Saturday, May 09, 2009
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.
Monday, May 04, 2009
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.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
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.”
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.”
Friday, April 24, 2009
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.
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.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
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.
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.
Monday, April 20, 2009
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.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Alternatives to Inflict (see 4/16)
Alternatives to “inflict”:
Improve
Develop
Expand
Progress
Enhance
Boost
Upgrade
Bolster
Encourage
Give Confidence
Improve
Develop
Expand
Progress
Enhance
Boost
Upgrade
Bolster
Encourage
Give Confidence
Thursday, April 16, 2009
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.
"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.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Math's Image: Trig Class seen as "Forever "
Thanks Roz Chast...waivering between "funny!!" or "bad Math PR".
Monday, April 13, 2009
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.
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.
Thursday, April 09, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
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.
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.
Monday, April 06, 2009
Motivation and Math -- thanks www.coolmath.com
This is an awesome web site -- for the Math and for the inspiration.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
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!!
Where failure, determination and thinking intersect on the Venn diagram is success later-- thanks to Jessica Hagy for her terrific www.thisisindexed.com representation!!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
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".
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".
Monday, March 30, 2009
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
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
Saturday, March 28, 2009
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.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
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
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
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
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
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
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