August 2023
I recently read the
story of botanist William James Beal and it made me think of teaching and the
impact we can have on our students. In 1879, Beal took seeds from different
plants near East Lansing, Michigan and buried them in bottles in a secret place
on the campus of Michigan State University.
May 2023
What is Mathematics? May 2023 In Catalyzing Change in High School Mathematics Initiating Critical Conversations, NCTM encouraged us to consider the purposes of school mathematics. NCTM argues that “each and every student should learn the Essential
July 2023
Memorization seems to be a hot topic currently and, for that matter, for many years in the past. How often have you heard, “If only they had their basic facts memorized”?
March 27, 2023
This is the first of what will be periodic posts to update members and non-members on NCTM work and initiatives.
September 2023
The ability to truly listen to someone else can be a very difficult skill for many. I remember as a student being reminded that we have two ears but only one mouth so we should be listening more and talking less.
November 2022
I am humbled and honored as I begin my term as the NCTM President. I look forward to meeting and working with many wonderful mathematics educators.
October 2023
I still remember the very first classroom observation feedback I received from my principal. It was my fifth year of teaching and my first in that district. Yes, that means I had no observations my first four years as a teacher.
January 2024
I often dread taking a taxi or rideshare from the airport to the hotel when I travel because I know that the driver will ask me about my occupation. After I share that I’m a mathematics educator, for the rest of my ride, the driver typically shares their “hate” of math and their feeling of being unsuccessful in that subject.
November 2023
“What math should be taught now that ChatGPT will solve equations?” This was the question recently posed to me by the news media. Multiple times a week, there are blog posts and articles about how artificial intelligence (AI) is, should be, or shouldn’t be changing the world of education.
February 2024
Recently, on social media, a mathematics educator was justifiably lamenting the fact that her child was assigned a worksheet with over 60 problems of the same type that were due the next day. Educators frequently complain about how infrequently students complete their homework or that caregivers do their students’ homework.
December 2023
When you read inquiry based instruction or direct explicit instruction, what feelings come to mind? Are they positive? Negative? Neutral? It often feels like an “either or” debate, doesn’t it? Many educators like yourself feel caught in
August 16, 2023
The NCTM Board of Directors and staff have been working hard on some new initiatives that I want to share with you. The first three will begin sometime this fall and we have small groups, including some additional NCTM members, currently working on each of them.
Over the past 9 months, I’ve had the privilege of meeting with mathematics leaders from some of the largest districts in the Washington, D.C. Baltimore Chicago and Seattle areas. I am grateful for the time they spent
April 2023
As I have met and interacted with mathematics educators during these past few months, I am constantly reminded and encouraged by their passion and dedication to meeting the needs of all students.
December 2023
Since the return of in-person conferences, NCTM has been actively focused on making our events more accessible and inclusive. We appreciate those who have taken the time to share their observations, concerns, and ideas on how we can continue to improve and address the specific needs of all attendees.
March 2024
The Butterfly Method. Keep Change Flip and Keep Flip. Change. There’s no doubt you’ve seen or heard these mathematics learning tricks and several others. I’m sure you’ve also heard, “Yours is
April 2024
As data increases and more decisions are being based on data, students must develop a deeper understanding of the methods and ethics associated with collecting, analyzing, visualizing, and communicating data.