I finished the readers/writers project and I am very happy with the results. The web log has its first entry and I have added a picture and a clock. I hope to also add a map of the people that have viewed it and links to math websites. My newsletter changed a bit as I am going to have a student write the first entry on what we are doing and how parents can help. The contract that I devised will have to change a bit as I am going to take out the last prompt about the contract being unbinding; if I do not then the students might say they do not have to follow it.

My reflection is a bit longer than I expected as I decided to make sure that there was a good explaination of each topic and source. The presentation was a little disappointing as only a few people came over to see what I had done, for those of you who did I thank you. But I am happy that the class went well and am looking forward to turning in my Instructional Strategy Synthesis Paper.

This I Believe

What is it that I believe about writing in the classroom? I do think that writing should be a part of every classroom, even math. But for me I think that the question is: "What is it that I believe, about writing being a part in the math classroom?" In a math classroom the only writing that is usually done is in number form. But when you really think about it; what is a number anyway? A number is really just a word in symbolic form that stands for a quantity. So math really has no reason to not have writing. I believe that there are two very important roles that math could be a part of the writing world.

My first is with formulas. A mathematics formula can be a very short or long process. However, writing the formula out in word form can help with the memorization of the steps to solve a problem. Take the slope formula as an example using the coordinates (1,2) (3,4). Now slope is just the degree at which to points are connected known as rise over run. In other words, the line will rise (or fall) so far from a point and run (move left to right) from the point. That is the long explanation of slope, but when I have the students write the words out then the numbered formula (y2-y1/x2-x1) and work it out, they have a better understanding of what the slope of the line is.

My second is with word problems. Most students think of word problems as long, boring problems that they have to read over and over to understand. But what I do is have them create and write our a word problem using several parameters, so they can see exactly how easily word problems can be solved. The students then do not see word problems as such an arduous task.

So for the statement, "This I believe", I believe that writing can be used in any discipline, it is only a matter of digging down a bit to understand where it could be the most helpful.

Are You a Reader?

Since I can't figure out how to post a response onto "Are you a Reader" I will just do it here. Am I a Reader, sure I am but truthfully, only to books that I find interesting and there are not a bunch of those, and I do not search very hard. I did find "Chew on This" very interesting because it told a story. That is what I like to read the most: stories. For a long time I enjoyed the Lieutenant Bak stories about ancient Egypt by Lauren Haney. He is a policeman in ancient Egypt and he solves murder mysteries. I started reading them when I went to Europe in 2002. It was one of those books I could not put down, especially on the train during long rides. Overall, I am just the type of reader that enjoys some depth behind a book, that hasn't been made into a movie, and is something that I am not really forced to read.