Greenhaus Education and Other "Effects"

NCTM is coming up in April and is in San Francisco, which has me very excited because I get to have a Key Curriculum reunion (i.e. my colleagues from my years working for Key Curriculum mostly live in the SF area).  It's hard to describe the amazing connection those of us who worked with Key, (Keysters, as we fondly refer to ourselves) have, and I have yet to find another place or another group of people that I so deeply connect to on both a professional and personal level. With this math conference and potential to see so many of my former colleagues, I have been a bit nostalgic about some of the things I loved from Key - i.e. Sketchpad and TinkerPlots to name a couple.  Sketchpad , now owned by McGraw-Hill, is still around thank goodness, but without the support and push in math education it deserves.  Thankfully, some former Key folks are still out there making a difference with Sketchpad - check out Daniel Scher and Scott Steketee's most recent article in The M...

One of the most frequent questions today at NCTM in Albuquerque was "how do I get the students involved with the software (in this case Sketchpad and TinkerPlots ) using the interactive whiteboard?" Which, if you think about it, almost makes no sense...isn't that the nature of an interactive whiteboard - students are interacting?  But...apparently not. My guess is many teachers continue to use the interactive whiteboard in the manner that they used the projector/screen set up - as a demo tool, with themselves as the driver and students watching. If you want interactivity and student involvement in order to engage students in learning and discovery, then you want them to "drive".  How to do this? Here are a couple suggestions: 1) Have students go up to the whiteboard and be the driver of the software physically, either by following the directives of the teacher or the steps in the activity worksheets or from inquiry and suggestions from other students in the...

Okay, just have to report that the third time IS really a charm! The first NCTM in Atlantic City it took 6 hours to set up the booth, in St. Louis, 4 hours, and today in Albuquerque, 1 1/2. I am feeling happy. And, saw Arnold Schwarzenegger in the bar (yes, really...apparently filming a movie here), so my day is just a little strange and strangely complete. Any of you out there who happen to be at the NCTM conference tomorrow or Friday, stop on by the booth. would love to talk technology!

Okay, just wanted to report back on my 'gambling adventure' on my 21st anniversary while at the NCTM Regional Math Conference in Atlantic City .  In my post , I believe I referenced the idea that I would put 21 dollars down on 21 at the roulette table. So, with my good friends and colleagues at the casino, after a lovely dinner, I went right up to the roulette table to get my chips.  Apparently, lots of etiquette rules on how to get the chips and place the bet - thank goodness the nice gentlemen next to me filled me in!  I shared the anniversary story and the man next to me suggested that instead of placing my 21 dollars on 21, to place my bet at the bottom of the column where the 21 resided, where I would get 2-to-1 odds if it landed on any number in that column, which included the 21.  I would have more likelihood of winning....it's all about the odds. And here is where I believe math teachers are at a disadvantage in gambling - we know the odds and we know th...

Well, as I mentioned previously I was going to Atlantic City for the NCTM Regional math conference.  Today was the first day at the booth, and it was a very busy day - lots of teachers stopping by to check out the new booth and play with Sketchpad, TinkerPlots and Fathom .  I spent the whole day talking to so many different folks - teachers, administrators, students, and it was so fun to see them trying out the software, or help them find some resources to support their own learning of the software or find an upcoming lesson to use. I think the overall message I got out of today is that the technology is being used, but teachers really want and need curriculum and support/resources they can use right away because they don't have the time to search or create on their own.  I think it's one of the strongest components of what Key's software offers - (shameless plug, but hey - I am at a math conference!) - we have great software but more importantly we don't leave teach...

I am off to Atlantic City tomorrow for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (whew...that's a mouthful) (NCTM for short) Regional Math Conference .  I am a little nervous and a little excited.  We are going completely technology this year, so a little nervous at setting up and making sure I am up on TinkerPlots and Fathom demonstration, as my strong point is Sketchpad.  But...very excited about the prospect of focusing on technology and getting to play with math and technology all day.  So...any of you folks planning to attend Atlantic City, stop on by and say hi...would love to see you!  I will update on how things go. On a side note - Atlantic City - gambling....  Should I try Black Jack? I am a HORRIBLE gambler because I don't like to lose money - even a dollar.  But how can you be in Atlantic City and not even try, right?!  Do math teachers have an advantage?  I know this math teacher doesn't....