Mathematics Technology Reource

In the course of researching for an assignment in my Mathematics ABQ, I came across the following resource from the University of Illinois' Math Teacher Link site. It's an elearning resource targeting teachers interested in using technology to teach Mathematics.

There's some particularly good stuff on using and teaching Geometer's Sketchpad. They also have modules on Mathematica and Fathom.

Why is Math harder than English?

Why do most people who are not math-heads find it so hard compared to, say, English? I think that one reason is that when students are learning English or History they are, for the most part, being asked to employ skills that they have already mastered (language) and use in everyday life. When it comes to Mathematics, however, students are being asked to employ an essentially artificial skill set that they don't make regular use of in everyday life.

There's indirect evidence that this is indeed true in that one of the ways to lead students towards mastery of math skills is to encourage them to use math skills in everyday life and, for that matter, to model that use yourself.

Things I Do Wrong All the Time

Good tip from a fellow student in the Teaching and Learning in the Senior Division course we all have to do for an ABQ (Sr. Mathematics in my case).

Most students have something (or things) that they consistently get wrong (or forget to get right). Do this. Get them to note that thing in the back of their notebook or textbook. ("I always confuse there and their.") Then tell them to forget about it when initially doing the work. Afterwards, they check the back of their text or notebook and go through their work and correct it.