The Paperless Math Classroom Brian Aspinall Teacher, LKDSB

The Paperless Math Classroom
Brian Aspinall
Teacher, LKDSB
@mraspinall
www.brianaspinall.com
"We used to go to school because that was
where the information was"
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Traditional
Teaching
Teacher: "Today we are going to make a
note on the rules for adding and
subtracting integers"
"When we are finished you will do all
30 questions from the textbook."
40 minute math "lesson"
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Teaching in 2010
Teacher: "You have thirty seconds to
find the rules for adding and
subtracting integers. Once you have
found them, copy them to your notes
and do all 30 questions from the
textbook."
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Teaching in 2011
Teacher: "You have thirty seconds to
find the rules for adding and
subtracting integers. Next you will
get in groups and solve these three
part math problems."
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Mt. Everest, the highest elevation in Asia,
is 29,028 feet above sea level. The Dead
Sea, the lowest elevation, is 1,312 feet
below sea level. What is the difference
between these two elevations?
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Teaching in 2012
Teacher: "You have twenty seconds to
find the rules for adding and
subtracting integers. Next you will work
in groups to solve these three part
math problems. Everyone will use a
different colour marker so we can see
who did what during the final phase of
today's class - The Gallery Walk."
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Teaching Today
Teacher: "Ask Siri the rules for adding
and subtracting integers. Next ask Siri
to solve these three part math problems.
No need for a Gallery Walk because
Siri will show you four different ways
to answer each question."
"There will be a test tomorrow."
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Albert Einstein "Never memorize something that you
can look up."
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We surveyed our grade six students
last year.
49% said they disliked math or we're
not good at it.
Results are in...49% did not achieve
a 3 or better on eqao
Coincidence?
About student engagement
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An inquiry
approach...
Connected world
Textbooks still exist
YouTube, teacher tube school tube
Clipkwik.com
Siri
Google
Etc.
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@mraspinall
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Ask Yourself
Is it more important at the end
of the
term for your students to:
remember the formula for
the volume of a cylinder
OR
Know how to find the
formula if they have
forgotten and use it to
solve a bigger problem
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Learning Skills
Model problem solving
Model risk taking
Model initiative and resilience
There is more than one way to
solve a math problem
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Work smarter not
harder
From a teacher's
perspective:
Record students
understanding of a concept.
Take pictures of student
work for assessment
Conference
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From a student's perspective:
Mathematical relationships become more clear
and begin to answer the "why" of math
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Students will learn to code, solve problems,
collaborate AND demonstrate and
understanding of math concepts.
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Today's math classroom is about
facilitating change.
Rote and repetitive practice is still
important but can be done outside
of the classroom.
Engaging students in mathematics is
crucial.
Today's math classroom is not quiet.
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Don't reinvent the wheel.
Make students accountable.
Less teacher driven, more student inquiry helps answer the "why"
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"What is -3 + (-5)"
If Siri can answer the math problem,
the math problem is not rich enough.
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Have students make the knowledge
questions instead of answering thirty
of them.
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A worksheet on a tablet is
still a worksheet.
Focus on thinking and
inquiry
Teacher does not have to
be a techie-guru!
Let students guide the
learning process.
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A flipped math
classroom
How and why?
Consolidation is key!
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We often think a quiet classroom is
one that is well managed.
I think of it as one in which
students are afraid to ask questions
and take risks.
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It's not about the apps.
It's not about the devices.
It's about the process.
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