Students Educating about Podcasts

I really learned a lot from the students about podcasting. They are extremely knowledgeable and I realized that as their podcast lasted close to an hour. Them continued to discuss strategies, techniques and offer advice on how to have a really great podcast. In addition, they were able to answer questions about their podcast, which was really impressive. It was evident that they were speaking to adults. I learned that it is important to make sure that your podcast can encompass several topics. Also, I learned that the students felt that developing the material for podcasts is time consuming and takes about a week. This is very understandable. The students recognize that this is a medium of communication that allows for your voice to be heard because millions can listen to it all over the world. The students really like the podcast and say its easy to create a podcast.

Multiplying Math

Wiki in the classroom can be an educational benefit as well as present a challenge. One way to incorporate wiki would be to discuss how to solve math problems. I think students would be interested in discussing strategies to solve math problems and illustrate their knowledge of how to solve word problems. I think it would be a good site where students could contribute their information about websites related to math. I think the teacher can serve as a good moderator to guide how the wiki can develop. But this can also present a challenge. You want students to be independent thinkers but you want to monitor how they react to the comments, ideas and beliefs of their peers, especially since the reader has the ability to change the content. I think you have to develop the culture of the wiki by asking students to respect it by posting information that is purposeful and informative. Wiki, just another way to multiply math amongst the masses. What do you think?

Math Moments

The upcoming focus of the local district math section is the upcoming quarter assessment. The assessments are sent to the schools and need to be distributed in a timely manner. I think it’s also a good idea to display a Math Bulletin Board in a common area of the school for parents, children, teachers and staff to know the school-wide goals and accomplishments of the school. I was also able to view some very educational blogs that I think will be good sources of information. So a portion of my week focused on completing these tasks. However, I think the highlight of the week was when I went into a classroom of kindergartners. The learning that was taking place was truly phenomenal. The students were engaged and excited about their learning and the material presented. These are the Math Moments that I can say convincingly and honestly that I really enjoy my job. What are some of your Math Moments?

Math Matters

I am very excited to engage in the creation of this blog because I have always wanted to create one. I have often visited blogs and used them to keep up-to-date on the housing market, learn about housing and appliance repairs, diamond information, and various other topics. I would like to use this blog as a discuss/idea exchange network for Math Coaches. As a Math Coach for Local District 5, I feel that the creation of a blog, where coaches can exchange ideas, lessons, and discussions regarding their schools and how to help teachers would be an excellent tool. Topics to be discussed will center around: Implementation of mathematical concepts, issues with district mandated assessments, (which has been a huge problem since leaving edusoft), ideas and assistance regarding professional developments and lessons. I have so many ideas rolling around my head now. My ideas focus on my personal life as well as my professional life, it’s ridiculous.