Today was the integrated algebra regents exam.  As we were grading, many questions came up as to how many points various errors should be discounted (the rubric provided by the state was quite vague).  We attempted to call the number the state provided to get these questions answered, but after waiting on hold for quite a while, we were told they would have to call us back.  We still haven’t heard from them.  I understand that a lot of schools have questions.  I believe the most efficient way to handle this might be to set up some sort of wiki – where schools could post questions, comment on each others questions and the state could read the teachers opinions and issues and make a final decision.  I am sure many students in many different schools have made the same mistake – it is definitely not efficient for the state to call back every school and answer the same questions hundreds of times.  Is this something that would be possible?  I’ve never been a part of a wiki before so I was just wondering what others thought about this idea?

My husband has been waiting since last October to buy the 2nd generation IPhone and they just announced it today.  The IPhone is a crazy device.  Its an phone, computer, ipod all in one.  You can check your e-mail, get directions, read reviews of a restaurant, read the paper, download music and call your mom all from one little device.  The IPhone really has me thinking about a variety of things.

First of all, it is crazy how technology has changed in the past twenty years.  Twenty years ago nobody I knew even had a cell phone.  Ten years ago, cell phones started to become popular as a way to communicate on long trips (driving to college) etc.  Nowadays, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have a cell phone.  And its all about what cell phone you have.  I mean I always got the free one that you get when you sign up for a new plan but that’s not good enough anymore.  Everyone needs a phone that takes pictures, plays videos, plays music, has high-speed internet access, etc, etc.

Second of all, the IPhone, as well as other phones with high-speed internet access, can be somewhat of a problem when it comes to test security issues.  What is to stop a student from going to the bathroom in the middle of a test and looking something up on their iphone? And even if teachers require them to leave their phones with them before leaving the room, someone not taking a test from another class can be around to help them out.  I mean, most kids, I don’t think we go through the effort to cheat or want to cheat, but some will.  I mean even on high-stake testing like the SATs.  Students go to the bathroom.  The Iphone is pretty small, someone in baggy pants or something can have it in their pocket without anyone noticing.  Why can’t they look up a word in the bathroom?

I have a hard time thinking of and remembering passwords so I became completely unoriginal and one of my students was able to figure out my password.  The student was nice enough to make me aware of this situation and I changed my password to something less obvious but it really got me thinking about security.  First of all, I know you should use different passwords for everything but who can remember a different password for e-mailing, logging onto the computer, infinite campus and then banks and credit card websites and everything else.  I mean for work along we have three passwords alone – and then all our personal websites.  However, with the fear of identity fraud, relying on six letters or numbers to protect your entire identity can be a little scary.  What is the answer?  How can we be sure that our personal information is secure without remembering twenty different passwords and which site they belong with?

As I mentioned earlier, my 12th graders are all doing final projects for math class.  Yesterday, two girls did their project on the abacus.  It was great.  I have to admit I had no idea how to use an abacus – although I did get cracks from my students asking if I had to use it when I was taking my math regents.  Even though we only went over how to write numbers and add on the abacus, I was amazed at how complicated it seemed.  I am sure that those who needed to use it became pretty efficient at it but when compared to the calculator, well it doesn’t compare.  The use of technology, in this case the calculator, has made such an enormous difference in the way we do math and the levels of problems that we can discuss. 

 What I also felt was very interesting about the presentation was how the students were able to use technology to educate the class about such a non-technological tool.  The students, aside from making a powerpoint presentation, found an interactive abacus on the web and incorporated that abacus into their presentation.  When reviewing additon, other students were able to come to the smartboard and show the procedure using the interactive abacus.  Everybody in the class really enjoyed the presentation.

For mother’s day this year, we bought my mother-in-law a digital picture frame and it started me thinking… are picture frames obsolete?  Are we never going to develop another photo if we can download them directly to the frame and watch a slideshow of our pictures as the frame sits on the shelf?  And what’s next?  Will books become digital?  Will we hold a piece of paper and press next when we get to the end of the page and a new page will appear?  What about school?  With skpe and  wikis, will school become “digital” and classrooms become obsolete?  Will computers replace teachers? 

So, one of the classrooms I teach in just got a projector and I had no idea what a difference it can make.  I definately think there should  be one in every classroom.  I was teaching 2-dimensional geometry – area, perimeter and some properties.  I was able to project a table onto the board and we filled it in as a class.  It was so much better than using transparencies – I couldn’t believe the difference.  My students enjoyed it as well and were even coming up with ideas of how to use it.  One student said -”Now we can project graph paper onto the white board and not use the side board.”  I do wish I had it in all classes.  My seniors are doing “math final projects” and some of them have already approached me about being able to do powerpoint presentations for their project.  While I know we can get a rolling projector – this is so much easier.  They can simply log onto the computer and presto!  Anyway, I’m really very excited about the projector and I hope some day soon the budget will allow for one in every classroom.

I’m really having a difficult time with this idea.  I do believe that students should learn to multiply and divide by hand.  I also think they should know how to use a calculator.  What is important to me is that they understand the concepts.  It is important to understand concepts in order to build on them and bring them into the abstract.  If they don’t understand fractions, how can they understand rational expressions. 

 At least once a week, I hear “If I can get the answer using my calculator, why must I show work?”  I do believe that there are times when technology stands in the way of learning and understanding – or at least, studnets try to use technology as an excuse to get out of learning and understanding.     Math isn’t just about getting the right answer.  If it was, maybe a calculator could replace learning concepts – maybe.  But what most students should be getting out of math classes aside from specific concepts and ideas – is learning how to think analytically.  Not just understanding the procedure but understanding why the procedure works.  Understanding how to make connections, apply knowledge and formulas and what it all means.

 So, I think what I’m trying to say is technology should be a tool in math but it is still important to “show your work.”  Because, in math we should be more interested in the process then in the answer.

But, will students ever multiply by hand once they get out of school?  Will they ever use long division?  Will they ever use most of what I teach them?  While I love math and I love what I teach, I really struggle with the usefulness and the applications, other then of course, learning how to think analytically.   

I’m also struggling with now is how to convey this to my students.  How can I get them to understand the idea of learning how to think analytically?  How can I get them to understand that while an incorrect answer will not get full credit, a correct procedure with the wrong answer is more meaningful then the correct answer with the wrong/or no procedure?  And why is it so important to understand the process at all?

Thinking about how to use technology, I think I might try something with my seniors.  As “senioritis” has officially kicked in, I’m not sure for how much longer they are going to be interested in derivatives and integrals.  I’m thinking of doing some kind of project with them after the AP exams so maybe I’ll do something with technology.  I still don’t know what but at least that gives me some focus.  Again, any ideas are welcome.

I never thought of myself as technologically challenged… until today.  I really don’t know when I got out of touch with the world.  I’ve never read a blog and am still not even sure of what they are and how they work but here I am writing one.   I also am not sure of how to use this, or truthfully any of the technologies, in a math class but I would really be interested in finding a way.  My seniors are getting even more and more disinterested in pretty much everything so finding a way to keep them motivated would be great.  I’m hoping to find a use of technology that would help.I currently do not use any technology in my classroom unless you count the graphing calculator (or if you count my students texting under their desks).  I think math is one of the subjects that are different in a way when it comes to technology.  There is less writing and commenting on each others works then in say an English class and less dealing with current events and world news than a Social Studies class.   In a foreign language course you can probably videoconference with other countries – that would be cool. I feel that I have gotten the idea of how to write a blog.  It is not that complicated – just set it up and start typing.  I still don’t have any idea of how to use this in my class.  Any ideas????