Welcome! 

In the current universal state of “scrambling” to bring meaningful mathematics learning, exploring, and teaching to our students remotely, I offer here my recent scrambles too.

Here are some videos (sections 7.3 onwards) to share with and discuss with students about how the thinking behind standard HS curriculum topics can be absolutely relevant to 21st-century living, doing, and practice. We have loads of technology available at our fingertips and getting answers to problems is as easy as typing into Google. So let’s do that! Let’s get answers out of the way, type things into Desmos, or WolframAlpha, or hunt on the internet, and then get to the 21st century matters at hand–namely, sharpening our thinking and processing skills and practicing the confidence to take first steps–any steps– to handling problems in life. Math is a perfect vehicle to practicing exactly that.

So even if standardized testing is behind the times (no conversation, no technology – pencil, paper, and calculator, and focus on answers), fret not! The puzzling and noodling is way more important, is relevant, and way more fun–especially in conversing with colleagues and friends–and there is plenty of time to noodle and puzzle and think. We can leave that testing as a side issue to be attended to on the side.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Have students look at the videos in sections 7.3 onwards and discuss them as a class, perhaps. Have students try as many of the problems presented as they feel like doing, even if it is zero.  I say don’t worry about “instruction,” per se. Just make it all conversation about sousing your way though scenarios and relying on one’s own fine wits.

Bring in your own curriculum materials and have beautiful discussions about how everything naturally ties together. 

WARNING: It might take some gentle work to establish that thinking and puzzling and conversing is the desired norm here. Work to establish that safety. Assessment no longer needs to be the defining factor of “success” in mathematics. Have participation and contribution to conversation be the definition now, of offering ideas that might or might now lead to a partial solution yet spur the conversation on nonetheless. Let question-asking and willingness to play with mathematical ideas be the key marker of a mathematical thinker (which, by the way, I would fully argue actually is). Let the joy of conversation shine through.  

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