Frog, Log, and the Questions that Ensue...

Yep!  Tonight was one of those nights when I really needed to be pulling together my unit 1 plan for my algebra class, I found myself completely distracted.  I blame the orange flippy frog that was staring me at me on my desk and the empty toilet paper tube sitting next to it.  It was not my lack of self discipline! :) 

Anyway, I started playing with the flippy frog instead of working diligently.  I then started wondering if the frog could make it over the toilet paper tube.  I thought it was a solid experiment and worthy of exploring.  So, I did.

What I noticed was that sometimes, he didn't make it over the log.

Yet, other times he would make it.








Now, I realize that it doesn't take any great skill to know that this would happen.  It fact, a small child probably could have told me what would happen.  I started wondering if the frog was more likely to make it over the log (aka toilet paper tube) or not to make it.  I hypothesized that it would be an equally likely chance that the frog would make it over the log.  Well.. at least theoretically, it should.  The operator plays a huge role in changing the chance of the frog making it over the log.  My frog failed to make it over the log the majority of the time. 

I could use this idea for a demonstration of theoretical v. experimental probability, but I wanted more to the lesson.  So that led me to the question, at what distance is it improbable that the frog will make it over the log?  At what distance is it almost certain that the frog will make it over the log?  What then is everything in between those two distances?  Are they all capable of producing the same probability?  Where does it change?

Well, that led to another experiment.  I made a little "football" style field.  I marked lines at 1cm intervals and tried to find some answers to my questions, but I was left unsatisfied.

I feel like my students could determine a distance where it is improbable that the frog will make it over the log and where it was almost certain.  I'm not sure that the data in between those points can be determined as easily without quite a bit of experimentation and data collection.  There is nothing wrong with doing that, but I am wondering if it is an activity that will be valuable for the time that it would take.  I was playing for over an hour.  I know that we could do some group collection of data and analyze that.  There would be value in doing noticing and wondering. 

I am feeling unsatisfied by the results though, and it bothers me.  Maybe because it seems that there should be a simple answer.  However, maybe I am looking for a simple answer when their isn't one.  There is even the possibility that the experiment doesn't support what I want to know and I need to revise. I'll have to keep thinking.  Data and probability won't be until mid-year.  Plenty of time to develop, modify, or throw out this idea.

If anyone has any thoughts on any of the questions that I posed, I'd be open to hearing your thoughts.  I will be thinking about this some more.  If I develop this farther, I will post what I did and anything that I used to guide the students. 

A Final Thought on TMC...

Oh boy!  I have been reading a lot of blog posts about TMC.  The biggest discussion has centered around a post by MrKent800 entitled, "I'm a Fraud".  There is a lot of discussion about this and posts in response to it.  If you haven't read it, go and read it. 

I read the post by Mr. Kent and felt sorry for him.  I wanted to offer words to sure up his confidence, because I don't think that one conference makes you feel the way that he did.  Other things have to have been happening in his classroom and professional life.  I also empathized with him a great deal because even last year, there were times when I wanted to throw in the towel and quit teaching as well. 

The thing is, when teaching is a part of you, you cannot just turn your back on it.  Yes, you get tired – to the point of exhaustion.  But, even at exhaustion, I am willing to try one more thing.  Do one more thing.  This is because I haven't completely given up on myself.  I know that I can do better.  I can be better. 

I am striving to be the best that I can be.  I use other teachers who I work with or who I religiously read their blog, to help me define what the best is.  Each person that I was a bit star struck by at TMC has helped me to refine, shape, polish, destroy, and rebuild what my definition of best is. 

I know what my strengths are and what my weaknesses are.  After fifteen years in the classroom, I know what weaknesses probably aren't changing.  I need to find ways to counter my weakness so that it does not hold me down and keep me from changing, or at the very least, trying to change. 

As I think about TMC and consider the reflections of others, I am realizing that I can't change the world.  But, realistically I don't think I ever truly believed that I could.  I just want to help the people in my little corner of it embrace the possibility of what can be.  I don't believe that I am great at it.  I just keep talking about what I know, what I believe, what I want to create and hope to achieve by it's creation.  I don't expect miracles.  I don't even expect huge amazing changes because I have come to realize after working in many different situations that I am the only one who can change.  If others chose to follow my example, so be it.  As for me, I will continue to seek out people who inspire me, challenge me, and support me.    

Twitter Math Camp 2014 (TMC14)

Last summer, I had been blogging for about 4 months when I read about Twitter Math Camp (TMC).  I had read a wrap up post or two (OK, maybe more than that) about TMC and thought it sounded like a really cool experience.  So, I wanted to make sure that I was able to attend this year and check it out.  As a first time attendee of TMC, I wasn't totally ready for this experience and this is why:

1) No Lurking Allowed!  It's Time to Share and Collaborate!
I am such a wall flower in new situations and I like to sit back and just observe.  Well, I tried that and within the first 5 minutes of the whole event starting, one of the organizers, Shelly I believe, approached me and asked why I was standing against the wall all alone.  I was shocked by this!  I fumbled through a nervous answer.  I had never been to any other conference where people had been concerned that I was alone.  I had been to a lot of events where I could just blend into the background and not be noticed.  I knew networking and meeting people was a huge part of the TMC experience, but I had planned to ease my way into it.  Didn't happen that way and that was a good thing!  I shook more hands, exchanged more smiles, and met more people than anywhere else that I have ever gone. 

Also, I have never been to a conference where I spent three morning session blocks with the same people all three days.  This is the hidden gem in TMC for me!  This was what changed the TMC from being a conference to being a collaboration.  Teachers were creating, asking questions, defining, debating, reshaping, and collaborating everywhere.  This is how community is built – in the exchange of ideas and rallying around a common cause.  Everyone at TMC was there to learn something from each other and to support each other in making mathematics education better.  It was hard not to start talking to someone about something.  Also, it was a room full of 150 passionate math teachers and where else you sit and talk with any person in the room about math?!

2) Star-Struck and Finding New Stars!
I wanted to go to TMC partially because I had been reading the blogs of many absolutely amazing teachers.  I wanted to be able to sit and chat with them and glean their knowledge for next year.  Well, it took all of my courage to tell Sarah, from Math=Love, that I loved, loved her blog.  I have stolen, I mean borrowed, so much from her.  I sat one person away from Julie, who writes I Speak Math, at a session and couldn't tell her at all how much I enjoyed reading her blog.  Then, I had an entire session with Katheryn, from i is a number, and said nothing!  I was NOT expecting to be so tongue tied!  So disappointed that I failed to introduce myself to the people I admire and strive to emulate in my own way.  But then, you meet all of these other great people.  People that you can't believe you never knew existed and are amazing!  I know that my blog reading list has just lengthened and I am really going to have to get better at Twitter.

3) The Hotel is Like Vegas!
I didn't stay at the hotel that almost everyone else stayed.  I was traveling with my dog, so I needed to stay in a pet friendly hotel.  I didn't realize until the end of TMC, how much interaction and sharing happened in the hotel after the sessions were over.  I wish that I had know this as a first timer to TMC.  I also wish I could tell you all that went on at the hotel, but I believe the saying was "What happens at the hotel from five to midnight, stays at the hotel", so I am not any help!  Although... there are some pictures floating around that show the Twitter math campers sitting in circles sharing interactive notebooks with each other! :)

So this year, as a newbie, I wasn't ready for everything.  My biggest take-away from TMC14 is that there is a huge support system on Twitter.  These teachers are totally awesome and are collaborating to make their classrooms better.  There is no need to worry about if you are a good enough teacher or even think that you have nothing to contribute.  Besides being able to put faces to Twitter handles, I left TMC14 feeling like my classroom is moving in the right direction.  I haven't fully processed the entire experience yet.  There are speakers, sessions, and games that I want to share, but they will have to wait for another post. 

Daily Mantra

Photo credit: www.hark.com

Does anyone remember Stuart Smalley from Saturday Night Live?  He had a little mantra that he said in every skit: "I'm good enough.  I'm smart enough.  And dog gone it, people like me." I know someone read that line out loud to their computer as they read this! :)

I have been reading a lot about growth v. fixed mindset in different blogs and tweets.  The other day I was thinking about how to increase my students' growth mindset when they come in with a fixed one.  I started thinking about self affirmations.  Would having a daily mantra that affirms their ability to succeed help change students views of math and their ability to do it?

I jotted this down on the back of an index card.  I kind of like it and am seriously considering using this to start my math classes this school year. 

Today is a great day to do math!
I am a mathematician.  
I know that being fast is not the same as being smart.
I know that I am smart enough to do all of the math that comes before me.
When I struggle, I know that I have the support of my peers and teacher to work through the frustration and succeed.
I know that success is not given; it is earned through hard work and dedication.
Today is a great day to do math!

Does anyone use a daily mantra or self affirmations in their classroom?  What have you observed?  I would be very interested to hear from you!