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…”
Category Archives: teaching
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 1 Day 207: We Gather Together
I’m experimenting with virtual office hours this quarter. I wanted to reproduce the casual mingling that happens during my person-to-person drop-in hours at the UW Tacoma Teaching and Learning Center (TLC). I like the ability to wander around and eavesdrop on conversations. So after learning about Gather (gather.town), I decided to give it a go.Continue reading “October 1 Day 207: We Gather Together”
September 30 Day 206: It Begins Again
After waiting for what seems an eternity, today was my first day of class for the Autumn quarter. I thought I had all my ducks in a row. I was over-prepared. I wanted to do so much more than I accomplished. Rather than barreling forward, I took the time to introduce students to some toolsContinue reading “September 30 Day 206: It Begins Again”
September 29 Day 205: Eve of the Beginning
This is it. The Canvas site has been released to the students. The assessment plan has been finalized. And tomorrow starts remote Autumn 2020 classes at UW Tacoma. Deciding on all the small details is perhaps the most stressful part. To reduce grading I am having students post written homework problems to a discussion boardContinue reading “September 29 Day 205: Eve of the Beginning”
September 23 Day 199: Rainy Day
A constant cascade of gentle drops. The air is clear (AQI of 13) and crisp. It’s the grey kind of day where I can be productive in the home office or unproductive snuggled under a warm blanket. I’m trying for the former and pining for the latter.
September 22 Day 198: Seeking Practical Advice
I am sure many of you have already faced this question and have experience to draw upon. Knowing what you know now, what are the hidden dangers? What decision would you make if this was your situation?
August 16 Day 161: I Salute You
To those who are about to teach, I salute you. For some, next week marks the beginning of the ‘Autumn’ term. For others, like myself, there are still six more weeks until S-day (S for the Start of the term.) It was not where I imagined we would be 161 days ago. My optimism failedContinue reading “August 16 Day 161: I Salute You”
August 6 Day 151: Not Really that Surprised
And just like that—any class that can be taught remotely, will be taught remotely. I’m not surprised. We would have to be in Phase 3 for face-to-face classes and Pierce County, WA is not even close. Yes, there are more than seven weeks to turn things around (UW Tacoma is on a quarter system andContinue reading “August 6 Day 151: Not Really that Surprised”
Math Belongs to All of Us 