will debut this weekend at the Ten County Math Educators' conference.

This forum will include a dialogue on multiple choice questions, metacognition and topics generated by the participants. Please analyze the January 2009 Math B Regents (http://www.jmap.org/) and bring your own teaching strategies and graphing calculator for a lively and engaging discussion.

Saturday March 14, 2009
Ten County Mathematics Educators Association, Middletown, NY
http://www.tencountymath.org/



Saturday May 2, 2009
New York City Math Project, Lehman College, Bronx, NY
http://www.nycmp.org/

Motivation and Mindset

Motivation is an important component to Math success -- an interesting book related to education and effort is Mindset by Carol Dweck. She divides the world into two basic categories -- Ability vs Effort.
A study of Stanford freshman Chem students (the average grade is a C+ and many of these students have never gotten less than an A) -- the students who were ability-oriented thought they were just not smart enough and dropped Chem.
In contrast, the students who were effort-oriented stayed the course and developed and implemented a plan so they could improve.
http://www.mindsetonline.com/

CLEP vs AP Exams

An unheralded College Board product are the CLEPs.
(College Level Examination Program)

Questions for colleges:
Do they accept AP credit?
Do students get the credits or does it just place them into a higher-level course? The CLEP is accepted as college credit at many institutions and has not been publicized -- it is an inexpensive way to earn college credits.
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/clep/about.html

There are four Math CLEPs -- College Algebra, College Mathematics, Precalculus and Calculus. Each study guide is $10 and is downloadable directly from the College Board's web site.
http://store.collegeboard.com/catalog.do?category=298&categoryName=CLEP%AE&secondCategory=305&secondCatName=Science%20%26%20Mathematics

Test Prep as an Opportunity

Like Math Confidence, the NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics www.nctm.org) is viewing Test Prep as an Opportunity ;)

These were in the InBox today from NCTM:

Subject: Best Practices for Test Prep - Middle School Member Update
http://www.nctm.org/membership/msupdate.aspx?id=2147483702


Subject: Getting Students to Excel in Mandated Testing - High School Member Update
http://www.nctm.org/membership/hsupdate.aspx?id=2147483700


Subject: Take Pride in Preparing Students for Tests - Higher Ed Member Update
http://www.nctm.org/membership/heupdate.aspx?id=2147483701

Adding Test Prep to Teacher Training and Prof Dev

Because New York State tests are public information and are easily downloadable, there is a teaching and learning opportunity for students, parents, teachers and the public at large.


Using these old exams as an educational supplement, people can raise metacognition (thinking about thinking) and gain content exposure. This will ensure that students are familiar with the material and format of standardized exams.

Click here for NYS Elementary and Intermediate exams for all subjects
Grades 3 - 8 http://www.nysedregents.org/testing/eleminttests.html

Click here for high school content http://www.jmap.org/

Overall NYS web site: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/

Response to NYT Rewards for Students: Brain Fitness

While money (or other incentives) can work in some cases, there are inherent rewards in a “honest day’s work”. Effort (whether put forth in a classroom, an office or a kitchen) is a key ingredient for self-esteem, character building and success. Engaging the disengaged is a challenging task. Another tool may be to publicize the benefits of “brain fitness” thereby improving the PR of some subjects (such as Math).

Math Confidence's Perspective of Math as a "Life Skill":
Strengthens critical thinking and reasoning skills
Broadens career and educational choices
Instills values of discipline and excellence
Improves self-awareness, focus and attention
Builds confidence for academic, professional and personal success

A is for Achievement...E is for Effort

Below please read a terrific NYT letter by a Math professor regarding the issue of grading vs effort.

"Instead of dwelling on the few of my students who feel entitled to a high grade, I prefer to think of the many who accept their grades, or who question a grade to find out whether I made an error in grading (which does happen) — or even, to find out how to do better. "
Thomas Zaslavsky
Binghamton, N.Y., Feb. 23, 2009
The writer is a professor of mathematics at Binghamton University, SUNY.

SAT as a Predictor? Indicator? Brain Fitness?

In this article, the author (age >40) elaborates on her recent SAT and points out that the scores are just one part of the admissions process. However, it is important to note that some fields of study use the SAT as a measure of 'keeping up with the Joneses'. Engineering schools want high Math scores (to follow along with profs who write a dozen equations on the board); likewise, journalism schools want high verbal scores.

Because grades are subjective, the SAT is a broader indicator. Due to the absence of a national curriculum, we can think of the SAT as a unifier for a reasonable body of knowledge for high schoolers.

Studying for the SAT (or any test) can promote brain fitness at any age ;)

I Was Told There Would Be No Math

(headline from Slate magazine re: NYTimes new puzzle KenKen)

Is Sudoku's promise of "no Math" essential PR for promoting number puzzles? A not-so-positive relationship with Math can be left over from school days and can undeliberately be handed down from generation to generation.

KenKen creates another opportunity to engage people with numbers.

The many rewards of Math include critical thinking skills, broader career choices, discipline, focus and confidence for academic, professional and personal success (plus the "aha" of a solution)

http://fray.slate.com/discuss/forums/2097086/ShowForum.aspx?ArticleID=2211595

The SAT Question of the Day…price: free!!

The SAT Q of the D is short , sweet and wallet-friendly as well as fun for brain fitness at any age (I have learned a LOT of grammar!!). Sadly, only 1 out of every 3 is Math (the other 2 out of every 3 is Verbal…sigh).
You get immediate feedback upon clicking your answer along with a pie chart showing how respondents have scored and the question's difficulty level.

A workout at the gym increases physical fitness...
The SAT Q of the D improves mental fitness.

Forbes Magazine's Article on Remedial Math

Like sports coaching, academic coaching can help people improve their knowledge, skills and attitude to develop to their potential. Kumon’s back-to-basics philosophy is attractive to parents who would like their kids to be more knowledgeable and self-dependent. By learning the standard Math algorithms, students reduce their dependency on the calculator while improving their grades and gaining confidence.

This comment posted on forbes.com
http://rate.forbes.com/comments/CommentServlet?op=cpage&sourcename=story&StoryURI=forbes/2009/0302/095_remedial_math.html

Comment on www.nytimes.com re: Value of an Education

The value of an education goes beyond what is learned in school. The most important part of education is learning how to self-educate. As a Math educator, people often ask me “When am I ever going to use this Math?” which is posed as a challenge rather than a “Wow! This is cool! When will I get to use it?”
Below is a list of benefits of studying Math:
Strengthens critical thinking and reasoning skills
Broadens career and educational choices
Instills values of discipline and excellence
Improves self-awareness, focus and attention
Builds confidence for academic, professional and personal success

While not as interactive as a college class, reading the great literary and philosophical works (as well as studying Math and other technical content) is available to anyone with a spark of curiosity and a library card or the Internet.

Robin Schwartz
http://www.mathconfidence.com/
http://www.mathconfidence.blogspot.com/

Link to the original article
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/25/books/25human.html

Previewing a Real PSAT…$3 – can you go wrong?

Many students will benefit from seeing the format and content of the PSAT especially the grid-in questions on the Math section. They are $3 -- just got 10 of each for the 2008 administration (Wednesday and Saturday).

The two biggest surprises seem to be
1. “20 questions in only 25 minutes?”. High school courses may or may be preparatory in terms of content or time management.
2. The grid-in questions that are not multiple choice where the student writes the answer and bubbles it in on the test form.

Order of Difficulty
The Math questions are arranged in order of difficulty based on field testing. So #1 and 2 should be easy and by #17 they are challenging.

However, on the Math section with the grid-ins
(the first 8 questions are multiple choice and the last 10 are grid-in)
Questions 1-8 (multiple choice) swing through the Easy/Medium/Hard
and the first few grid-ins (they start at #9) start back at Easy
so do not spend too much time on questions 6 - 8.

Being familiar with PSAT format and timing will help students on Test Day (given only once a year in October) and oh, just make you smarter anyway ;)

Adding Character Building to the Dialogue on Grades and Effort

Huge Response to NYT Article re: Student Expectations

The New York Times published seven letters today relating to last week's article (which was the most emailed article for at least a day or two). Most of the letters were focused on the reward of effort with a grade.

The reward of effort is the character building and internal self-confidence that are boosted by hard work and perseverance. It would be terrific if the dialogue on this topic would include the non-grade related payoff. When I have posted about effort and learning are among the top benefits of technical content, grades have not been mentioned.

There is a great visual in the NYT OpEd next to these 7 letters that says:
90 - 100 A
80-90 A
70-80 A
60-70 B+
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/23/opinion/l23grades.html?_r=1&ref=opinion

Last week, I posted the distribution of grades in engineering courses...(see 2/18 blog below)...oops, I forgot to mention how much grades depended on the class average (usually far below 50). This hardens the learner as the 'easy' A is just never there and the payoff is looking longer horizon toward the degree, job possibilities, life lessons...rather than embarassment, a lot of camaderie was constructed by exchanging test score information (that were so LOW). You hoped for a C but sometimes, a D was for diploma -- you got your 3 credits toward your degree...Engineering schools do this on purpose to build mental toughness and it works although some drop out not because they are asked toleave but rather because they are used to getting As.

Thanks Syracuse University L.C. Smith College of Engineering!

Testing is an Opportunity

Testing has often been viewed as a threat rather than an opportunity. Multiple choice can be excellent for developing reasoning skills as knowing why what’s right is right is as important as knowing what’s wrong is wrong. Many common Math mistakes and misconceptions can be diagnosed through the use of multiple choice since they are intentionally designed with “good wrong answers”. By studying old or sample exams, much learning can be achieved along with focus and attention to detail that is so important on tests and in life.

New York asks for Feedback on Testing

This survey asks which months should be considered for New York State testing plus whether tests should be multiple choice and/or open-ended questions.

Parents, students, teachers, interested citizens click on the title and give your feedback on Grades 3 - 8 New York State testing. Because of No Child Left Behind, states have required testing in Math and ELA (English Language Arts).

First and foremost, constructing tests is a challenge – it is for me with only a few dozen students whereas the state has millions!!!

The state would like feedback on the format of the test -- multiple choice vs. open-ended questions. While the open-ended questions provide an opportunity for partial credit, some are tricky because they would like an explanation for Plain Old Math.

Click here for old exams and other info on testing in NYS:

General NYS Testing page
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/

Specific Math NYS page
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/elintmath.html

Response to Teach Your Children Well HuffPost

Confidence is often a result of effort and mistakes.. As a Math peak performance coach and a parent, my role is to help people to build their Math Confidence through knowledge, skills and attitude. Self-esteem in any discipline can be heightened by taking risks and making mistakes -- thereby growing wiser.
The huge attitudinal component associated with Math is twofold:
1. a grade of A is usually harder to achieve in Math than in other subjects. It is tough to be perfectionistic and be a Math student.
2. "When Are We Ever Gonna Use This Math?" is not posed because they so eager to use it, it"s a you-can't-make-me type of question?rather than "This is so cool " I can't wait to use it!!"
People confuse utility with critical thinking skills -- maybe the curriculum should be Excel spreadsheets. For now it's Algebra and Trig. Why did we read "The Odyssey"? It's just plain good for you like gym and vegetables.
Looking beyond grades and focusing on learning and effort is a great life lesson for students, parents, teachers and society at large.

The Easy A vs. Learning & Effort

(click on the title to see the New York Times Education article)
"Student Expectations Seen as Causing Grade Disputes"

A de-emphasis on grades helps learners, parents, teachers and society focus on effort and learning which are the true goals of education.

Well-intentioned parents can unintentionally discourage students from furthering their studies in Math and Science as technical courses tend not to be easy As (or even hard As). In engineering school, many professors distribute the grades as follows: 10% A, 20%B, 40%C, 20% D, 10%F. Getting used to the possibility of a C is an important life lesson that speaks of effort and learning.

Teacher Education, Content Exposure and Test Prep

Just like students, student teachers benefit from content exposure.

By including the Regents, PSAT/SAT, 6th/7th/8th grade state tests and SHSAT in their training, teachers will develop tangible and memorable problem-solving strategies for their students. Many Teacher Ed programs focus on the undergraduate Math while underemphasizing the secondary Math that teachers will need in their classroom.

Through the process of mentoring and supervising secondary teachers, the philosophy and methodology of Math Confidence will be a powerful tool for instructors to have in their repertoire.

Cell Phones for Learning and Teaching Math?

What role should technology play in the classroom and in life?

This article sparked 46 reader comments. Some felt that the phones were a distractor to the content...others felt that it might be engaging for the students.

I have found that varying the delivery of content keeps students engaged. Perhaps the smartphone as one mode of instruction might supplement other techniques and devices (group work, teach back, TI-83/4, Excel, etc.).

Many students of Generation Text have come to depend on technology perhaps too much -- although coming from the Dinosaur Age of learning without calculators (because they were not available), it is hard to imagine growing up with these types of technology.

'Fuzzy Errors' and Math Scores

Math scores often do not accurately reflect student knowledge and skills.
Test-taking skills and attention to detail are as important as the content.
Following directions and answering the exact question (sometimes they ask for x + 2 instead of x) is a key component of test-taking.

Studying multiple choice questions (with 'good wrong answers') increases self-awareness of the thinking process and alerts students to the potential for error. Viewing the studying and test-taking process through this lens enhances the learning process, reduces 'fuzzy errors' and helps students (and their families) to build resilience and persistence.

One of the best take aways from Engineering school (after multiple 7% test scores): Learning and Effort are more important than Test Scores!!

Exchanging Ideas and Strategies for Math B Success

On March 14th in Middletown, NY at the Ten County Math Educators Association annual conference, "Exchanging Ideas and Strategies for Math B Success" will debut. The workshop is a forum for teachers to share techniques for student learning and retention of the complex and lengthy nature of the Math B Regents curriculum.

Maximizing the usage of the TI-83/4 for better understanding and test performance will be a highlight as will the potential overuse of this tool.
Rounding will be discussed as the Math B's Part II, III and IV emphasizes this important skill.

Study Groups Lead to Metacognition

In engineering school, Math is an assumed skill set. Strength in fractions, rounding, unit conversion, scientific notation, trig functions will help students in problem-solving. Conversely, it is easy to get the wrong answer by miscalculating or making an incorrect assumption.

Study group discussions (debates!!) helped refine the thinking process as you had to defend your answer in front of a crowd. This process was very effective and important in building metacognition skills as well as recognizing common errors and the potential for what could go wrong!!

The College Board has a very similar post:
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/high-school/50432.html

Math Facts and Math Confidence

Does memorization of Math facts promote Math Confidence?

Is the opposite true?

Is Mental Math as valued a skill as it once was? (I learned to deal with counting money and making change as a young girl in my Grandpa Dave's store in Brooklyn on a register that did not calculate the change for you!!)

Math Confidence and Calculators

Do Calculators Increase or Decrease Math Confidence?

The students in Math for Elementary Teachers campaigned to use calculators on their exam. To get their feedback on this subject, we had a discussion board on line (where they could post anonymously if they wanted). All student posts were in favor of the calculator.

On Thursday, 2/12, they were allowed to use a calculator during the last 30 minutes of the 75 minute period. I noticed that some students who had supported calculator use finished without calculators.

Although some of the bias may be generational of the calculator vs. non-calculator, I posted New York State guidelines for Grades 3 - 8 (only Grades 7 and 8 are allowed to use them on the non-multiple choice sections). It will be interesting to get feedback from these learners next week.

On this exam, the average was above 90.

Metacognition -- Thinking About Thinking

You have to know what you don't know!

Asking learners thoughtful questions, providing guidance and giving feedback (rather than answers) raises awareness of thinking processes and helps students to categorize challenges into Easy / Medium / Hard.

For example, out of 10 questions, 5 may be easy, 2 medium and 3 hard -- when the student recognizes the type of problem and the difficulty level, effort can be expended strategically. Multiple choice questions are excellent workouts for metacognition as learners work on why the right answer is right, why the incorrect answers are incorrect and what could go wrong to make them choose a "good wrong answer". Some content areas especially suited for "good wrong answers" are exponent rules, fractions, pictographs, perimeter vs area.

Much of the research for this metholodology was conducted informally at Stuyvesant High School, the L.C. Smith College of Engineering at Syracuse University, later as an MBA student at the Stern School of Business at New York University, and over the last 8.5 years working one-on-one and in the classroom to help people build Math Confidence.



Assessments Based on Content but Built for Detail, Accuracy and Stamina

Multiple Choice Physics (points taken off for guessing) -- the question in mph, answer in meters/sec...
Matching Answers Statics and Dynamics -- 36 answers for 25 questions -- computed generated in 1982...
Circuit Theory 1 and 2 -- untimed exams at night starting at 8 PM and on into the night




This process enables the student to maximize potential for peak performance under intense conditions (exams) and contributes positively to their overall academic and emotional well-being.

New Year's Riddle courtesy of Math Notations

"What do you call solving an equation twice on Jan 1st?"We had three "first responders" so I will close the contest down now and announce our winners in the order in which I rec'd their email solutions. By the way the answer can be found "hidden" near the bottom of this post! And the winners are...
SEAN HENDERSON (and his wife!)
JUSTIN TOLENTINO
ROBIN SCHWARTZ











A New Year's Re-Solution

MathNotations: The Number Warrior and the Mysterious Minds of Students!

MathNotations: The Number Warrior and the Mysterious Minds of Students!

Robin Schwartz said...
Negative exponents, fractional exponents, the zero exponent, exponent rules, logs – these should turn on the ALERT indicator – be careful -- danger ahead!! Even armed with a calculator, students will get tricked by these types of problems…Jason, did your students use calculators for this exam?Studying multiple choice questions can help refine thinking skills (and analyze potential errors) through the strength of the comparative.
An example from “Using ‘Good Wrong Answers’ To Achieve Math Confidence and Success” is:

What’s the value of 3^-2?
A) -2/3
B) -9
C) 1/9
D) -6

If they are comfortable with the zero power, they can write 3^-2 = (3^0)/(3^2). Since exponents (and logs) are not logical, I work with learners on extra alertness with this type of content. Unlike some content where they know they are guessing, here they feel sure they have done it right. Another exercise is shown below:
16^1 =
16^.5 =
16^0 =
16^-.5 =
16^-1 =
By increasing awareness of their thinking process, students can build confidence and enjoyment of Math and even improve their scores.
Robin A. Schwartz
Founder, www.mathconfidence.com
www.blogspot.mathconfidence.com

December 24, 2008 11:32 PM

Re: The Opportunities of Test Prep – learning, studying, Life skills: response to Slatalla article 12/4/08


To the Editor:

Thank you for the article on the College Board’s new program (Michelle Slatalla’s “My Child’s Fate, All Laid Out by 13”, 12/4/08). While there can be an overemphasis on testing, as a parent and Math educator, I try to focus on the positive opportunities that studying and learning can offer.
While some see multiple choice tests as counterproductive, the “good wrong answers” (the tempting ones that test takers may choose due to being tricked or not reading carefully) can help students see their mistakes and learn from them. Identifying potential errors leads to more metacognition (thinking about thinking), stronger comprehension, better grades, improved problem-solving skills and more enjoyment of the process.
In addition to content, the study of Math has other benefits:
· instilling values of discipline and excellence
· improving memory and focus
· preparing students for success in the ‘knowledge economy’
This positive perspective can help students, parents, teachers, and administrators meet the challenges of ‘teaching to the test’ by viewing it as an opportunity to address knowledge gaps and common errors while sharpening critical thinking and gaining confidence.
The testing of 8th graders can lead to strengthening of knowledge and skills to build a strong foundation so learners can realize their potential. This may alleviate remediation at the college level while inspiring lifelong learning in the next generation.

Robin A. Schwartz

link to NYT article
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/fashion/04spy.html

Invert and multiply...which one????

Oh, just flip it upside down and then multiply (“invert and multiply”).
But they are not sure which one to flip!!

Students learn this in late elementary, but when asked “Why?”,
they will say “Oh, it’s the rule”.

An example such as “How much is 12 divided by ½?” can illustrate the concept and learners can follow this example rather than a rule!!

How many half dollars are in $12?
How many half inches in 1 foot?

12 x 2/1 = 24!! ;)

Subject: Trig homework can be pleasant ;)

Dear Professor Fisman:

Your Slate (NYT, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/15/weekinreview/15read.html?_r=1&scp=5&sq=trigonometry&st=cse) article from June about One Laptop Per Child has some terrific points, however,

“Perhaps not surprisingly, the lesson from Romania’s voucher experiment is not that computers aren’t useful learning tools, but that their usefulness relies on parents being around to assure they don’t simply become a very tempting distraction from the unpleasantness of trigonometry homework.”

The role of a Math peak performance coach goes beyond the algebra and trig knowledge and focuses on the benefits of brain fitness, ‘flow’, persistence and critical thinking – assets for academic, professional and personal success.

Math could sure use some good PR – last month, the headline for a New York Times article read: "Video Game Helps Math Students Vanquish an Archfiend: Algebra"

Trig homework can be pleasant! Many learners find that there is enjoyment in the engagement or ‘flow’ of studying and that brain fitness can be challenging and sometimes even fun!

Robin A. Schwartz, MBA, BSEE
CEO, Math Confidence

Thanks. I loved this message. I was a math guy until I got to graduate school, but I know I’m not normal. Anything you can do on this front is all to the greater good.

Best, ray fisman, Lambert Family Professor of Social Enterprise, Columbia Business School

Algebra as an Archfiend?

Education is about stretching knowledge, skills and attitude.
Last month, the headline of a New York Times article about a Math video game for middle schoolers designed by Dimension M:

"Video Game Helps Math Students Vanquish an Archfiend: Algebra"speaks volumes about attitudes about Math! In the print verson, the word "foe" was used.

How about "ally", "comrade", "challenge", "opportunity"?

"Students at Intermediate School 30 in Brooklyn played a video game on Monday, and learned a little algebra at the same time. " was the caption on a photo.
The juxtaposition of this sentence would be:
"Students at Intermediate School 30 in Brooklyn learned algebra on Monday and played a little bit of video game at the same time. "

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/08/nyregion/08video.html

Linked In Question:
How did you succeed in a difficult course while in high school or college?
Students all over the country are getting ready for major tests and final examinations. It seems that students always have one difficult course or instructor. I would like to hear about strategies that you used to get through a difficult course. What are some of the best study habits? I would like to share your strategies with students. Please confirm that I can share your suggestions.

Math Confidence Response:
As a peak performance Math coach (and a former Engineering and Finance student who made it through Electromagnetics and Corporate Finance), there are key questions for test takers that raise awareness of their thinking process:
How did you get your answer?
Was it Easy? Medium? Hard?
Is that your final answer? (courtesy of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?)

Other Success Factors:
Study Groups turn up the volume of thinking through discussion
Read over the entire test at the beginning
Do not leave anything blank -- write something :)
Know examples rather than formulas (12 divided by 1/2 = 24 is better than invert and multiply) Keep review sheets clean -- do not write the answers on the review sheet! This will force reworking of the problems --increasing the chance of success on the test
View the test as a learning opportunity -- test takers are making new connections while they are in the exam

While studying for finals may not have an exact parallel in the workplace, gaining math (and other academic) confidence can help with the following Life Skills:
Problem-Solving
Critical Thinking
Optimizing Your Potential
Escaping the Perfectionism Trap
Appreciating Effort vs. Obsessing about Ability
Financial / Medical Information Fluency
Expanding your self-teaching Skills
Finding a (new) career
Lifelong Learning
Brain Fitness


Posted by
Robin A. Schwartz, 11/26/08
http://www.mathconfidence.com/
mathconfidence@aol.com

Math Confidence's Robin Schwartz's Letter to the Editor
The New York Times

LETTERS; Ups, Downs and America's Mind-Set

Published: September 29, 2008

To the Editor:
Positive thinking is not about always getting what you want; it is making the best of what you have while planting seeds to create opportunities in the future.
My role as an educator and parent is to empower the learner with independence, knowledge, skills and attitude to achieve personal, professional and academic success.
Motivational speakers like Tony Robbins, Jim Rohn and Stephen R. Covey have helped millions of people stay on course, some of whom might have turned to other coping mechanisms, like alcohol. Their messages may not resonate with all audiences, but they help to motivate and inspire millions of people to persevere through life's (and the financial markets') inevitable ups and downs.
Robin A. Schwartz Bronx, Sept. 25, 2008
The writer is the founder of mathconfidence.com.

Trainer As Consultant 12/08

This certificate at the NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies has expanded my mindset regarding learning and teaching and has been a positive experience professionally and personally.

The next certificate -- Coaching -- will be completed in 2009 and has helped to me to better understand and support learners in the classroom and one-on-one.

Permanent Weight Loss is a Metaphor for Life

While this may seem off topic for a Math blog, the methodology and mindset for permanent weight loss is very similar to that of success in Math. In 2003, I lost 40 pounds off of a 5'2" frame after a health issue forced me to give up sugar!

I have kept the weight off for 3.5 years and since it was always my #1 New Year's Resolution, I have had to reorient my goals and find new ones to keep myself going!

Looking long-term, making a commitment, planning in advance, staying on course!

Motivation is a Key to Success

More and more I realize that what I do is not really about the Math...much of it is about motivation and coaching. How do you build a student who is willing and eager to learn? How does one instill the idea of doing one's best? That phrase is overused so the one I like to use is living up to one's potential. I know that when I took History is high school I did not do very well -- my interest level was low. I got less and less enthusiastic with the less work that I put in. In hindsight, if I had put in a little more I would have gotten a lot more out.

It is not necessary or even desirable to do everything excellently, just to know that you put forth the effort makes a big positive difference!

Excellent Opportunities

Math for companies, Math for educators, Math for everyone ;)