3 problems

What we’re doing isn’t working.

We have 3 choices:

1. Do more in the same amount of time

2. Do less in the same amount of time

3. Do something completely different

If you do decide to do something different, keep 3

things in mind:

1. It needs to work

1. It needs to work2. It needs to be fun

1. It needs to work2. It needs to be fun

3. It can’t piss off the boss

You have 3 bosses:studentsparents

principals

Those bosses want different things from you.

Your principal wants that kid to pass the “test”.

Your parent wants that kid to pass the “test” and live

happily ever after.

Your kid wants two things:

Your kid wants two things: 1) make progress

2) have fun with their friends

Progress & fun w/ friends ≠ test

success & college

Not usually (anyway)

But…

What if you could keep the principal and the parents

happy?

And still…

Make progress with kids and have fun?

First things, first

DIY kit for getting admin off your back

1. Get SAT test prep questions

1. Get SAT test prep questions

2. Put them in quiz/test form

1. Get SAT test prep questions2. Put them in quiz/test form 3. Get those quizzes online

(for your kids)

If you can check that test-prep box, then you get to

play (in a #’s way)

Math is powerful only when it describes reality

Math loses all its power when it’s disconnected from

reality

Most kids are convinced the math they’re doing is NOT

connected to reality.

They know (after the quiz next week) they’ll never

have to remember how to complete the square again

…ever.

Remember:

Remember:Kids are hiring us to help

them progress &to have fun w/ their friends.

Doing 2-50 the evens on page 276 is NOT why they

hired us.

So they do what all of us do when we hate something:

1. Avoid it2. Ignore it

3. Outsource it

1. Avoid it (don’t turn it in)2. Ignore it

3. Outsource it

1. Avoid it (don’t turn it in)2. Ignore it (copy it from Ed

on the bus in the AM)3. Outsource it

1. Avoid it (don’t turn it in)2. Ignore it (copy it from Ed

on the bus in the AM)3. Outsource it (see #2)

65% of middle school boys would rather take out the trash than do their math

homework

Kids aren’t lazy

They’re just like us

They hate meaningless work.

So, the question you have to ask is

What’s meaningful?

What’s meaningful?To my kids.

They’re hiring us to:help them make progress

& have fun with their friends.

2-50 on pg. 276 ≠ progress

We need a new definition

But where to find one?

Two sources

Two sourcesyour friends

Repeat after me:“What do you wish you’d

learned in your math class?”

Cautionary note: A math teacher has NEVER asked

them this

Cautionary note: A math teacher has NEVER asked

them this…So give them a moment

When they start talking, listen,

ask clarifying questionsand write down what they

say.

Two sourcesyour friends

your students

When your kids start talking, listen,

ask clarifying questionsand write down what they say.

Most kids (& friends) say something like:

“I wish math class taught me to solve real-life

problems”

Find a problem

Ask a driving question

Like “How safe are our roads?”

Or “How do we balance the cost of health-care with

quality care?”

Or “What do we do about immigration in this

country?”

Here’s the beauty of a Driving Question

If a kid doesn’t like it, no problem, (s)he just has to come up with their own.

If a kid doesn’t like it, no problem, (s)he just has to come up with their own.(It is America after all.)

So you both have something new (and reality-

based) to do now.

The kid has to answer her question.

You have (or get) to help her.

“It’s not that easy,” you say.

“Yes it is.”

You only need 3 things for kids to engage in this real-

life math

Thing 1: a question they care about answering

Thing 2: a platform they can interact (passively) with you

and others about their answer

Thing 3: a deliverable that packages their answer

Thing 12 Weekly Turn-ins:

1 Pager (what I’m learning)½ Pager (what I’m learning

about myself)

Thing 2: Canvasinstructure.com

Thing 3: DeliverablePresentation

BookVideo

I have 3 goals for my kids

That a text-book cannot provide.

I want my kids to be able to:

I want my kids to be able to:1) Get important work done

I want my kids to be able to:1) Get important work done2) Manage internally (Define

themselves)

I want my kids to be able to:1) Get important work done2) Manage internally (Define

themselves)3) Manage others (Stay

connected)

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

- Albert Einstein

3 problems

Education