Monthly Archives: October 2020

October 30 Day 236. “Everything is Terrible But I Guess That’s Okay”

Friday evening. Hallelujah. It’s been… a week. Again. Let’s talk about oral assessments. I finished interviews for the second group oral assessment of the quarter. There were 21 small group interviews over the week with the final interview concluding this evening at 6:30 pm. Today was a marathon; I completed thirteen 25-minutes interviews—for a totalContinue reading “October 30 Day 236. “Everything is Terrible But I Guess That’s Okay””

October 29 Day 235: In the Spirit

Halloween is fast approaching. This year there will be no Trick-or-Treating and for Tacoma’s North End, no Proctor Treats. I will miss the tradition where my math colleagues and I dress up as each other for our costumes. We do this in even numbered years: Thankfully, the COVID resurgence doesn’t stop us from celebrating withContinue reading “October 29 Day 235: In the Spirit”

October 28 Day 234: Flummoxed

For the second time this week, my Wi-Fi has let me down. During my second afternoon class, my iPad was incapable of connecting to my Zoom meeting. I tried everything I could think of. Screen sharing the iPad through the laptop directly; Having the iPad join the Zoom meeting as a guest user; Connecting theContinue reading “October 28 Day 234: Flummoxed”

October 27 Day 233: Talking about Revolution

I panicked just a little when I realized that tomorrow in Calculus II class we will be starting volumes of solids of revolution and all my visual aids are in the office. What’s a mathematician to do? Thankfully, mathgrrl (AKA Dr. Laura Taalman at James Madison University) has several 3D models available in Thingiverse thatContinue reading “October 27 Day 233: Talking about Revolution”

October 26 Day 232: Long Day

Even though the days are getting shorter, you know its been a long one when… …you realize that you have been sitting in your desk chair more than 10 hours with only three trips downstairs all day. …the reports due this Friday are in pretty good shape but you don’t want to spend the lastContinue reading “October 26 Day 232: Long Day”

October 25 Day 231: Patterns of my Life

As a mathematician, I look for patterns. My weekly patterns are becoming clear–at least for this quarter. Sunday: I grade like a madwomen. The assignments that I could not face or find the time for during the week cannot be left any longer. I never seem to reach the bottom of the pile. I thinkContinue reading “October 25 Day 231: Patterns of my Life”

October 23 Day 229: Continuation of Collaboration Continuum

I like the alliteration. Just a brief update. Students that did not attend class on Wednesday, when the group selection exercise was featured, still have not formed groups. The deadline is midnight tonight. I set up a discussion board for them to declare their collaboration preferences but no one has used it. All I canContinue reading “October 23 Day 229: Continuation of Collaboration Continuum”