Math is fun, people...

Who said math isn't fun?

Algebra 2 and Pre-calculus would be the bomb with some sweet tunes and dance moves like this.

Maybe one day...

The Positive Note

What makes it worth it all?

God.

Family.

And the opportunity to enjoy fellowship with God and family every new day.

Goodnight!

Common Core Transitions...

It was a good day to plan... Until we really saw the curriculum changes...

(note: the following problem has nothing to do with the 7th grade mathematics curriculum.     It is just a challenging problem for fun, and for my conclusion...)

Tonight I have a tiny beef. We sat down as a team of teachers to plan for the week ahead. We knew there'd be changes to the curriculum. We weren't expecting what we found...

With the changes due to Common Core, students who would have expected to solve simple proportion problems utilizing technology are now expected to solve complex problems without their calculators. Last year they mostly saw whole numbers. This year, entirely fractions, mixed numbers, and decimals.

I'm all for strengthening the rigor of mathematics to ensure true student learning and success in school and real life. However, these giant curriculum leaps create massive learning gaps that many students (if not most) cannot overcome in a single year... This is especially true at my school where so many families come from a low-income household.

I just wish that curriculum was implemented at the low grades and transitioned through year-by-year rather than implementing it at all grades all at once. This, in my opinion, is what true concern for students would look like.

Many intelligent people can find a solution to the problem at the beginning of this post. But if you really want to feel how the Common Core transition feels to my kids, make sure you write the formula for the infinite number of solutions to that problem. We wouldn't want to neglect the rigor required to accurately answer that question...

The Necessary Restart

Work. Always work to be done.

Middle School is a prime spot for generating lots of work for a dedicated mathematics teacher. In the first two days of school, I've managed to stay an extra three hours both days at school, on top of bringing more work home with me... 

Why am I mentioning this? Am I joining the ranks of the "complaining teacher," hoping that I might find some sympathetic ear to listen to my plight? (No.) Am I aiming to bring attention to issues that plague our public education system? (Not really.) What's the point? (Listen.)

 I am happily married (four years) with a two and a half year old boy. This happy marriage exists because we make time for each other as a couple and as a family. This picture is a memory of a typical night after a day of teaching. 

Things at home need fixing, and I'm the man for the job. Not only am I the man of the house, but we've got a man in training! (You can never start too early.) This little guy is already showing a tendency towards a strong work ethic and desire to learn how to fix things. There is something already stirring in this little boy of mine that pushes him towards learning whatever he can learn to do. 

Of course, I could just say its his young curiosity at work, but it's so much more...

As I said, this is my man in training. He's already learning what a good work ethic looks like. He's already learning what it looks like to have a loving family atmosphere. He's learning so much everyday. The only reason that he's learning it is because there is someone there to teach it to him.

I love being a teacher. I love watching students learn and seeing them grow in confidence and ability in mathematical thinking. However, I much more treasure being a great daddy and husband. 

As such, on this Wednesday, I left at four o'clock. I brought no work home. Tonight was a family night; it was another precious memory to store up for the years ahead. Also, I am recommitting myself to this notion of being a good teacher and a great family man. If one is going to take priority, it's the two people who I've already committed myself to for life.

Will I leave my students to suffer because I don't want to take work home? Of course not... However, I won't let my family suffer because there is always work to be done. It's about my process of finding that delicate balance, the balance that allows me to push students towards their personal best, at the same time reserving time to help my family and I that same opportunity.