Diary of a TLLP Journey - CodeXPlosion

In my view, optimization is not always the most exciting or engaging topics in the Grade 9 math curriculum.  I do try to make it interesting, but I always feel something seems to be missing. We investigate, and after much discussion about different rectangle dimensions and reminders that a square is in fact a rectangle, students finally conclude that the "best shape" is a square. And then it happens - I give them a question on optimizing perimeter and they have no idea what to do.  UGH! I have failed to reach them again.... Fast forward to our most recent activity using Ozobots .  Students were asked to draw a rectangle that has an area of 60 cm 2  and then time how long it takes for the Ozobot to travel around the rectangle.  The rectangles that groups started with varied where some had 6 cm x 10 cm, others 5x12, one even 20x3 . Then we asked them to draw another rectangle, also with an area of 60 cm 2 , but now it should take less time for the ...

Is there a new skill you have always talked about wanting to do but never got around to doing it? Learning how to knit, playing the piano, learning a new language or perhaps something a little more adventurous like windsurfing, rock climbing or snowboarding. Maybe you have a long list of things you would like to tackle. One thing on my list has been computer coding. Why coding?! It goes back to my days in university. I had an “experience” with coding that still bothers me to this day. I finished “first year” general science at a college in my hometown and then transferred to a large university for “second year.” When transferring to the university, I still wasn’t sure what I wanted to major in. Someone along the way suggested I try out computer science as it was the new thing that was going to be so helpful for my future (this was in the late 90’s). Great idea I thought! I went to the class faithfully, but every class I felt like the prof was speaking a foreign language, I...

A couple of years ago CBC's The Current ran a season long project called The Disruptors .  Every Friday one of the segments featured "Moments of Disruption: stories about people, ideas and events that are upsetting the orthodoxy for better or for worse... changing how we live, our sense of ourselves and society".  As I listened to these segments, I thought of disruptions both personally and professionally and how they have molded me as a person. Professionally, I think back to the my first 1P math class where I learned about the importance of building relationships.  Then there was putting students in pods instead of rows and for the first time I truly heard students talk about math and solve problems collaboratively.   Then there was changing the course plans from traditional units to spiralling or cycling the curriculum.  Students questioned and made connections in places I never thought they would.  Most recently it has been Peter Liljedah ...