I love a lot of things. Horses mostly. Sailing too. Reading books and watching it snow out the front window. Writing is good.
And I like doing math. Really, I'm weird that way. There are times when I'll be making up a key to a quiz and I'll think "Hot damn! I'm getting paid to do math!"
I really don't have a preference either. I picked the perfect high school to work at because we only have 70 students. I'm the only math teacher. Sometimes it gets lonely, but I get to teach everything from basic math through Calculus.
I'm also one of those people who has trouble choosing favorites. Don't ask me about my favorite movie--there are too many good ones out there. Favorite book? I can think of 5 off the top of my head. (Okay, if you really push on the books, I'd have to say Lord of the Rings (maybe).) So favorite math to do? Favorite activity to do with students? That's difficult...
I love when we do the quadratic formula and I show them the connection between the formula and the graph of a parabola. I love it in Geometry when I can send them outside to measure shadows and figure out how tall objects are. I love it when we do Number Talks and I get to see kids make connections between their "shortcuts" and the distributive property or when they suddenly see the connection between using a box to multiply two numbers and multiplying binomials. Those "aha!" moments are priceless and they are distributed randomly throughout math teaching, so I'll take them where I can get them.
I love making connections and seeing students' eyes light up. "Here's a pattern." I'll say, "can you continue it?"
Soon we are looking at Pascal's triangle on the left side of the board. "Now let's multiply some binomials."
First we do (x + y) squared. Next (x + y) cubed. We write that on the right side of the board.
"Do we have to do the fourth power?" they whine.
Maybe...
I look at the triangle for a bit, then I look at the answers to our first two problems (conveniently arranged like the triangle). Somebody always figures it out.
"OH MY GOD!"
"Tell me what you think."
That's my favorite moment. Any class. Any topic.
This was a joy to read. Thank you for sharing. We had one of those moments in class yesterday when students were investigating the graphs of absolute value functions. Always the best part of my day too.
ReplyDeleteThat must be awesome teaching different levels of math everyday.
ReplyDeleteWow! Only 70 students in your high school and you're the only math teacher! Talk about having an impact! You get to personally say that you taught every single graduating senior. And from the looks of it, they are sure lucky to have you! Thank you for sharing!
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