Here are a few reasons why.
1. There are no such things as math "problems." Only math questions or equations. She says that in Language Arts, they ask you to read Question #3. In Science, you answer Questions about scientific things. So why is it when you get to Math class, suddenly you have all these Problems?
2. She's in tune with 6th graders. When teaching the Order of Operatives, she uses a mnemonic device (and yes, dictionary.com is my friend!) to help them learn: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiply/Divide, Add/Subtract. She says that many people learn "Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally" to help them remember, but she doesn't have an Aunt Sally, but she did have four Annoying Siblings and she's sure that her middle schoolers also have annoying siblings (or know someone who does). So she teaches Please Excuse My Dumb Annoying Siblings. Not P.C., but effective.
3. When asked if they could use their calculators for a particular assignment, she told her class that she would rather they use their Florida brain than their Texas brain. And before any Texans get upset, she was referring to the calculators; they're made by Texas Instruments, you know!
I've been having some discussion with some mom-friends who live in various states about school textbooks and how they vary from state-to-state. We were wondering how they can really be all that different, and is math taught differently in Florida than in Georgia or North Carolina or California? One of the moms said she wasn't sure about most states, but she knew how they teach math in Idaho.One potato.
Two potato.
Three potato.
Four...
4 comments:
She is so right about "Problems"...what message are we sending our children there?? Sounds like your son lucked out in finding a teacher who is passionate about what she teaches. I hope he enjoys it! I had a wonderful female science teacher when I was in grade 9, and she really pushed for us girls to consider science, which was so boy-heavy at the time. It really made a big difference in my life - I picked the science line in high school because of her enthusiasm.
Thanks for the comment Cyn. Not sure about the colors but it's better! AS for the books... oh I could give you WAY too much info on it - always a book designer!But it's good to have the passionate teacher math is a subject that can lose kids with age!
Actually, a big 'movement' in science education is problem-based learning (and it's been around for many many years, this isn't new). Of course, problem-based science is based on driving questions, so maybe she's on to something that my knee unwillingly jerked against...
"Problem solving" is a skill that is deemed relevant to many fields. So I don't have a problem [ha ha, pun not intended] with using that term - but I can see why "questions" would appeal as well.
Wow! What a fantastic, witty teacher! Perfect for 6th graders who are just on the edge of deciding whether or not getting good grades in school is cool or not! Bravo!!!!
And I can tell ya....school text books and teaching methods and standards are different in every state! We are navy and my kids have been in four different school systems in the past 6 years (soon to be 5 school systems) and each of them were different enough to leave plenty of "holes" in each of my kids education. Some block schedule, some dont, some require strict spelling, some dont even touch spelling past the 5th grade.... the differences abound. It's crazy out there I tell ya! I'll be soooo happy to settle in for three whole years in the Seattle area mainly so my kids can get their feet under them again.
Becca
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