After reading Kent Haines blog "The Process Column" on how he incorporates math autobiographies into the first few days of his class, I have been inspired to try it in my class too. Class officially starts next week and I am going to read them mine and ask them to write their own version as well. I have invited a couple English teachers to write their math autobiographies too (like Kent did) so I can share experiences as well. I am looking forward to seeing what my kids say. Here is my math autobiography: I remember very little about my math classes from school. There are a few things that stick out, but not for good reasons. I remember doing flash cards in first grade and feeling the victory of completing a set and getting to move on to the next and the utter defeat when I missed too many and I had to keep that set for a few more days until I got better. I remember playing around the world in fifth grade, standing behind my classmate trying to be the first one to ans
I love all the typical things about teaching high school math. I love seeing those light bulb moments. I love having kids leave class with a bit of spring in their step because math class was "fun". I really love when I have set up an activity so well that I don't actually have to do any teaching and the math-magic just sort of happens in class. But recently, I have been thinking about finding a different role. Trying to grow and flex my teacher muscles in a different capacity. Over the last few summers, I have been really diving into some personal PD, reading books and blogs, watching videos and going to a conferences. Every time I finished a book I felt was particularly inspiring or left the last day of a conference I kept coming back to "man, I need to share this with EVERYONE!" So lately, I have been kicking around the idea of instructional coach or math coordinator as a potential move. The idea of leaving teaching, which I think I am getting better at eac