Math Confidence Video
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Math Confidence Workshops
Request info about Math Confidence workshops here
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Quote of the Month
"Math is like going to the gym for your brain. It sharpens the mind."
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| How can we help students who are not as prepared for college (or high school or middle school!) as we had hoped? This month's edition focuses on how we can inspire and teach even if our students are not at the skill or knowledge level that is expected or desired. The video addresses "When will we ever use this Math?" with the answer "On the college placement test!" (at many schools, a calculator is not allowed). Robin will present at LIMACON on March 15, Ten County Math on March 16, Everyone Reading on March 19 and Precalculus and More on March 22. |
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Recommended Reading
 What can be done if the prerequisites have not been learned? This book is geared toward college professors but also has many useful ideas and strategies for K-12 teachers and parents. The author, Kathleen Gabriel, asserts that it is never too late to learn how to learn! She shares her own experience as a "special admit" college student who found that most professors were willing to help.
The main teaching idea is to replace the traditional lecture with varied instruction (classwork,Think Pair Share, exit slips, group discussion, etc) to increase student engagement, particiption and learning. The Appendix includes syllabus design, self-scoring inventory of behaviors to excel, and vocabulary building strategies.
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Important but Not Urgent
Stephen Covey's fabulous book First Things First divides tasks into four quadrants, Important vs. Non-Important and Urgent vs Non-Urgent. The Second Quadrant is Important but not Urgent and includes Preparation, Planning, Values Clarification and Empowerment. Studying for next week's Math test or for a placement test (like ACCUPLACER or COMPASS) may not seem urgent so it may get put on the back burner. Making incremental daily steps towards improvement is what builds skills, knowledge and confidence. This same principle can be applied to nonacademic endeavors such as fitness, finance and relationships.
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Quizlet for Free Web Flashcards
Quizlet is a free web tool that allows students or teachers to make their own quizzes for classwork, homework or test review. Quizlet has 6 different study modes: Flashcards, Learn, Scatter, Speller, Test and Space Race. Scatter is my favorite as it is a matching game. Quizlet Plus is $15/year and makes the experience ad-free, adds the ability to upload images, unlimited classes, and a Quizlet PLUS badge next to your username. The Quizlet app is available for iphone and can be reached on the web with Android. Here is a set I made for Math 100 Precalculus.
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Brain Teaser
 A ship anchored in a port has a ladder which hangs over the side. The length of the ladder is 10 feet, the distance between each rung is 1 foot and the bottom rung touches the water. The tide rises 18 inches per hour. How long will it take for the water to reach the fifth rung from the top?
Answer to February's Brain Teaser:
80 pens @ $0.05, 1 pen @$1, 19 pens @ $5
February 2013 Brain Teaser Solution
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Thanks for reading! How can we make this newsletter better? Please send comments and suggestions to Robin mathconfidence@aol.com
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Sincerely,
Robin "the Math Lady" Schwartz
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