Video Reflection

I see students trying to understand what is happening in the geyser problem and using correct vocabulary such as "correlation" to find the relationship between points. Students are also challenging each others' reasoning to reach a conclusion. I also see all students engaged in the problems and asking each other background questions to understand the connection between the math and a real-world situation.

These observations show truly student-centered learning in which students are reading, thinking, writing, and speaking. This will lead to a higher level of engagement in high-level thought as well as improve retention because students have challenged each others' ideas.

In addition to your observation, the students are learning to work together within diverse groups. The teamwork needed to interact and find a solution is a "real world" skill and activity that can be used in any setting.

I loved this video! I really enjoyed the one student asking his group members to clarify what a geyser really is and what it does. It shows that the kids are interested in understanding math in the outside world. These types of problems make math relevant for kids. Instead of the students wondering why this subject is even being taught and when they will actually use it in the real world, problems like these are specific to real-world applications. On another note, the groups and teams are collaborating and communicating effectively. There always seems to be the one person in the group who has stepped up to take the team leader role while the other group members follow. But the students communicate and collaborate effectively with each other. This is an essential skill that students will need when transitioning from high school to college or from high school to the work force.

I am impressed that the students actually get to work instead of waiting for someone else to do all the work or to solve it for them.

I am very excited to learn that math is becoming more steeped in the discovery process. When I was a hs student, ALL of my math teachers taught: first do this, next subtract that, find the square root, now simplify....blah blah blah. I didn't learn how to think about math, just memorized the steps. There was never any group work, never any real-world relevance, never any discovery. Now I watch our math teachers incorporating current gas prices, pendulums, and Eco-friendly amusement park designs! Quite frankly, I feel like I got gypped. I can't tell you how much I appreciate knowing that the common core will re-norm math pedagogy.