Starting a Math Wiki

The following are some student responses I had when I gave these stubs about math. I think it's really interesting to see how students respond to such high-level, broad questions, especially with regard to a subject that is often so focused and skill-based.

Geometry is…

- A type of math (Jordan)

- That lets us know names of shapes, angles, and sizes (Kymani)

- It is important in life, because it shows you what angles or sides that you could say for triangles’ names. (Jordan)

Geometry is important because…

- It shows us how we can say different words for shapes, sizes, angles, and so forth. (Ahmad)

- It helps you see shapes in the world. Geometry helps you visualize. (Jordan)

- If you go to college and you want to study it, you could become a mathematician. (Justin)

What is math?

- A specific study of shapes, sizes, and numbers. (Sayeed)

- Math is hard to describe! (Sayeed)

- A language that helps us understand relationships in the world (Mr. Stephenson)

- Math is a study of different things, and it will help you in life when you need to learn how right angles how they are different from other angles, and what they are. (Malachi)

Math is important because…

- It’s like chemistry. It tells you physical properties or hard properties to describe things in the world. (Jordan)

- Math is important because it can help you in life. I want to be a surgeon, and math is going to help me when I need to decide how to operate on a person, by telling me exactly where I need to make the cuts. (Kymani)

The Failing School Diet

Norman Atkins, from the Foreward to Paul Bambrick-Santoyo's new book, Driven by Data:

"If you've ever taught in an American public school, you know the drill. The principal alerts you to her upcoming annual trip to 'observe' your class. You sweat the preparation of what you hope is your best lesson. She jots notes in the back of your room. Your kids muster their least disruptive behavior, perhaps on account of the rare presence of two additional humongous eyeballs on their necks.

A few weeks later (if all goes well, not a few months later), there's the post-observation conference. The principal slides a standard-issue form across her desk. She's rated you 'satisfactory' in most of the boxes, 'needs improvement' in a few. Should you dispute the recommendations in the space allotted on the bottom of the template or smile and pledge to do better? Best-case scenario: the principal supports you, knows her stuff, and shares helpful feedback on your craft--for example, how you can be more engaging in your delivery. More typically, she encourages you to pick up the pace so that you can 'cover' the required curriculum by year's end of urges you to 'integrate technology' per the district mandate to modernize. You sign your review, close your classroom door, and resume teaching, relieved you won't have to relive these rituals for another year. As both professional development and accountability, this has been our education system's losing playbook for as long as the oldest teachers you can remember can themselves remember."