Author Archives: Jenny Quinn

October 17 Day 953: Learning New Tricks

When teaching remotely, I had lots of ways to get feedback—reactions, polls (often in Miro), waterfall chats. Now that I am back in person, I’m trying to find the right method. Inspired by my son’s willingness to ask his teacher questions on Discord, I set up a server for my class. I have to admit,Continue reading “October 17 Day 953: Learning New Tricks”

October 15 Day 951: A Study in Unknots

Construction around campus has been a headache. I silently swear every time I park in the lot up the hill and have to discover a new pathway down and around the construction zone. As I walked past the line of huge concrete water drainage pipes, I noticed inside each one was an o-ring. Mathematically speaking,Continue reading “October 15 Day 951: A Study in Unknots”

October 14 Day 950: Shall Dare Bad Air

I’ve been avoiding my morning walk partly because of work, partly because of travel, and partly because of bad air. Today was a doozy—an air quality index of 154 this morning. I decided to throw caution to the wind and brave the great outdoors. One thing you can say about smoky skies, they make forContinue reading “October 14 Day 950: Shall Dare Bad Air”

October 10 Day 946: Let’s Get On the Bus

Another post-covid first—the first Pierce Transit bus ride since March 2020. With three adults at home and only two cars, sometimes public transportation is required. My son dropped me off at work early this morning and I made my way home on the bus. Suffice it to say that alternate routes due to construction madeContinue reading “October 10 Day 946: Let’s Get On the Bus”

October 7 Day 943: This One Is For My Mom

Recordings from MAA MathFest are now available on YouTube, the 2022 MAA MathFest Playlist. There were fantastic plenary talks but the one I want my Mom to see is the President’s IGNITE Celebration. I think she will enjoy it. Maybe you will too. It is over an hour long. Perhaps you’d prefer to see particularContinue reading “October 7 Day 943: This One Is For My Mom”

October 4 Day 940: Boosted Bivalently

I took advantage of the pop-up vaccination clinic on campus. It was quick and easy. The hardest part was waiting the 15 minutes to be released. Nine hours later, all I want to do is close my eyes and drift off to sleep. I guess those files aren’t going to get read and the homeworkContinue reading “October 4 Day 940: Boosted Bivalently”

October 3 Day 939: 100% Again

It’s the second class of the quarter and attendance was at 100% again. (Admittedly one student joined on Zoom but life happens. They joined their randomly assigned workgroup in a zoom breakout room and it seemed to work fine.) I am again using the randomly generated lists to call on students rather than asking forContinue reading “October 3 Day 939: 100% Again”

October 2 Day 938: Angeles Angels

NCTM brought me back to spend time in LA. I lived there for a dozen years as I was starting my career. I got my first academic job there. I got divorced there. I found my loving and supportive partner there. I gave birth to two sons there. There was lots of nostalgia, both goodContinue reading “October 2 Day 938: Angeles Angels”

September 30 Day 936: Live from LA, It’s NCTM!

This is my second time attending the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Conference, the first time in-person. It’s been simultaneously inspiring, exhausting, and humbling. I knew more people than expected including colleagues, friends, and past students from long ago when I lived and worked in Los Angeles. Yet I felt very much alone. GreatContinue reading “September 30 Day 936: Live from LA, It’s NCTM!”