Back to School 2019-20

First official day of school starts today.  Here is a quick glimpse around my classroom.

Computer + Smart Board + Document Camera

I don't think I could survive without any of these three things.

Excited about the new WODB posters!

I rotate a variety of things that I put on the back table for students to play with...

Pattern blocks, tiling turtles, 500 - 1000 piece puzzles to name a few.

I saw this idea on a site visit to Alexandria, MN last year.  A Lego station!

I'm interested to see what students will build.

Excited to start the year with VNPS!

These 5 boards on wheels arrived last spring.

Notice the crates in the bottom left... this is how I hand back papers and where I put handouts when students are absent.

One crate per class...

One hanging folder per student...

Students check their folder when the enter the room each day.

This has saved me a lot of class time when I don't have to hand back papers.

My home base

Desmos Fellows Weekend v2.0

Two years ago, I was a member of cohort 2 of the Desmos Fellowship.  On my way home from Fellowship weekend, I wrote a blog post about my experience.

This summer, I was invited to join the cohort 4 weekend as an alumni Desmos Fellow.  It was an honor to be asked back and it was again a wonderful experience.  As I sit on my flight back to Brookings, I want to highlight my top five takeaways from the weekend.  In no particular order…

1. I was reminded that I have a lot to learn about equity, access, and social justice.  This past year has been an eye-opener for me.  The SDMath/Sci Leadership cohort I was a part of helped me realize that I have a long way to grow.  This weekend helped me grow in ways I couldn’t have imagined.  I appreciate that Desmos is committed to helping find solutions to these topics.

2. Imposter Syndrome is real.  On Friday at 4pm, Fellows weekend officially kicked off with an icebreaker activity.  Standing in a large circle, each person had 20 seconds on the clock to introduce themselves and talk about something that they were bringing with them this weekend.  Responses varied, but there were many in the room feeling “I’m very nervous about being here … I don’t feel as though I’m good enough to belong here … I can’t believe I’m here … I’m not worthy!”  (BTW – nice equity move by Team Desmos by putting 20 seconds on the clock and forcing people to adhere to the time constraint.  The very subtle equity piece: if someone was done talking before the 20 seconds had elapsed, we were to stand in silence until the time was up.  Not only did the 20 second mandate restrict someone from talking way too long, it also ensured that everyone have an equal voice.)

3. Desmos growth.  Not only are there now 40+ more Desmos Fellows, the Desmos Teaching Team continues to grow as well.  In the past 12 months, Desmos has hired a half dozen or so former teachers to join their teaching team.

4. It was great to connect with other teachers who are wrestling with the same – for lack of a better word – issues that I am.  I had a couple of deep conversations with various Fellows focused on a variety of topics. One such conversation was about standards based grading and the role of homework.  I’m planning on implementing a target based grading system this year and still have a few wrinkles to iron out before school begins in August. It’s encouraging to know that I have some people in the Fellowship who I can reach out to who are also implementing SBG.  

5. I am extremely excited about the changes happening in mathematics education. The CCSS have been around for nearly a decade.  There are pockets of teachers slowly breaking away from traditional methods and embracing inquiry-based, conceptual-based methods.  There are research based best practices that support collaboration, equity, student identity, and access available to all teachers.  Colleges and universities are starting to worry less about GPA and class rank and more about recruiting students who have learned how to collaborate, to communicate, and to think. 

My flight is about over and it is time for me to snap back to reality.  On the forefront of my mind is how can my department at BHS help all students become better mathematicians, and in turn, help raise the percentage of students who are “proficient” or better on the Smarter Balanced test.

Mid-credit scene:
Fellow alumni Lauren suggested to us that we write ourselves a letter to help solidify the memory.  This is the letter to myself.  With that, I'll post a few pictures.

San Francisco from "The Rock"

Welcome to HQ!

Our "home group": Matt, Sam, Tim, and I (among other home groups)

I found time to walk across the Golden Gate Bridge!

Post-credit scene: I will never think of seals the same way.  Thanks, Joce!

Cell Phones in the Classroom: My New Belief

As recently as 2017, I was a firm believer that it was fine for students to have cell phones in the classroom.  Part of my philosophy centered around the idea that it was our job as educators to help teach students about appropriate use (i.e. when is it okay to use your phone vs. when it is time to put it away).  I was also a strong believer in maximizing tech integration into classrooms, with the goal of climbing the SAMR model whenever possible.  (See my Oct. 2014 post about the SAMR model here.  Also, more info on the SAMR model here.)  My thinking was pretty simple: integrating tech into classroom often times increased student engagement and made class more interesting and exciting.

Let's fast forward to May 2019. 
My belief on cell phones in the classroom has completed changed.  I now believe that cell phones should be banned from classrooms.

My five reasons, in no particular order.

1.  I have failed to integrate meaningful, engaging activities that require cell phones.

Don't get me wrong.  I still love integrating tech into my classroom.  But each student in my school is issued a laptop, and that laptop can do everything I want students to be doing.

The reason I don't hunt for activities and lessons that integrate cell phones is equity for all students.  While a large majority of students in my classroom have smart phones, not everyone does.  I want no part of widening the equity gap between the "haves" and "have nots".


2.  Smart phones make cheating waaaaaay too easy.

Many students are far too good taking a picture and snapping it to their group of friends.  I understand that this form of cheating could still take place in a variety of ways, but no phones in the classroom would at least put a band-aid on the problem.


3.  We need to help student develop their social skills.

It's not that kids don't communicate with each other anymore, but their main form of communication is digital.  I've seen a table of seven students sit at lunch and blankly stare at their phones for 15 minutes straight.  No talking, no emotion, minimal awareness of their surroundings.  One time, I asked a group at lunch what they were up to on their phones, and some said that they were sending Snap Chat messages to others at the table.

In addition, students often don't understand how to appropriately talk to each other nor how to listen to one another.  Little things like making eye contact, reading non-verbal cues, and being a good listener are skills that need to be developed.

I love to use strategies such as Sara Van Der Werf's "Stand and Talks" and a modified version of "Which One Doesn't Belong?" that asks students to listen to what their partner answered and share their answer.  (Another variation of WODB is to find a reason that each one doesn't belong.)
[I stole those variations from someone but couldn't locate the source.  Sorry!]  These strategies help students develop some of those communication person-to-person skills.

Desmos also has some very useful tools that can help create conversations in the classroom.  (Check out the Classroom Conversation Toolkit.)  Yes, I realize that Desmos activities can be implemented using smart phones, but once again, I will have my students on their computers if we're doing a Desmos activity.


4.  Students need to learn that they can survive without their phones.

I'm going to summon Abraham Maslow for this one.  Contrary to popular belief, cell phones are not basic human need (see table below... the basic needs are at the bottom).  I see cell phones fitting snugly into the "social" level of this pyramid.  Much of what students do on their phones (in and out of the classroom) caters to their social needs.  Put me on record for saying that good teachers create a culture in their classrooms that can satisfy the social needs of students.  Cell phones are not needed.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/hide-and-seek/201205/our-hierarchy-needs

Part of this "phone addiction" stems from parents.  I invite you to watch different families the next time you go to a restaurant.  I can't count the number of times I've seen parents solely focused on their screens while life moves on around them.  (As a parent, I am guilty of this as well.)

I hate to say it, but part of our job as educators is to help students realize that they don't need to be attached to their cell phones.

(A corollary to this idea is for parents to learn that it is okay to not have direct access to their child 24/7.  I understand that parents pay large sums of money in order for their child to have a cell phone accessible at all times... but, parents: you're not helping here.  Countless times I have asked students to please put their phone away, only to hear the reply of "but I'm just texting my mom (or dad).")



And this brings me to my last point. 

5.  Phones are a distraction, even when students aren't touching them.

Take a look at this video.  Please watch it.  (2 minutes)
https://www.edutopia.org/video/theres-cell-phone-your-students-head

I've had a gut feeling about this more and more these past two years, but have never acted on it until this week.  This past week, I changed the policy in my classroom to "If I see your phone, I will take it."  I put the phones in a box and students can have them back after class.



I'm happy that I work in a building where I can set my own cell phone policy and the administrators will support it.  After watching the video, I might even tighten my policy for next year.

I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this "cell phones in the classroom" debate. 

Geometry Project: Logo Design + Flipgrid

For the past four years, I have had my geometry students complete a project as part of their semester 1 final exam.  The task is for students to design a logo for a company of their choice.  Students are graded using a rubric that calls for specific features to be embedded within their logo.

The minimum requirements:

• There must be something that is reflected.  The line of reflection must be identifiable.  
• There must be something that is rotated.  The angle and center of rotation must be identified.
• There must be two triangles that are congruent.
• There must one set of parallel lines.  Intersecting the lines is a transversal.  At least two special angle pairs must be identified.

Students are also scored on neatness, use of color, effort, and their sales pitch.  

In past years, students would explain in writing where the required items were located and what type of company they would pitch their logo to.  

This year, instead of writing their explanations, I had students create a video using Flipgrid.  (Read about our previous trials using Flipgrid and our attempt at climbing the SAMR model for technology integration.)  Flipgrid was amazing for this task.  Students were asked to demonstrate on the video where each of the required items were found.  Then they were asked to complete a brief sales pitch that would help sell the logo.  I made sure that students were not able to view each other's submissions.  That helped ease the pressure of performing in front of others.

When students wrote their explanations on paper (in past years), I would often find myself trying to make sense of what they were explaining.  Occasionally I would have to ask a student for clarity.  It was often a tedious process. 

This year, the videos were very easy to assess.  I didn't have to search through the logos, looking for things that were not clearly explained.  The monotony of grading 75 projects was absent.

I wish I could post a video or two as an example, but I made it clear to all students that I would be the only person watching their videos.  Instead, I will show a few examples of the logos themselves.  See if you can spot the required elements in their designs.

The (In)Ability to Say "No"

Confession #1:
I love the National Basketball Association (NBA).  Those who know me well know that I love just about anything related to basketball.

Confession #2:
I have a hard time saying "No" to things related to my job and career.  Allow me to elaborate.

As many of you know, teaching is much more than an 8:00 to 4:00 job.  Planning, grading, emailing parents, etc. all require time.  Moreover, keeping up to speed on the latest topics and innovations takes time.  Most evenings [after my four kids are in bed, the dishes are clean, and the laundry is folded] I spend 1-2 hours skimming through blog posts, my Twitter feed, the Desmos Slack, etc., keeping my eyes open for ideas and resources that I can use in my classroom.

Over the past five years, I've added a number of leadership roles at the district and state level to my plate.  I'm humbled and honored to be viewed as a leader in the mathematics education field, and I love serving in leadership roles.  Of course, each of these roles and commitments requires time and energy.  Because time is a finite resource, the time committed to these roles equates to time sacrificed from other areas of life.  For me, that often meant sacrificing time with my family.


Back to the NBA for a minute...

Last week while chauffeuring my kids around, I was listening to an NBA podcast hosted by Zach Lowe.  Zach works for ESPN and is widely known as one of the best NBA writers / analysts in the world.  His guest was his good friend and former boss, Bill Simmons.  As Zach and Bill were wrapping up the podcast, this conversation took place:

BS: How old is your daughter now?
ZL: Almost four.
BS: This is right when your job performance is going to get affected.
ZL: Really?
BS: It's gonna be great.  I can't wait to watch.
ZL: Why?
BS: When they [children] hit four, now all of the sudden you've got recitals. They hit six and they start playing sports a little bit more and now on the weekends you're at a soccer game instead of watching Orlando / Philly.  [FYI - Bill has a 14-year old and an 11-year old.]
ZL: You know what?  At a certain point you have to make an internal resolution where like, "That's good.  That's okay.  If your job performance slips a little bit because you have actual human being things to do, and they involve little children that you helped produce into the world, that's what it should be.  That should happen."
BS: You're preaching to the choir, my friend.


Zach's analysis really struck home with me.  This past year, I've learned to say "No" every now and then.  In the past, I would felt as though I was not doing my best or I was letting people down.  I've now made the internal resolution that Zach was referring to. 

Fear not -- my plate is still plenty full.  Between serving on the SDCTM board, presenting at conferences, mentoring a student teacher, applying for the PAEMST award, getting ready to begin the NBCT process, serving as a virtual mathematics coach, and participating in a state leadership cohort, I've got plenty to do.


So this blog post goes to all of educators out there who have filled their plates full.  It's okay to say "No" once in a while.  Don't lose sight of the most important things in life.