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Why People Aren't Equal
This is the 3rd in a series on equality and comparison. For the rest of the series, click here. In order for two people to be equal, we have to put our finger on something about them to compare. But...
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Why Most People Say They Hate Math
People do math everyday. They don’t hate math – really. They say they hate math because they have a yukky memory of something that happened in a math class a long, long time ago. I call it The Event....
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Why You Should Buy (and Wear) The Children's Place's T-Shirt
Did you see The Children’s Place’s “Best Subjects” t-shirt? Were you horrified? If you were, you might have been horrified at the wrong thing. We should be horrified – but at math classes! Math...
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Some Thoughts on the Common Core State Standards
I’ve been waist deep in K-5 Common Core State Standards for a year now. Building a parent involvement site to be aligned with CCSS will do that to you. So I’m pretty well qualified to share some...
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Does the Common Core say 3 times 4 is 11?
I’ve heard this far too many times in the last few weeks. A young lady named Glyn Wright is quoted over and over as saying, “So 3 times 4 can now equal 11 so long as a student can effectively explain...
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Why I'm Giving Up Technology in the Classroom
I tried technology in the classroom. I really did. I went to 3 EdCamps this summer. I really felt ready to take on some fancy technology stuff in the classroom. But it just didn’t work. So many...
View ArticleAT&T 'In My Day' Commercial is Killing Math Students
I just saw this AT&T U-Verse commercial and almost screamed! Yes, math class can be painful. But this commercial is promoting the negativity of math in everything. It’s opposing all that we work...
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Why Students Cheat – And Why It's Okay
I was a cheater. Yup. I cheated all through high school. In Algebra II, Geometry, English IV and Computer Science. And I had the right to. Being Engaged You may have seen this video of an angry student...
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Summer Slide – The Big Myth
Every summer I get asked the same question, “How can I prevent the summer slide?” I’ve been rocking and rolling along with my same answers for a while: Engage your kids Talk about math in the summer...
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“The 12 Touchstones of Good Teaching” is Not So Good
I just found a list on Pinterest called “The 12 Touchstones of Good Teaching” based on the book of the same title. Of course I had to read it. And of course, I was incensed. One third of the list is...
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Why are you passionate about math?
I had a college student ask me in class once: “Why are you so passionate about math?” Great question! Turns out, I’m not passionate about math at all. I’m passionate about teaching math. Math is a...
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When – A Weird Adverb for Math {Five Minute Friday}
This is part of the Five Minute Friday series. Today’s prompt is: When. What a curious word for math, “when.” These types of adverbs (it IS an adverb, right?)… These types of adverbs usually refer to...
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A Better Way for Administrators to Say No
A reader sent me an email yesterday: Dear Bon, I attended a twitter session with you at CAMT. You (and everyone else) said that twitter can be used for all sorts of great educational stuff. When...
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How to Know When a Math Lesson Fails – And What to Do About It
This post is inspired by an assignment for my Alternative Teacher Certification class with Texas ESC Region 4. I’ve messed up my share of lessons in my career. And the one thing I’ve learned is that...
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Start with “Why” when You Teach
A small word doesn’t get any bigger than “why?” “Why is the sky blue?” “Why do I have to eat breakfast?” “Why do I have to clean my room before going to the dance?” “Why do I have to go to work at...
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10 Questions No Educator Should Ever Think About
I was knocking around Twitter just now and I ran into this: 10 questions every educator should always be thinking about… by Justin Tarte. I’m in brain dead mode. It’s the last day before inservice for...
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Smurfy Student Traits You See in Yourself
This past year I’ve had the incredible joy of teaching a group of students with diagnosed neurological differences. I like to think they learned from what I had to offer them. However, I learned so...
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Your Students Are Individuals
I was so sad to when I made the decision to resign. For the last year I’ve been teaching students with diagnosed neurological differences. They’ve been remarkable from so many perspectives. But when I...
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Talking About Guns at School
I have a concealed handgun license. I own a couple of pistols and enjoy shooting them. I like to shoot trap and skeet. And I’m married to a lifetime member of the NRA. You could say I like guns. Being...
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Saying YES – Even When NO Is Expected {Five Minute Friday}
This is part of the Five Minute Friday series. Today’s prompt is: YES How funny. I was totally in the mood for a FMF this morning, so I decided to do it. Yesterday was weird at school – the biggest...
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