Students need to see it to know it. This month's issue wildly recommends MathBits worksheets because they are engaging and challenging and offer critical thinking and persistence skills which allow students to learn and enjoy Math at a higher level. The video shows off 6th - 8th grade www.engageny.org items that are very accessible to most students and this month's blog post encourages better PR for Math and studying.
Math Bits for Secondary Teaching and Learning
"MathBits.com is devoted to offering fun, yet challenging, lessons and activities in secondary(and college level) mathematics and computer programming for students and teachers."
For $40 a year per module, you get access to over 550 worksheets for Algebra I and over 540 for JrMath. There are also Geometry and Algebra 2 versions and other amazing resources like Math in the Movies, How to Use Algebra Tiles and Games for each level.
Many students are not getting enough rigor in their classrooms or homework. This is especially true for many Special Education students who need to be exposed to some grade level content so they can have choices in life. Here are some accessible items from the middle school NY state samples: 6th Grade Items, 7th Grade Items and 8th Grade Items.
The front page Wall Street Journal article "The Loser Has to Do Math" described a football pool whose loser has to take the SAT. A better title? "Loser Gets to Learn Math and Loves the Challenge" which could inspire people to learn rather than normalize negative feelings about Math. In my Letter to the Editor, I pleaded "Please consider how the Wall Street Journal which often publishes caring and insightful pieces on education can help students, parents, teachers and society view (Math and) test taking as an opportunity rather than a threat."
Jack and Jill have two children and one of the children is a boy. Assuming that the probability of each gender is 50/50. What is the probability that the other child is also a boy?
Answer to January's Brain Teaser: The hint is to turn the page upside down
