Dear MTBoS,

I stole and embellished, and added (hopefully). And I caught your sense of humor.

Meg at Insert Clever Math Pun Here  so inspired this post. I could not figure out why with her post on Polynomial Functions she had a clip of John Travolta and Saturday Night Fever. What? Then the light bulb went off and I made this:

Here is link. Maybe the students should make their own? I was going to make it matching, but thought the conversation would be richer if they had to make them up. Thoughts?

Happy Blogaugust <3

Dear Math Bloggers,

This one is for you. You have given me so much, I have been racking my brain trying to figure out what worthy goodness I could share with you. Well, nearly every morning, I treat myself and family to a reminder of our two years spent at the American School of India, New Delhi. Chai tea.
Here is a a coveted recipe I hope will sweeten your day and take you on a quick retreat.

Chait tea for 2

For 2 cups of water add:

5-6 pods caradamom smashed
5-6 whole cloves
1 inch fresh ginger smashed
A 2-3 inch stick cinnamon
sprinkle of nutmeg

Boil spices in water until water is color of spices:
Then add 2 cups of milk, at least 2%
and 1 rounded tablesppon of sugar

Bring to a boil and then turn off heat and add three bag of black tea: You can use Lipton's, Lyon's, PG Tips, or any Irish Breakfast or English Breakfast (I use Trader Joe's Irish Breakfast).
Let steep 5 minutes. Pour out through a tea strainer after 5 minutes. Pour into a to-go cup or mason and jar and make your journey to work a mini vacation!
Save it for at work, for a pick up at break.
Be a tea wallah, and double the recipe and deliver it by thermos to unsuspecting teachers and watch them smile!
Enjoy!

Thanks to John Mahlstedt @jdmahlstedt, I am motivated to blog about one of the first activities we do in Geometry, school-wide. (Not sure if article came from Danielle Buckman or Jessica Balli, both amazing teachers I am privileged to call colleagues).

Student size whiteboards. Check. Now we need verticalness, and my DH is outta town. Not that I mind swinging a drill, it is just going through the shower board and not sure what to do if it shatters. (Also, who knows if I am allowed to screw things into the wall, I just did it and figure I will ask forgiveness, but wait, this is why I am so sure I have little to worry about...)
Ephinany:
Mirror holders! Yay! I am so happy and the boards are so secure. There is a plastic bit that expands as you screw it in.
(Sorry about the ugly brown walls and the funky picture)

After a full last day before the kiddos also occupied the school, I did collected these in my backyard:
And made a peach, rhubard, raspberry, apple crisp (sorry no pic).

Happy First Days of School ya' all. More on that next post.

So two things are running around my head today.

First, is all the growth mindset stuff inspired by Jo Boaler from Stanford and Carol Dweck who wrote the book Mindset. I love it! I love the message. Productive struggle makes positive change. I was inspired by Sarah Hagan and her post on this bulletin board that she made from inspiration from @druinok http://statteacher.blogspot.com/





Gorgy, right? But then I started thinking about the students owning the space and the words. So now I am thinking, I will ask the students to write their negative thoughts about math and learning and then have them work as a group with one card at a time to change the words to growth mindset statements (we will do first one together), then I will make a bulletin board! I promise I will take pictures and share them. The Dollar Store has gold starts for, yup, $1.00. Hah.

The second thing is Christopher Danielson said at TMC 15, "Find what you love (about math) and do more of that in your classroom," (see my previous post). Well, I do love listening to NPR and I do love Freakonomics, and I just love this very, very special episode:
How to Create Suspense

See the graph paper in the background, math, right?

Everything is in there, a movie producer, sports, a crime novelist and the question, what makes something suspenseful? What is the most suspenseful sport? What could you do to make a sport that is more suspenseful? (silly economists didn't know the rules to Quidditch).

We can appreciate this episode, or we can try to bring into our math lives. #WCYDWT

What/whom do you listen to that makes your math heart go pitterpat?

Got a new Chromebook (Thanks Tech Guy and District) and I am having fun keeping track of all my Mathy Friends from TMC15 and those I have followed for a while now.

I love sayings and being inspired and inspirational. (Do more of what you love, Christopher Danielson) Here are some of my favorites old and new that decorate my room.

New: Hannah, 17, a rising Senior, shared this one with me from her Twitter Feed:
The next one I have on my wall and also on the cover of my daily binder where I can see it.

The next one needs no explanation and has a prominent place in my room:

This one is front and center:

My favorite and well worn poster is this one because I have worked most of 29 years in two high schools in the heart of Sonoma County wine country and it is the heart of the growth mindset.

And this one:

Ummm...this too:

I do have the 8 math practices and "Welcome to Mathland" so you don't think I am a complete hippie. Women, where are you? I want the 4 Claims too.

I would like to add this one but maybe I just need it personal-size:
My teenager and her friend think I should add this one:
What's on your walls?