For the Love of Math with Cononiah

This is for my 8th grade math teachers (or honestly, any person who can read a standard). 8.NS.1:   Know that numbers that are not rational are called irrational. Understand informally that every number has a decimal expansion; for rational numbers show that the decimal expansion repeats eventually , and convert a decimal expansion which repeats eventually into a rational number. That highlighted portion stopped me in my tracks the last time I "unpacked" this standard.  I have read this standard so many times over the past 9 years.  When I teach this, however, I tell my students that rational numbers are either terminating or repeating decimals.  That is not what this standard says.  The standard says that rational numbers are repeating decimals.   And it's true! For those people who need some background knowledge.  Rational numbers are numbers that can be written as fractions where the numerator and denominator are both integers.  Irrat...

Something really weird happened today at school.  Projectors stopped working.  The wifi went out.  Some places were without lights.  The hallway smelled like death.  It was weird. It was at this moment that I realized I have become a new-age teacher.  I had to figure out how to teach my 4th block class with absolutely no technology.  I was definitely out of my element!  I mean, y'all.  I barely even write on my whiteboards.   Tomorrow, I have to teach Algebra 1 without an iPad.  Don't get me wrong.  I taught for 6 years without an iPad.  Last year, however, I'd connect the iPad to the Apple TV, and project solely from it.  I'd walk the room, let students write on the iPad, whatever I needed to do. I really had to ask myself "How did you teach without an iPad?  What did you do?"  It's funny and sad at the same time.  Before the fancy Prometheans, there were document cameras.  Before that, basic...

 For the month of August, I am going to try to make a quick blog post each day.  Every.  Single.  Day!  I initially saw the idea on Twitter by @druinok.  Here's the post that sparked my inspiration.   As many of you know, I am currently in school to receive my Ed.D.  Part of my dissertation will be looking at groupings.  I've seen where teachers do random groupings with playing cards, a wheel, an online platform, or just group numbers/letters written on a piece of paper.  I have done the latter in the past.  The only downfall was that students would swap their cards so that they were in a group with their friends.  Then, I saw grouping cards.  On a single card, there are multiple objects/words/pictures.  Students get a card without knowing how they'll be grouped.  Then, the teacher can group students however she wants.  This is how I will use them in my class.  Please note that I use VNPS (vertica...

Hey, y'all! It's been a great summer, but the first day of school is tomorrow.  This is what I'm planning. We'll start the day with Sara Vanderwerf's name tents .  I've never done this because I'm nervous about making myself reply back to every single student.  I'm implementing it this year because my school is doing a modified block schedule with A/B days.  I will only have to respond to half of my students each afternoon.  It'll be a lot of work, but I believe it will be worth it. Next, I want my students to know a bit about me.  I'm showing them some slides with my family and friends.   Next, we're doing a shortened version of Sara Vanderwerf's Numbers About Me.  I know it's Sara Vanderwerf, but I spent about 30 minutes scouring her blog and couldn't find the original post.  I found this slideshow she used, and it includes her activity.  Mine is below. One goal that I always have is for my students to know how to communicate, ...

Do you have a long to-do list?  What's on it?  Laundry.  Organizing your pantry.  Rearranging your furniture.  Tending to your garden.  Starting a blog.  Creating a business plan.  Changing careers. There are so many things we want to do.  So many dreams.  So many untapped futures.     Have you ever wanted to exercise?  The process of getting ready to exercise is dreadful!  You can think of 1,000 reasons why you shouldn't.  I mean, your to-do list is ever-growing.  BUT!!  If you just do it!  Just get up and go exercise.  You know you'll feel so much better.   You'll have energy and your endorphins will be raging!   The same goes for teaching. You want to try a new classroom management strategy.  You want to become a teacher leader in your school.  You want a cute, Pinterest-worthy classroom.  You want to become a National Board Certified Teacher.  Y...

 Have you ever wondered how your love language influences you as a teacher? No? That's probably normal. I'm no expert with love languages.  I'm sure you've heard of them before.  If you haven't, here's a quick breakdown. The idea of love languages is fairly new.  They try to describe how we, individually, prefer to receive and give love.  The five love languages are: Words of Affirmation Quality Time Receiving Gifts Acts of Service Physical Touch Some people find validity in this idea, but some find it utter trash.  Whatever end of the spectrum you find yourself on, just keep reading.  It might be interesting. I find myself preferring to receive love by words of affirmation.  This means I want to be verbally reassured.  I want to hear "I love you, I appreciate you."  I want to hear your feelings.  Well, what does this mean in terms of teaching?  I mean, this isn't a blog about my love life.  That would definitely be a shor...