Be sure to read Boris Korsunsky’s short essay in Education Week. With his usual panache, my colleague tells us that “what’s old is new again” in the world of education. This observation comes from…no, I don’t think I’ll tell you, as spoilers… Read More ›
Teaching & Learning
The best schools?
The Boston Globe published a peculiar article the other day on “The top 15 high schools in Massachusetts.” It wasn’t exactly an article, being a slide show of 16 images, each with a bit of associated text. And it was… Read More ›
Finding the beauty in math
In Finding the Beauty in Math, Holly Korbey writes about a recent essay in the New York Times. I would love to be convinced by Korbey’s article and by the essay she cites. I really would. But unfortunately I’m not…. Read More ›
Grammar rules you can forget…according to The Guardian
The great science section in The Guardian is broadly conceived, sometimes including articles about math and linguistics in addition to the fields that more commonly fall under the category of “science.” Recently an article with the title “Ten grammar rules you… Read More ›
Trust the math!
Bruce Schneier, America’s foremost expert on cryptography and security, is understandably concerned about the recent revelations concerning the NSA: By subverting the Internet at every level to make it a vast, multi-layered and robust surveillance platform, the NSA has undermined… Read More ›
Ask questions!
In most ways I have a great group of freshmen this year. I’m teaching two large sections of Honors Geometry — filled with bright, attentive, perfectly behaved freshmen who do their work and stay engaged in class! I suppose this… Read More ›
Music strengthens the mind.
Music plays an important role in virtually all societies. Nevertheless, in times of economic hardship, funds for music education are often amongst the first to be cut…. This is particularly worrying given both anecdotal and limited research evidence suggesting that music… Read More ›
Peanut allergies
What can possibly be so controversial about peanut allergies? Plenty, apparently. According to an article in yesterday’s Jamaica Plain Patch, “peanut products are still served in many school cafeterias” and “almost half of children who have food allergies have been bullied.” This… Read More ›
For life?
Overheard in the hallway: Two freshman girls are talking very seriously. “You know, freshman year is the most important,” says one. “If you mess it up, it will hurt you for the next three years.” “Yes,” says the other, “and… Read More ›
Technology uses in education
The esteemed Diane Ravitch, who is always worth reading even when her focus can seem obsessed, wrote an article recently for Scientific American, reprinted today in Salon, entitled “Three Dubious Uses of Tech in Schools.” So what was I expecting? From my perspective, the… Read More ›
Real Talk for Real Teachers
The full title of Rafe Esquith’s latest inspiring book is Real Talk for Real Teachers: Advice for Teachers from Rookies to Veterans: “No Retreat, No Surrender!” There’s rarely any need for a three-tiered title, but in this case I think it’s… Read More ›
Tricks? Not here!
My colleague Donna Gonzalez and I have discovered that we often have similar points of view. One pet peeve we have in common is that we sometimes hear students (or even teachers!) talk about “tricks” for solving math problems. Making… Read More ›
Is memorization necessary, evil, both, or neither?
Ben Orlin has written a fine article for the Atlantic called “When Memorization Gets in the Way of Learning: A teacher’s quest to discourage his students from mindlessly reciting information,” along with an accompanying blog post called “Is memorization necessary, evil,… Read More ›
The Autistic Brain
An absorbing and fascinating book, The Autistic Brain: Thinking Across the Spectrum should be read by anyone in education. The latest work of the famous Temple Grandin, a well-known autistic biology professor, explores not only autism as a disorder of the mind but… Read More ›
Linguistics, math, and second chances
What a terrific speech! It was delivered in 2008 by the distinguished Stanford linguist Ivan Sag, who died too young just five days ago. It manages to take the reader all the way from youthful indiscretions to problems with college… Read More ›
Computer programming in English class?
How is it possible to persuade English teachers to teach computer programming (or “coding,” as people say today)? Maybe it can happen only in a private school? Why would anyone even want to insist that English teachers should teach programming? These are… Read More ›
27 new trig functions…and no more factoring
My juniors will be excited to hear that there are now 27 new trig functions for them to learn, and that factoring will no longer be taught. It must be true, since I read it on the Internet. And it’s surely… Read More ›
The real advantage of wealthier schools
This title is stolen directly from an excellent piece by John Spencer, whose blog is always worth reading. It’s clear from context that Spencer lives in a middle-class district and teaches in a low-income one. This combination is of course… Read More ›
The Big Ideas of Algebra, Part Three
Four or five years ago, I wrote a couple of posts on the Big Ideas of algebra: Part One was published on November 30, 2008; Part Two on January 7, 2009. It’s time for Part Three, isn’t it? Fortunately, the… Read More ›
What does an IT department do?
Speaking of the Math Curmudgeon, I’m glad I don’t teach where he teaches. At least we don’t have these problems. (Just don’t get me started on Infinite Campus…)
Learning Strategies 