Since my last SOTW post was over a month ago (!!!), perhaps I really should take Pat’s suggestion from my last post and rename it “Stars of Whenever I Want.”
If you’re a #SOTW, grab the badge using the code below if you’d like it for your blog!
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Remember you can always use the nomination form and I will put it in my next post!
If you teach Geometry, you definitely need to be reading @lisabej_manitou‘s Crazy Math Teacher Lady blog. She has tons of great ideas, but also realizes that sometimes you just need some no-frills, get-the-job-done, quality materials (a girl after my own note-taker-maker heart). Check out her quadrilateral collection. (BTW, if you interested in more materials like these, be sure to check out the comments on @k8nowak ‘s post that Lisa linked.)
I know we’re not supposed to have favorites in the #MTBoS, but I do, and @TPalmer207 is one of them. Ever since our TMC14 dash-to-get-cupcakes-before-the-store-closed, her great outlook and humor have always been something I look forward to seeing on Twitter (and in person!). Not only that, but she’s definitely the type of teacher I wish I could be – in the moment, not afraid to try new things, and constantly creating great discussions in her classroom. Check out this gorgeous teacher move of slowly revealing all the information with the absolute twist at the end that no one saw coming (not even Tina!). I know what you’re thinking, sure, everyone gets lucky once in a while, but no, Tina makes her own luck, as you can see in this segment addition postulate lesson. You know, she only has about 60 posts so if you’re looking for a way to up your teacher game, spend an afternoon reading the entire collection. You won’t be sorry.
Speaking of teacher moves, if you teach ELL students, @heather_kohn is your gal. She is a great advocate of doing what it takes to bring the ELL student up to the goal, instead of lowering the goal down to where they may be now. Her post on scaffolding open response questions will make you rethink how you can help your struggling students (who may or may not be ELL).
Hey, here’s a great teacher move that easy to implement into any lesson on Monday: Ask Me a Question from @dsladkey. It moves the “Do you have any questions” to “What questions do you have” change to a whole new level.
Another one that’s so easy to implement, but can change the whole classroom climate: @a_schindy‘s Nevermind Strategy.
Wait, you want more teacher moves? This next post comes with a warning: This article will lead to great feelings of inadequacy and make you think most of what you’ve created is crap. So if your current mood is: ugh, I suck as a teacher, you might want to skip the @Desmos Guide to Building Great Math Activities. But if you’re feeling pretty good and want to pick up some ideas that will help make your next lesson planning be a little more thoughtful, go read it.
If you did read it (or even if you didn’t) and you’re looking for good examples of rich problems, check out @algebrasfriend‘s Algebra II examples. I LOVE the parabola one!!
Speaking of parabolas, you know function transformation are near and dear to my heart. @jreulbach created a wonderful Desmos marbleslide for them, but the key move here is the creation of an additional real-life worksheet for students to reflect on their learning and can have it for reference. (Also check out her Function Notation QR Stations–great practice problems for something my students always struggled with)
Ok: One more teacher move: let’s make mistakes a starting point for rich discussions. @Dave_Sabol shows how he used the results from a Desmos Activity Builder to decode mistakes in Calculus. (Also I think Dave should be in the SOTW Hall of Fame for his How I Teach series.)
Man, I don’t know about you, but now I’m overwhelmed by all the new teacher moves I’m supposed to be doing. So let’s take a brain break, sponsored by @mathequalslove‘s brainteaser collection.
And then let’s eat our feelings by baking these Salted Caramel Pretzel Crunch Bars from Sally’s Baking Addiction.
Now onto some starred tweets!
For reals, take David’s advice:
If you have anywhere from 5 min to 8 hours to spare, check out the potluck: https://t.co/KfQyDUMhIp This continues to provides lots of fun.
— David Sabol (@Dave_Sabol) October 5, 2016
Yes, Zippy won (Adorable) Scruffiness of the Week!
I have work to do but there’s a puppy in my lap. That’s a good excuse, right? pic.twitter.com/x1JX9wtXt5
— Tina Cardone (@crstn85) October 5, 2016
I wish I could teach a whole course just on Pascal’s triangle and the Fibonacci sequence – so much to explore! #dreamcourse https://t.co/6UoBT3OgRw
— Anna Vance (@TypeAMathLand) October 4, 2016
Joel’s smartass reply (does he have any other kind?) to the discussion of how to say “apothem”:
@mathymeg07 @Fouss @KentHaines You rang??? pic.twitter.com/nz7zf5Ef9C
— Joel Bezaire ➕➖✖️➗ (@joelbezaire) October 3, 2016
Speaking of smartass replies:
I respect honesty. pic.twitter.com/JNzTHYXuzs
— David Sabol (@Dave_Sabol) October 3, 2016
Well that’s one way to fill the paper. pic.twitter.com/QKGHz5eedE
— Marissa W (@viemath) October 3, 2016
I cannot tell you how many times I’ve looked at this tweet and laughed out loud:
This is Penny. She fought a bee and the bee won. 10/10 you’re fine Penny, everything’s fine pic.twitter.com/zrMVdfFej6
— WeRateDogs™ (@dog_rates) October 2, 2016
Stepping on Legos is painful for all!
pic.twitter.com/hh68JwgNrs
— (((Barbara Madden))) (@barbarawmadden) October 1, 2016
I told you Heather has the pro teacher moves:
Just used the @Desmos “Pause” feature so that students could look up the mathematician they were assigned anonymously… so fun!
— Heather Kohn (@heather_kohn) September 30, 2016
And speaking of that pause feature:
Great idea @brynhumberstone . Use a smart phone to pause/teacher pace a #desmos Activity. I jokingly asked for a remote and this is better.
— Tony Riehl (@riehlt) October 2, 2016
And other features:
First draft of Desmos’s Accessibility docs are now live: https://t.co/dC02yC37qG — feedback requested! #MTBoS #a11y
— Eli Luberoff (@eluberoff) September 6, 2016
In Alg2, showed students how point-slope is simply slope formula…BLEW THEIR MINDS. #alg2chat #MTBoS
— Danielle Reycer (@0mod3) September 29, 2016
I’m in my element again.
❤️
Thanks @saravdwerf for the name plate template and blog post! Amazing idea that totally rocked today. pic.twitter.com/7pVzZ7g90h
— ~Hedge~ (@approx_normal) September 26, 2016
❤️You know I love my shortcuts:
Here’s a poster of some @desmos shortcuts for easy reference. #mtbos #mathchat pic.twitter.com/2R5RlL0rRE
— John Stevens (@Jstevens009) September 21, 2016
And this one was brand new to me and I’ve used it every day since then!!! I’m even using it RIGHT NOW.
@mathymeg07 do you use Windows? Do you know about holding the windows key and pressing an arrow?
— Rose Roberts (@MsRobertsRoom) September 15, 2016
It always warms my heart to know that people enjoy my stuff; especially when it’s someone who has so much great stuff herself!
Tried @mathymeg07‘s flowchart idea today in Alg 1! #teach180 pic.twitter.com/AscGCWTxi3
— Sarah Carter (@mathequalslove) September 20, 2016
And when someone uses my suggestion and then the result is heartwarming:
Getting bugs figured out means I can start viewing survey responses. Thanks @mathymeg07 for the idea! #teach180 pic.twitter.com/qDffPD8Gwz
— Rose Roberts (@MsRobertsRoom) September 20, 2016
And then when someone uses an idea I had and their students do so much better with it:
@mathymeg07 your ACT lesson with personal poster component pic.twitter.com/VuTespAUWj
— Amy Ellen Zimmer (@zimmerdiamonds) September 3, 2016
Be sure to send some encouragement to Kristin next weekend!
My year of half marathons is officially over. Now on to the full in October! pic.twitter.com/EIthXFmKGg
— Kristen Fouss (@Fouss) September 18, 2016
@mpershan Every time I think some twitter feature would be obviously, unambiguously cool, I’m reminded that I can’t even fix my tpyos.
— Chris Lusto (@Lustomatical) September 17, 2016
Do I like CalcDave because of his gifs or in spite of them?
@mathymeg07 @cmmteach TFW it’s really dry, but Meg’s garden is right there. pic.twitter.com/IpiPfWb7K9
— David Petersen (@calcdave) September 16, 2016
Insert picture of two beautiful math teachers here.
If you have a tweet up with @mathymeg07 and don’t get a selfie, did it really happen?
— Becca Phillips (@RPhillipsMath) September 16, 2016
Now I know what the first 91 books I buy as a librarian will be.
Math for everyone — a list of 91 popular math books aimed at a general audience https://t.co/3DJDASZmFz
— Steven Strogatz (@stevenstrogatz) September 14, 2016
Genius.
#Geometry #MTBoS Protractors printed on transparencies. Each S gets a protractor & a (colored paper) pocket. pic.twitter.com/cJY3zA44xx
— Tori Cotton Roberts (@MathByTori) September 10, 2016
Genius Part II.
Because some years you have Ss who think reading the directions is an optional activity… pic.twitter.com/JOGONGmvPX
— Jennifer (@JennSWhite) September 3, 2016
Genius Part III.
Highlighting the pieces of piece wise functions and corresponding inputs #teach180 #alg2chat #mtbos #colorwithpurpose pic.twitter.com/9WdN12M6Xb
— Anna Vance (@TypeAMathLand) September 27, 2016
Today was a good day. That’s something to celebrate! And these sticky notes? They made me smile BIG. #MTBoS pic.twitter.com/logotxZNVw
— Ali Grace (@AGEiland) September 7, 2016
And I think I’ll let Casey wrap this (extremely long) edition up:
If you’re reading this, (& especially if you’re in this pic) u’ve probably had a very profound impact on me. Thanks
pic.twitter.com/c3pgFmEKO9
— casey (@cmmteach) September 1, 2016
What? I’m not crying. YOU’RE crying.