tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.comments2024-03-19T07:30:55.288-04:00CurmudgeonCurmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323026187622872114noreply@blogger.comBlogger1061125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-27288524554401108802020-01-14T16:34:46.429-05:002020-01-14T16:34:46.429-05:002/5 or 0.42/5 or 0.4Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-39852360370776549182019-11-16T12:25:47.854-05:002019-11-16T12:25:47.854-05:00Rural high school. What I've found mirrors you...Rural high school. What I've found mirrors your point: the older and the more mature the group, the larger the group can be and still be effective.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04323026187622872114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-39152050680800959272019-11-12T20:15:08.688-05:002019-11-12T20:15:08.688-05:00I saw an article or meme once that compared this t...I saw an article or meme once that compared this to expecting that the tax money that goes to public parks should be given to you so you can pay for membership to a private club or park. It shows the absurdity. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-84579045979166409302019-11-03T17:23:42.405-05:002019-11-03T17:23:42.405-05:00I teach at community college. (Do you teach high s...I teach at community college. (Do you teach high school?) For me, the best class size is in the low twenties. But I have drops and absences that you might not have to consider.<br /><br />Deborah Meier, author of The Power of Their Ideas, had a class maximum size of 15 for her (public school) elementary school.Sue VanHattumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10237941346154683902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-41443907368148213432019-11-03T09:27:51.938-05:002019-11-03T09:27:51.938-05:00Ideal, but not real in public education. Instead ...Ideal, but not real in public education. Instead of listening to you, the expert, the powers that be decide with the budget.Jeannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-83124248424769859732019-06-07T07:32:18.597-04:002019-06-07T07:32:18.597-04:00It would be much appreciated if you could remove t...It would be much appreciated if you could remove the poor language from this website as I really like using it with my classes. Thanks<br /><br />Tessxihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01779939807227964985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-28996356804864923202019-05-03T10:02:59.234-04:002019-05-03T10:02:59.234-04:00HeeheeHeeheeAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07391964828417046445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-40112379995679137282017-12-02T14:29:29.400-05:002017-12-02T14:29:29.400-05:00Hello Curmudgeon :)
I so agree with this post. I ...Hello Curmudgeon :)<br /><br />I so agree with this post. I am an aspiring high school teacher (in English and Mathematics) working on my Masters in Education at University of Michigan, and I came across this post and feel it’s spot on. Quick personal note: as part of the requirements to become certified in Math, I had to take an online Linear Algebra course. Aside from the obvious challenges of working through the material with only the use of an online textbook, the ultimate struggle was how the assessments were run. I wasn’t able to show my work, and only received credit for my answers on homeworks and exams if they were entered into an online platform in the EXACT format required (For example, I would get 0 points for entering a vector if I forgot the parenthesis, even if my calculations were correct). I made it through, but it wasn’t pretty!<br /><br />When I think about students in high school or grammar school being exposed to this type of learning, I cringe. The beauty of math is that it teaches a way of thinking and problem solving. All through my schooling in Math, showing thoughtful work was worth more than the final answer. It instilled in me an organized, structured way of approaching a problem that has benefitted me in many fields outside of Math. When that concept is reversed, and the answer at the end is more important than the journey, students resort to googling answers and keying in calculations, and fail to develop those critical skills in organized thought. Anyway – it’s something we can combat by avoiding the online games and gimmicks that have become so popular. Maybe more people will come around in time as well! <br />Frances N.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03450683732941550315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-61563783717033731732017-10-13T18:34:37.354-04:002017-10-13T18:34:37.354-04:00So hard to take administrators seriously when they...So hard to take administrators seriously when they say both of these things. And let's ask ourselves: what does a struggling student more good: a curriculum that is built around him or her being able to be proficient at Level A before being pushed into Level B, or getting pushed into AP classes they're not ready for. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-50465205043998978872017-09-24T10:34:51.489-04:002017-09-24T10:34:51.489-04:00My very favorite answer to this is . . . I will be...My very favorite answer to this is . . . I will be retired before Georgia decides to jump on the bandwagon and see how much better they can screw it up. Sorry for your pain.Ricochethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12594506449363717006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-27456918131469033802017-09-12T16:28:50.700-04:002017-09-12T16:28:50.700-04:00There's a grain of truth in the "raise yo...There's a grain of truth in the "raise your standards" admonition. But that's true only within the realm of what's possible given the students' previous level of learning and their motivation. And it's true only for teachers who don't already have high standards. It's actually insulting to teachers to imply that they don't care how much their students learn.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-5420352825046198232017-09-11T20:47:22.041-04:002017-09-11T20:47:22.041-04:00Yeah, that's really working here in Ohio--NOT!...Yeah, that's really working here in Ohio--NOT!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-21859322017250429872017-09-08T21:59:47.365-04:002017-09-08T21:59:47.365-04:00reminds me of "parents are sending you their ...reminds me of "parents are sending you their best children."<br />Mrs. Widgethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00574837619339009800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-5747073589634750202017-07-30T16:32:14.202-04:002017-07-30T16:32:14.202-04:00Tutoring can be helpful (though no panacea) if the...Tutoring can be helpful (though no panacea) if the tutor is older than the tutee, has volunteered to tutor, and is being supervised and supported. AND, if it does not take up class time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-63450348236815970362017-06-13T20:23:17.777-04:002017-06-13T20:23:17.777-04:00I am criticizing researchers for not making their ...I am criticizing researchers for not making their research public. I am more critical of the game of telephone that makes it damned difficult to find out who did that research that I can't always find online. I am very critical of the admin who can't remember or didn't pay attention to the name of researcher when they listened to the presentation at that conference in the state capital four months ago.<br /><br />Here's one for you, Michael:<br /><br />Research shows that Proficiency Based Grading is good. My admin then tells me that a "4" = 95%+, a 3 = 80%-95%, a 2 is 50%, and a 1=25%.<br /><br />Find the data that encourages that conversion, or states that you really shouldn't be averaging a 2 on F.IF.7a with a 4 on A.SSE.4 and get a 3 average, proficient.<br /><br />Me neither. And we're doing that.<br /><br />Even if I find out who did this research ... and it's probably more than one study, or even meta-analysis from someone like Hattie, where do I get this study so I can, at least, read the executive summaries.<br /><br />That's my main beef.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04323026187622872114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-10428483220663575792017-06-12T19:37:56.239-04:002017-06-12T19:37:56.239-04:00Maybe the criticism that Graham reads is like this...<i>Maybe the criticism that Graham reads is like this, but mine is over not being able to see the original documents.</i><br /><br />This is a valid concern, but it sounded to me like you're critiquing researchers for not making their research widely available. But all the researchers I talk to are frustrated by the state of affairs. Journals are extortionary and researchers can only publish their work by either violating copyright or paying a ridiculous fee to the publishers. <br /><br />That said, it's no challenge to get your hands on a piece of research in 2017. It's easy to obtain paywalled research if you want it, and (hopefully) this is disrupting the publishers' ridiculous business model.<br /><br />Anyway, my point is just that researchers are usually as frustrated by this as we are, and there are ways around paywalls.Michael Pershanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17046644130957574890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-40304455991031141802017-05-14T16:04:41.592-04:002017-05-14T16:04:41.592-04:00I've been trying to put my thoughts down about...I've been trying to put my thoughts down about this for a few minutes and I keep deleting, so forgive me if this version is still a bit unfocussed and disconnected...<br />A big slogan says to me that the discussion is over -- you don't need to think any more because the problem is solved. A big slogan makes you feel a lot more than it makes you think -- you feel guilty about your own practice, or gratified about it. A big slogan seems to me to invite argument more than discussion.<br />If we want to promote food for consideration, perhaps we do need to point to other places where you can read about nuances, rather than simply share memes. If we want to think with people on Twitter, then maybe we need to share things with a more open and wondering turn of phrase. <br />The maths puzzle of mine that got the most response was one where I started with "I wonder..." rather than "Find...". "I wonder" said maybe there's an answer or maybe there isn't, but invited people to discuss and try. "Find" says there is an answer and invites people to give it. Perhaps a similar thing can happen with teaching sorts of things.David K Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02351781945972297201noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-58411456987924039102017-05-14T14:18:56.922-04:002017-05-14T14:18:56.922-04:00I've been taking a bit step back from Twitter ...I've been taking a bit step back from Twitter lately, and it feels great. To make it happen, I had to figure out 2 things in my Twitter workflow.<br /><br />(1) You can set Twitter to notify you anytime you're included in a tweet or DM-ed. That keeps me off of the service, because I can know who is contacting me and either contact them via email or sign in for just a moment to reply.<br /><br />(2) To discover blogs, I turned the MTBoS_Blogbot twitter account into an RSS feed, and subscribed to it in my RSS reader. It's a pretty good selection of MTBoS blogs. (I also check in on some of my favorite twitter accounts when I'm signed out of Twitter, which keeps me up on things I care about being up on.)<br /><br />I've been commenting on blogs a lot more as a result (hey guys!) and that's been a lot more fun for me, too. I would never tell people not to use Twitter...but if like me you sort of hate Twitter, it's possible to engage in MTBoS without it.Michael Pershanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17046644130957574890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-17592939905990406392017-05-14T14:10:23.954-04:002017-05-14T14:10:23.954-04:00Twitter used to point me to blogs - that's why...Twitter used to point me to blogs - that's why I loved it. I have to be very careful now on Twitter - because if I'm not - I can be made to feel so incompetent. I still find the blogs - thank goodness - but it's usually after mucking through all the rest. I would be lost without #mtbos - but now sometimes I'm lost because of #mtbos. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00080751262815391029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-33687710089676926572017-05-14T13:38:08.463-04:002017-05-14T13:38:08.463-04:00I see what you mean. But are there costs to using ...I see what you mean. But are there costs to using big, blanket slogans to provoke thought? What other ways are there of provoking thought that don't risk marginalizing others?Michael Pershanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17046644130957574890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-26152936169498122502017-05-14T13:29:31.322-04:002017-05-14T13:29:31.322-04:00But can't such statements provoke thought? I g...But can't such statements provoke thought? I generally don't read them as inflexible rules, but food for consideration.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04766912213177392173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-67134584724928379932017-05-14T13:02:34.593-04:002017-05-14T13:02:34.593-04:00Thanks for raising this point.
I sometimes think ...Thanks for raising this point.<br /><br />I sometimes think that Twitter makes these sorts of broadsides easier to make and share, and Twitter's algorithms stick these highly shared broadsides right under our noses.<br /><br />There is a tremendous amount of friction involved in using Twitter, but distancing yourself from those who make broadsides. <br /><br />The only solution I see is for those who dislike false dichotomies to take a very significant step away from Twitter and back to blogs.Michael Pershanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17046644130957574890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-49059649807883296432017-05-03T07:26:37.948-04:002017-05-03T07:26:37.948-04:00This search had been blessed not just once, but TW...This search had been blessed not just once, but TWICE by the bishop of Rome.Robnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-10028357497681628652017-04-23T11:44:24.464-04:002017-04-23T11:44:24.464-04:00Thank you for consistently and clearly laying out ...Thank you for consistently and clearly laying out the major problems with the systems provided to us to try to meet the ever changing standards.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-45628075520900791332017-04-22T01:00:38.627-04:002017-04-22T01:00:38.627-04:00We are trying that too. We have tossed "half...We are trying that too. We have tossed "halfs" but they want to get rid of 1, 2, 3 and 4 and go to ABC because "the parents don't understand."<br /><br />My response is "I can explain it to anybody in four minutes, they don't want to understand."Mrs. Widgethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00574837619339009800noreply@blogger.com