When reading the article, "A Technology Plan That Works" (Overbay, et al., 2011), I really thought about the collaboration section and how a school librarian can build relationships with all staff in a school. Sometimes the librarian gets associated with only having suggestions or ideas for the English or History teachers. I wanted to address a math teacher’s need for help integrating technology into the classroom in a new-to-me concept. Also a lot of the technology plans in this module really reflect the hardware component of the school and professional development regarding the actual use of the hardware, but not on how to integrate it into a normal daily lesson. I wanted to find a technology piece that could actually be used in a lesson or a daily basis for teachers not necessarily a program that they would have to learn to use.
Having been a middle school math teacher previously, I will say mixing in short videos or computer games was a big plus to break up the monotony that sometimes comes with teaching math. This was especially helpful for students who were starting to not enjoy math as they once did in their younger years. I loved finding a new source to me that was easy, quick, and free that could be used when needed in class. After doing some research, I came across Would You Rather Math from this website and thought it would be great to use in the classroom. The activity has options that cover all the grade levels. Wish I had found it sooner! I took into account the Math Standards for South Carolina and this activity fits into most any grade's standards. It is an easy way to get kids talking about real world application and help with their financial literacy. I feel that since teachers get overwhelmed with information so I thought a short introduction to a new tool with embedded links might be the most helpful delivery of an idea. Below is how I might send out an email blast if I was the school librarian to the teachers.
Calling all math teachers! Need a new conversation starter about real-world scenarios in class? I wanted to highlight a website that has everything you need for a new technology tool to use in your classroom and it is FREE. Would You Rather Math has ready-made questions that ask the student “would you rather” type questions in regards to mathematical situations. The students can debate their choice and demonstrate their reasoning behind it. This is a great tool that can only strengthen their financial literacy. It would be perfect to use at the beginning of class as a warm-up or middle of class when students need that brain break. There is a PDF form ready to be copied for the kids or a Google form ready to use linked on the website. Here is one example given for grades 9-12 and it links to an article that can be used to understand more about the question after the students have discussed their choices. Let me know if you have any questions or if you try it out in your class.
Resources:
Overbay, A., Mollette, M., & Vasa, E. (2011, February 1). A technology plan that works. ASCD. Retrieved September 16, 2022, from https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/a-technology-plan-that-works
Additional Websites that you can check out:
https://www.freetech4teachers.com/2021/07/three-places-to-find-fun-and.html
https://www.edutopia.org/article/10-teacher-picks-best-tech-tools
https://www.edutopia.org/article/effective-technology-use-math-class
https://www.brainscape.com/academy/top-edtech-blogs/#:~:text=2.%20The%20Daring%20Librarian
3 comments:
Woohoo!! Financial literacy and justifying your reasoning integrated into a math lesson is brilliant! Your tool is free, easy to implement, and usable at all grade levels. Getting students engaged in math can be challenging. Using real world scenarios makes it personal and relevant. What a great resource! I'm sharing it with my math teacher friends right now.
Heather Calvert
You made a great point about how librarians are typically associated with assistance regarding ELA and History. I am so glad that you decided to investigate a math tool because I think this is a great resource! My students love “Would You Rather” questions, and I am always looking for real-world math examples, so this is a great combination of both. I can see this tool being easily integrated into my math lessons just as you said, or even as a math center/station for students to discuss in small groups. Thank you for sharing this free resource that can be used as a fun math application activity for grades K-12!
-Christina Lunetta
Hi Caroline,
I agree with you that typically libraries are used by english and history teachers more because their content can be taught through books. Collaboration with media specialists is so important for all teachers because they can find the perfect resource that fits different content areas. I love that you chose a tool that is free, easy to use, and can be incorporated into daily lessons. Also, the fact that “would you rather” questions are engaging and popular amongst kids. Thank you for introducing Would You Rather Math, it truly is a fun and creative way to get students thinking about math.
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