It's been so busy around here. I'm on my lunch break. Usually I eat downstairs with the other teachers, but today I've been going non-stop, so I decided to just sit in my classroom and have some peace and quiet. I should be grading or trying to sort through all the papers on my desk, but I just need to relax for a few minutes.
Last week I had a presentation due in my psychology class. It was on Albert Bandura. In case you wanted to know he did a famous experiment with Bobo dolls (the inflatable dolls with the weight on the bottom that you hit and they bounce back up). It was to determine how much children learn by example. Anyway That went alright. For my Thursday class I had to turn in these "Teacher created Manipulatives". I took plywood and cut it into 9in x 12in pieces (actually my boyfriend did that - I probably would've chopped off a couple fingers). Then we glued these foam sheets on top of each board. On those I drew a coordinate plane and you can use pins and yarn and pipe cleaners to graph lines and parabolas, etc. I also attached a plastic sheet protector to each board that you can write on with dry erase markers. This way I can put graph paper in there, dot paper, geoboard paper, worksheets, etc. etc. I only have to make enough copies for 1 class b/c you can erase. Saves paper and time.
This week I have to "teach" in my Thursday class. I have to have a guided discovery lesson which means I don't teach the topic. I give them manipulatives and a problem and say "Go for it!" In my real classroom I would give a little more explanation, but for this class we can't. I was hoping I would get some new teaching ideas out of this class, but so far... notta. Of course I don't suppose I should expect much because I have more years of experience teaching jr. high math than my professor does.
The Algebra class that I am teaching this year HATES using manipulatives. The buzz right now is to use hands-on activities to teach concepts, not just paper/pencil with the teacher at the front talking to the chalkboard. Everytime I try to do something different with them, they freak out. They would rather me show them how to do something, then give them homework. Forget trying to visualize a problem.
Ok I have to go get my kids. Have a good day! (=