ap calculus This morning my students will go into a room and give their best on an exam that lasts for 3 hours and 15 minutes and will literally suck their brain out through a pencil. OK, not literally, but it will feel like it.
the myth of the hero teacher Yesterday a colleague shared an INCREDIBLE post on Facebook entitled "The Myth of the Hero Teacher" by Allison Ricket. You need to pause and read this right now!
come on... make my day For the most part teaching is a one year gig. We start in August, we end in June. There's two months of summer and then we begin again, from scratch. There's a cycle to the year of getting to know students, teaching them stuff, and sending them on to the next adventure.
the most desirable job in the world UCF Mathematics Professor Barry Griffiths sent me a summary of a Time Magazine article claiming math is the most desirable job in the world and explaining why.
OK, but wrong So a quick question for my mathy friends. I often hear from students these words. "I got it wrong, but I know how to do the problem." The student has mastered the procedure
prom Last Saturday night was Prom, an annual rite of spring in high schools across the nation. This year's theme was 1920s, a Gatsbyesque celebration of a time long gone. Students raved about the lovely décor, the delicious food, and the remarkable saxophonist that played so well. Our students were decked out in their finest gowns and sharp tuxedos.
a thousand little pieces This week we had a normal Wednesday in the life of my school. When I say normal, I mean that nothing unusual happened. For example, in addition to teaching.
of fishes and wishes When I was a kid, my mom used to say, "If wishes were fishes, we would all live in the sea," every time I expressed my longing for a ridiculous toy, dessert, or opportunity.
See now I'm just mad Yesterday I had a massive computer meltdown and I know it's supposed to be TEDTuesday, but I have been thinking about this post all weekend and I've decided I really need to say something,
does money matter? (student edition) So yesterday I posted an article suggesting that simply paying teachers more might improve schools and student performance. Today I'd like to talk about student earnings, post graduation.
does money matter? (teacher's edition) Today's post is part one of a two part discussion on the impact of money on teachers and students in education. What if we simply paid teachers more?
what if you're doing it wrong? I've always hated "list" posts. They tell you the 5 best of this or the 8 worst of that. They often claim to solve problems from how to lose weight to how to save a marriage to how to ask for a raise.
the final countdown Senioritis: A crippling disease that strikes high school seniors. Symptoms include: laziness, an over-excessive wearing of track pants, old athletic shirts, sweatpants, athletic shorts, and sweatshirts.
snow days So it got cold in Orlando, a brisk 35 degrees on Tuesday morning. Then we all blinked, and it was mostly over. It'll be 80 degrees by Friday. But my friends up north were not so lucky. As the temperatures dropped below zero with dangerously
it's time It's been a wonderful couple of weeks. I saw a bunch of movies, spent time with family and friends, slept as much as I could, started working out again, and read a book. Mostly I got to slow down, to sit and think, to do nothing for a while.
a long winter's nap Sometimes the best part about working hard for a long time is the moment when you take a break and get some rest. In the first four months of writing this blog, I have been blessed with 10,000+
the neverending story What if you lived life on a hamster wheel? Think about a big project you've worked on in your life, something you sweated over for a long time. Maybe it's a paper you wrote, the degree you earned, a relationship you developed,
perfection is overrated On a mediocre day, teaching math is about showing students how to solve problems. If it's a decent problem, the students might care, but mostly they'd like me to teach them a rubric so that they can easily do the homework.
anyone home? In our school, the students in grades 8-12 all have their own laptops. They carry them around with them and use them as appropriate in every class.
truth...with a side of bacon Teachers are actually people. I know that seems like a ridiculous statement, but I think people forget sometimes that we are just like everyone else most days.
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