Today we celebrate a Permutation Day! I call days like today permutation days because the digits of the day and the month can be rearranged to form the year.
This is our third Permutation Day of the year, and we’ve got a few more coming up.
Celebrate Permutation Day by mixing things up! Try doing things in a different order today. Just remember, for some operations, order definitely matters!
One of my guiding principles as a math teacher, as I articulate in this TEDx talk, is to provide students with tools and opportunities to create with mathematics. Few things are as aligned with that principle as well as Geogebra, the free, open-source, dynamic geometry environment.
I’ve integrated a lot of Geogebra work in my Geometry class this year. I use Geogebra assignments to assess basic geometric skills, to connect old ideas to new, and to explore geometry dynamically.
But much like geometry itself, once you master a few elementary rules in Geogebra, you can create amazing and beautiful works of mathematics.
Below is an example of some wonderful student work from this year. After an introduction to polygons, students were given two simple ideas for creating new objects from polygons: constructing diagonals and extending sides. I gave students some technical tips on how to color and polish their final products, and invited them to be creative. As usual, they did not disappoint.
Students, and teachers, need more opportunities to create with mathematics. We’re fortunate to have technologies like Geogebra that offer us those opportunities.
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I’m excited to announce that I have been invited to speak at the 2016 Kansas City Mathematics Technology Expo!
For 25 years, the KC Math Tech Expo has brought together mathematics teachers from the college and secondary level to discuss technology and teaching. This year’s conference will be held October 7th and 8th at the University of Missouri, Kansas City.
I’ll be giving the Invited Address on Saturday, and mathematician and 3D-printing expert Laura Taalman will be giving the Keynote on Friday evening. You can find out more about the conference here.
I’m looking forward to connecting with teachers through mathematics and technology in Kansas City this October!
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I find interesting applications of mathematics every time I visit IKEA.
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I wasn’t planning on attending the math education debate hosted by the Museum of Mathematics. I have read, and written, enough about Andrew Hacker and his arguments for ending compulsory mathematics education that I didn’t feel it necessary. But in the end, I decided to go. After all, there’s something inspiring about hundreds of people attending a public debate about mathematics!
As Andrew Hacker laid out his position, he shared his one visual aid with the audience:
Photo Credit: MoMath (link)
He said his argument boiled down to one question: “Why?” As in, “Why does every student in the country, regardless of interest, ambition, or ability, have to take a full sequence of advanced mathematics in school?” It’s not an unreasonable question.
But for me, the real “Why?” question is this: “Why are we listening to Andrew Hacker?” And this question inspired my essay, “When it Comes to Math Teaching, Let’s Listen to Math Teachers“, which I wrote for Math for America’s Teacher Voices blog. Here’s an excerpt:
Andrew Hacker isn’t an expert on mathematics. And he isn’t an expert on math teaching, either. He has every right to voice his complaints, some of which are worthy of consideration, but why has he been given such an enormous platform – high profile Op-Eds, interviews, lectures, a book deal – to address the public about how to “fix” math education?
The fact that Andrew Hacker has such an outsized and undeserved role in steering this conversation is itself one of our problems: we aren’t listening to the right people. If we are really interested in identifying and addressing the problems facing math education today, we should be listening to math teachers.
You can read the entire essay here.
I also live-tweeted the event, along with a few other attendees, using the hashtag #MoMathEdTalk. You can find the tweets here; several interesting conversations ensued.
And for more of my writing on Andrew Hacker, you can start here.
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