I have always been a fan of PowerPoint and I have seen its use in many non-math classes. However, I never considered its use in a math classroom until recently. For one of my classes, I did a group presentation about the disadvantages and advantages about PowerPoint. During my research for this presentation, I came across an article entitled "Life after death by PowerPoint" by Jenni Ingram. According to Ingram, PowerPoint can be used in math in the following ways:
1) Various colors can be used to show the difference in steps, parts of a drawing, etc.
2) Animation can be used to show the progression of mathematical thought.
3) Hyperlinks can be used to access interactive websites and even other PowerPoint slides that contain alternate explanations for a math problem.
One of my classmates created a color coded geometry proof in PowerPoint that I believe would be very useful in a geometry classroom.
I am now convinced that PowerPoint is a great tool to use in a mathematics classroom.
post script
According to a recent personal communication with a special education specialist, a simple PowerPoint slide or two in a math classroom displaying directions or relevant information to the day's lesson can be very helpful for students with learning disabilities.
What are your thoughts about PowerPoint in a math classroom?
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Mandatory Make-up Tests
At my placement, the math department has a no-fail policy. All students must score an 80% or above on all tests in order to receive full credit for a class. The tests are usually sectioned in to 2-3 parts with similar questions so that the student does not have to re-take the entire test but only the parts that they did not master 80% of the questions. The students can come after school, during lunch, or go to the school's testing center to retake tests.
I think this is a great idea because it gives the students extra chances to master the material. It sends the message that every student is capable of mastering the material by holding them to a high standard. Consequently, the teachers teach each lesson for mastery learning. Some have criticized this policy because some students can choose to not study for a test because he or she knows that it can be made up later. However, I think that the positives outweigh the negatives. Even if the school that I teach for next year does not have this policy (and there are no policies in place to discourage this practice), I think I will implement this in my own classroom. It seems to motivate students and it is a way to convey high teacher expectations.
What do you think? Would you implement this policy in your own classroom?
I think this is a great idea because it gives the students extra chances to master the material. It sends the message that every student is capable of mastering the material by holding them to a high standard. Consequently, the teachers teach each lesson for mastery learning. Some have criticized this policy because some students can choose to not study for a test because he or she knows that it can be made up later. However, I think that the positives outweigh the negatives. Even if the school that I teach for next year does not have this policy (and there are no policies in place to discourage this practice), I think I will implement this in my own classroom. It seems to motivate students and it is a way to convey high teacher expectations.
What do you think? Would you implement this policy in your own classroom?
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