It’s Saturday. I spent the bulk of my day grading and I’m looking at a repeat performance tomorrow. In a time when I am trying to pare down to essential material, why do I keep asking so much of myself? Yes, yes…for the students. Absolutely. Develop that growth mindset. But do they appreciate it? DoContinue reading “April 25 Day 48: What Have I Done?”
Category Archives: mathematics
April 23 Day 46: Storytellers needed
In my isolation, I frequently find myself revisiting each one of these marvelous tales of mathematics. I find comfort in their words. I love the mathematics. I love the stories. And I agree whole-heartedly with Donald Knuth, “The best way to communicate from one human being to another is through story.” Story is everything and we must be the storytellers of our discipline to the world.
April 18 Day 41: Change of Scenery
I needed a change of scenery today. So I chose to grade student work downstairs in the family room rather than upstairs in the study. I really know how to live on the edge….
April 16 Day 38-39: No Visual Cues
I miss my students. Today I had a meeting with three students doing a reading course. We all know each other and have shared several classes together. The interaction online is easy—not exactly like being in the same room but we trust each other enough to make mistakes and not worry about what we say.Continue reading “April 16 Day 38-39: No Visual Cues”
April 10 Day 33: On the MAA Recommendations for COVID-19 Response
Sometimes we get to contribute to meaningful work.
April 7 Day 30: Online Wait Time
Getting better at online interactivity. 24/25 present. Started with group presentations; student spokespeople sharing computer screens. We worked examples, discussed writing, and ended with a mini lecture. I ask a lot of questions. Giving sufficient wait time for student responses is harder in a remote class room than in a face-to-face one. Seven seconds seemsContinue reading “April 7 Day 30: Online Wait Time”
March 31 Day 23: Thinking Forward
What will teaching look like when our “splendid isolation” is complete? As professionals, we are learning to be more flexible, more forgiving, and more humane.
March 29 Day 21: Full Circle
Everything has been communicated and released to the students—for the first week anyways. There will be a lot of experimentation in our “getting-to-know-you session.” A google doc, a sample quiz with different kinds questions and different ways to enter responses, randomly generated Zoom breakout rooms with assigned roles, and finally a upload assignment for theContinue reading “March 29 Day 21: Full Circle”
March 26 Day 18: Welcome to New Students Spring Quarter
It starts: “It’s Spring quarter. Flowers are blooming, rain is falling, and we are following Governor Inslee’s “Stay-at-Home” order. Unlike last quarter when we unexpectedly went to online classes in week 10, we are starting anew with the expectation that the entire quarter will be delivered virtually.”
March 23, Day 15: The Third Wave
Many of my mathematical friends are in the vanguard of the third wave, starting their transitions to online teaching today. For many, their institutions were on spring break when the pandemic broke. Then granted an extra week for preparations, they are now making things happen for their students. I felt a social-media sigh as worries about “what to do” transformed into realities that they really “could do” this work. Creativity, caring, and resilience. I see it everywhere.
Math Belongs to All of Us 