All too often developing mathematics students view mathematics as a series of sometimes, but not often, interconnected procedures to be memorized and later reproduced in the form of answers on some form of formal assessment. They rarely see mathematics as a language that seeks to formally describe the processes of the natural world…because math just [...]

Whenever I read about how the web is changing education, I read about how cool young teachers are using twitter in the classroom or how classes are connecting on skype…or whatever. When I read about these things taking place I often wonder…what problem is the new technology solving for the students? Twitter is great, but [...]

I’m in the middle of teaching my girls how to conceptualize proportions. They can solve them with no problem, but they don’t really understand what they mean…and that all lies in their (in)ability to truly understand fractions.
Typically, fractions literacy begins in grade 3 ( according to the online version of NCTM’s Principles and Standards ) [...]

In recent years textbook publishers have been offering digital and online supplements to justify the exorbitant prices they charge for physical books. As long as print is the primary means of communication in primary, secondary, and higher education the major publishers will continue to monopolize the market. Amazon’s Kindle and other e-readers are making it [...]

I was a bit harsh on textbooks in my last post. In a perfect world all teachers would be creators of the content that they use in their classrooms. This isn’t a perfect world. Modern classroom teachers are often responsible for so many other things these days that writing the content to be used in [...]

The structure of the typical middle grades math textbook follows this basic outline:
1. Vocabulary review
2. Brief explanation of concept.
3. 2-5 very specific examples of the concept in isolation.
4. 1-2 very specific examples of the concept in a problem solving situation.
5. 20-50 problems that mirror the examples.
The problem with this structure is that if teachers simply [...]

The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.
-Colin Powell
I took an educational leadership class once…until I dropped it. The class was taught by [...]

Wicked men obey for fear, but the good for love.
– Aristotle.

Inspired, once again, by TheJLV.
When I told my parents I was going to become a teacher neither of them told me they disapproved of my decision…they both just hit me with blank stares. See, I was supposed to be one of the best and brightest [...]