Ch+9+-+Karin+A

I thought this chapter was interesting, however I am perplexed on how this will apply in mathematics. I do like the saturation research paper the best. Page 145 states "to achieve this aim, students are asked to pursue questions of real interest - and not to waste their time (and ours) by doing fake inquiries that result in fake writing. Strong further says that research papers often have the connotation of "a meaningless patchwork of quotations".

I agree that the reports that I have written in my "early days" were just as Strong is talking about. Research (on my part) of research that has been done by someone already. the scenario: a teacher dictates a subject, student goes to the library to look up information, and finally write a paper with quotations and references. Blah Blah Blah. How boring it was to write and I am sure it was boring to read. Strong offers some interesting ways to change this basic premise of the research paper. Student centered is the way to go in education today. At least you can create more "by in" with the student this way. The example they give on page 147 where students interview their parents about how they use math on a daily basis is a topic I thought of using this past fall. Looking at my 66 students abilities and the amount of families that don't want their students to have homework, let alone the lack of students completing homework, I was discouraged to assign the paper. Perhaps a new start in the fall with the learning logs and a writing initiative of my own I will assign one paper a month.

Susan I.: I see how it would be difficult to find a way to incorporate math into a Saturation Report. I also understand how you were discouraged from having students interview their parents about math. It might be hypocritcal of me but I'll write it anyway. The parents who already value education can proably see the value in learning math and it's place in their lives, but these are probably families already supporting their students to do well in school. Unfortunately, it is proably the students who need the positive affirmation about math that are least likely to get it from their parents, because their parents may not truly understand its importance. It might sound very intolerant of me to say that, but we see it happen in school all the time. So yes, I can understand why you were discouraged to have students do this assignment this year. Maybe you could put a twist on it. Have students do a quick research on what they think their dream job would be and then what kind of math would that job require. It might surprise many of them the math that is involved in some of the most exciting jobs out there. It will also have students prusuing questions that are a real interest to them and hopefully not have you or them feel like they are wasting their time. Maybe you could even put it out there as a challenge to find a job that doesn't require some form of math!

Susan S - I liked the saturation method the best, too. It does seem that it would produce a better writing piece, with personal knowledge and true inquiries. It is tough to incorporate some of these concepts in classes other than English, I struggle with the idea, too, although science seems a bit easier to pull off. I can see doing it, though, but there always is the problem of students not doing homework. A tough one to solve, and a huge hurdle!

Pam Karin, I like how you are always thinking about how to integrate more writing into your math class. I feel the frustration you are feeling with how it could apply to math especially when content plays a huge part. I like the spin that Susan I shared about having students think about what their dream job would be and how math is used in that job. However, I can also see how students are still young enough to NOT know what career choices there are. However, maybe getting the seed planted that math is important in any job and writing in their journals.

Mark- Karin I think you are doing exactly what page 145 you speak about is saying. The activities you have shared with us in class have been very influential and not "Fake" inquiries. They have also been creative and inquiry based. I think you have really figured out how to work this into your mathematics curriculum.