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”
Category Archives: mathematics
October 18 Day 224: Meet My Nemesis
G.R.A.D.I.N.G. Protocols from Spring have been modified to safeguard my sanity. Across the board reductions has been taken (similar to what is happening in academic budgets. ) This formidable opponent remains two or three problems ahead of me at all times. I have yet to defeat my grading by completely clearly the decks for evenContinue reading “October 18 Day 224: Meet My Nemesis”
October 16 Day 222: How Did I Not Know About This?
Starting tomorrow there are three talks a day for 7 days to celebrate Martin Gardner’s legacy. The people they have lined-up are A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. And it’s all free. You do not have to be a mathematician to enjoy them—just curious and enjoy puzzles. Oh snap—that really means you are a mathematician. For more information visit theContinue reading “October 16 Day 222: How Did I Not Know About This?”
October 15 Day 221: How Do We Lead?
Mathematical Association of America’s Board of Directors met virtually. I had the pleasure of leading the kick-off activity. There is a tacit assumption that Board Member = Leader. But in fact, leadership has nothing to do with title, position, or authority. I really like Kevin Kruse’s definition: Leadership: A process of social influence that maximizesContinue reading “October 15 Day 221: How Do We Lead?”
October 9 Day 215: One Down….
Today I finished the last eleven of the seventeen interviews, completing the first oral assessment in Calculus II. Spread out between 9 am and 6 pm, you might think it would make me feel exhausted. To the contrary, I found it exhilarating. More lessons moving forward: For future group assessments, I must make some timeContinue reading “October 9 Day 215: One Down….”
October 8 Day 214: Oops…I Winged It Again
If I were looking for a silver lining to our pandemic year, it would be the new found facility with remote technology allowing for virtual visitors from beyond our in-person reach. I was excited to be a visitor at Roanoke College in Virginia, a mere 2700 miles away, without ever leaving the comfort of myContinue reading “October 8 Day 214: Oops…I Winged It Again”
October 7 Day 213: Speaking of Math…
So I am three oral interviews into the 17 group assessments that need to occur this week and I’ve already learned so much. The rubric works. What a relief! I am impressed how team members pay attention and try to help others succeed without giving too much away. I must fight the impulse to makeContinue reading “October 7 Day 213: Speaking of Math…”
October 5 Day 211: Anxiety is Everywhere
I woke up from an anxiety dream this morning. It was a classic unprepared-for-lecture-sure-the-people-would-figure-out-I-was-an-imposter dream. I don’t get them often. In fact, the last one was back on July 4 Day 118: Anxious Dreaming, and it was about teaching classes this autumn. I know that these dreams are manifestations of my worries and doubts. I tryContinue reading “October 5 Day 211: Anxiety is Everywhere”
October 3 Day 209: Oral Fixation
Let me be completely honest, last Spring when I decided to administer oral final exams in my Matrix Algebra class, it was because I needed to create a situation where I was testing my students’ understanding of mathematics and not their core principles with respect to academic honesty. In my mind, oral exams did justContinue reading “October 3 Day 209: Oral Fixation”
October 2 Day 208 Part 1: Before
Today is the day for the MAA Social Hour dedicated to collegial conversation and collaborative coloring. Participants will be able to color the above images using the shared whiteboard Limnu while conversing in Zoom breakout rooms. If people have the most recent version of Zoom installed, they will be able to self-select their room forContinue reading “October 2 Day 208 Part 1: Before”
Math Belongs to All of Us 