Below are a plethora of useful resources for teaching mathematics. Peruse ones you may find interesting.
NCTM - National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
NCTM provides many useful ways to teach geometry through various articles, activities, and lessons. It was especially useful when trying to figure out what to do for exploration activities. I found it difficult to think of other ways to present math to students that would keep them engaged. In addition, it had some great problems that I was able to alter for our warm-up activities to get students engaged. Since the problems were applicable to real life, students were more responsive to the material and wanted to find the solution. I think that my NCTM membership will continue to be useful in my future math career and I plan to continue to utilize my membership there.
The picture above provides a direct link to the website. Feel free to browse around NCTM and see what it has to offer.
Principles & Standards for School Mathematics - NCTM
The Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, (PSSM) on the NCTM website provides the key principles for teachers to follow when they are teaching mathematics. This broadened my eyes to what a teaching philosophy looks like and I was able to use this resource as a reference when writing my teaching philosophy.
The picture above provides a direct link to the website. Take some time to explore the principles.
My Teaching Philosophy
The picture on the left provides a direct link to my teaching philosophy. I used the PSSM as a resource when writing my teaching philosophy. Using this as a resource provided me with good principles to stand by while writing the philosophy. I plan to return to these principles often as I begin teaching.
The picture above provides a direct link to my teaching philosophy.
Common Core Standards
The Common Core Standards for Mathematics were utilized to build my unit since they are the standards used in Michigan. It was really helpful to look through these standards and see how they connected with each other. In addition to the specific standards used in my unit, the file also contains the principles used in mathematics which I plan to use in all of my future classes I teach.
The picture above provides a direct link to the website.
My Geometry Unit Standards
The picture on the left links you directly to the learning objectives I used in my unit for 7th grade geometry. These are found on the Common Core website as well, but this is a more direct route to access them.
Teaching and Learning Middle Grades Mathematics
Teaching and Learning Middle Grades Mathematics contains a lot of great examples for middle school teachers regarding various lessons, activities, and worksheets to use in order to stimulate students' learning. I found it very useful to pull various techniques from this lesson, primarily the questioning techniques used within. The book does a great job asking questions in a way that makes students think, rather than memorize, the answers. It is a very useful resource I continually turn back to when I need assistance with lesson planning.
High School Mathematics Wiki Page
This wiki page was created by myself and other Grand Valley secondary mathematics majors. It is a great resource for high school teachers to use when planning lessons, thinking about curriculum, and for useful activities they can use. I personally helped to create the Quadratics page of the website.
The picture above provides a direct link to the website. Feel free to peruse it and explore all the hard work my colleagues and I have put into building the site.
Project Based Learning
This is a great resource for project based learning ideas in various subjects across various grades, (from elementary to high school).
Online Timer
This timer is awesome for countdowns so students know when an activity is ending, how much transition time they have, etc. During presentations of projects students could use the timer to gauge their presentation speed. The timer also calculators, weather, calendars, etc to share with the class.
Click on the clock to the left to access the site.
Online Calculator with Graphing
It is crucial that students have access to a calculator. In cases where classroom sets of calculators are unavailable, there are great resources on-line. This calculator allows students to not only compute, but graph functions and find solutions.
To access the calculator, click on the image to the left.
Online Calculator with Trig Functions
It is crucial that students have access to a calculator. In cases where classroom sets of calculators are unavailable, there are great resources on-line. This calculator allows students to not only compute, but solve problems that have trig functions.
To access the calculator, click on the image to the left.
Math Dictionary
This webpage provides a great math dictionary reference for students. Terms are explained so students can understand the meaning and students can search by subject or term.
To access the site, click on the picture above.
Math Mistakes - Useful Flashcards
Math Mistakes provides online flash cards to review basic math facts for algebra, trigonometry and calculus. This is a great site to reference students to if they are struggling with the basic or for preparation for tests.
Click on the picture to the left to access the Math Mistakes main page.
Donors Choose
Donors Choose is a great resource for grant money that can be used within the classroom. Teachers can submit their proposal to Donors Choose and can receive money for anything from books to technology. Each year the teacher must send back evidence to Donors Choose showing that they are still using the resources they purchased with the donated money.
Peruse the Donors Choose webpage by clicking on the picture above.
For Some Grammar Laughs
This Pinterest account has a plethora of grammar and spelling errors found in everyday life. It's a great resource for teachers to use so students begin to understand the importance of English.
Click the picture to the left to explore all the site has to offer.
Top 10 Apps for Learning Math in Elementary Schools
This web page provides ten apps that are useful for children struggling to learn math. Most of the apps are for simple computations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, but all will help a child develop their math skills.
Click on the picture above to access the blog with these apps listed.
Plus Math
Plus Math explores math in real life through examples, articles, and puzzles. This is a great "Bellwork" site to use as a starter to your class.
The picture above provides a direct link to Plus Math.
That Quiz
That Quiz is a great way for students to quickly check their understanding of various concepts covered in the classroom. While student teaching I used That Quiz daily to check students' basic understanding of math concepts including algebra, calculus, and geometry. That Quiz allows students to work through a certain number of problems in a specified period of time, unlimited time, and with/without feedback. I found having each student take a screen shot of their final quiz score and e-mail it to me was a great way to see their success. All students were required to get 10/10 correct in the specified period of time. I plan to continue to use That Quiz to not only build these basic skills, but to support understanding of future, more challenging concepts such as calculus.
Check out That Quiz by clicking on the picture provided above.
If you would like to see how That Quiz was implemented in an Algebra support class I taught, click the button below.
Ubersense is a recording device that allows students to take videos of them doing various sporting events for analysis. The videos can be put into slow motion or paused for angle calculations that can be done directly on the screen. Ubersense is a great tool for inquiry-based learning of quadrilaterals, exponential functions, and linear functions since students can be the ones on the screen and can analyze something meaningful to them.
A tutorial for the Ubersense App is provided in the image above. Feel free to click the picture and explore all that Ubersense has to offer.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy is a great resource for math students of all grade levels. The site caters to the individuals' mathematical understanding and allows them to move through the different math topics at a pace conducive to their learning. My students really enjoyed Khan Academy since they were able to earn energy points and badges, which made the site feel more like a fun video game than learning software. For each topic there are a series of questions students are asked related to a given topic. Students must get 5 questions in a row correct to master a particular skill. If they need guidance there are videos that explain each topic students are able to watch. As a teacher, you are able to track your students' progress through the various topics and see what topics many of them are struggling on. Using it as a formative assessment allows the teacher to spend more time in class on topics that are confusing to the students and less time on topics they have already mastered.
Click on the picture above to access the Khan Academy website.
Smartest Brain
Smartest Brain provides quick logic puzzles for students of all levels. The site is great because it provides hints if needed to reach the correct answer. This is a great warm-up exercise for students to do when they first walk in the door to get their minds thinking logically.
Click on the picture above to try your hand at the logic puzzles.
Teachers pay Teachers
Teachers pay Teachers is a great resource for getting creative lessons for your class. Many of the resources are free of charge, but some you must pay for. The search bar allows teachers to type in their topic or subject they are trying to find a lesson for. Searches can be specified by grade level, subject, cost. Teachers pay Teachers has been a great way to not only find valuable resources to use in my own classroom, but to also share resources I have created with other teachers.
Check out the site by clicking the picture above.
SMART Exchange - SMART Board Apps
SMART Exchange is a resource for teachers with access to a SMART board. The site contains a large array of ways to use a SMART board in your classroom.
Click on the picture above and explore the resources.
Twitter
Twitter is a very valuable resource for teachers. Twitter provides communication between the students and teacher, acts as a place where students can talk about the course together, and much much more.
Click on the picture to the left to access the many things teachers can use Twitter for.
Poll Everywhere
Poll Everywhere is a great way to quickly assess students on their understanding. Responses are recorded on a main screen and provide a great way to collect data. Once responses are visible, discussion about why people responded with the choices they did can take place. Responses can be open-ended, multiple choice, or can have a clickable image.
Click on the image above to see all that Poll Everywhere has to offer.
Math Warehouse
Math Warehouse is a great resource for math review. The site provides interactive activities, quick review, and definitions for main topics in Algebra, Geometry, and Trigonometry. There is even an on-line calculator and math games. Math Warehouse is fantastic for interactive whiteboards because the materials provided are able to be manipulated.
Click on the picture above to explore the full site.
Five Triangles: Fun Math Questions
Great math exercises to get kids thinking logically about various situations. This would be a great warm-up for a discussion on these various topics.
Click the triangle to access the blog.
Just Math Tutorials
Just Math Tutorials explain any math concept in simple, student-friendly language. All of the subjects including Algebra, Geometry, Calculus, Arithmetic, Discrete Math, Trigonometry, Probability, Statistics are listed on the main page.
Click on the picture above to access all the Just Math Tutorials.
Appreciate Mathematics
This website is a great link to many ways you can use mathematics in the real world. The site includes resources such as how to appreciate math in daily life, professions, and nature. There are links to useful worksheets, related articles, and activities to use in the classroom.
Click on the picture above to access Appreciate Mathematics.
The All Around Math Guy
The All Around Math Guy finds many ways math is used in every day life. All of these situations are put into a video and provide a lesson for students to work through and learn something they will be able to use in their lifetime.
Click on the picture above to access the All Around Math Guy's compilation of videos.
Students Writing their own Questions
There are a few ways to test a student's true understanding of material they have been taught. One of these ways is to have them write their own questions and answers for a particular concept they have learned in class.
Click on the picture on the left to access an example of how this can be done.
Teaching Techniques
Project-Based Teaching
Project-based teaching is the main style of teaching I hope to use in my classroom. Projects allow students to make real world connections to what they are learning. Feeling this closer connection to the material instills a stronger desire to learn. My goal for each project is to give the information required to complete the project, then slowly build the project based on the materials given. While student teaching I implemented a couple projects that went really well for the students. Students were engaged the entire time and actually wanted to do the work. A great part about project-based teaching is the open-endedness of the final product. Students are able to pick the topic for their project and they choose how they want to present the final product. Students were able to express themselves through different software, on paper, or through video. Leaving the presentation options open allowed students to bring their hobbies and skills to life.
The picture above links to a page on Edutopia.org that gives examples of how project-based teaching has been effective.
Effective Use of the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model By Dr. Douglas Fisher
This article by Douglas Fisher does a great job breaking down the gradual release of responsibility model I hope to incorporate within my classroom. My goal is to begin with a lot of teacher support, explaining how to work through problems, then move to discussion where we share together in determining the correct answer, and finishing with students doing the exploration for their learning on their own with minimal support from me. Doing so will instill a desire to learn and will cause students to remember the material better because they become independent learners.
The picture above links you to the article by Douglas Fisher.
Inquiry-Based Teaching
Inquiry-based teaching is another method of teaching I would like to establish within my classroom. Inquiry-based learning allows students to discover the material instead of simply being told how to do something. During inquiry-based instruction I assign students a task that they are able to complete, have them collect data on that particular activity, analyze the collected data, and then come to a reasonable conclusion. Students work together to develop their own conclusions regarding the data and not only build mathematical understanding, but also build problem solving skills that will be useful throughout their lives. Since students have discovered the data on their own, the data is more meaningful to them and memorable. As a result, students can recall this information much easier as it resurfaces at a later date and when they are unable to remember how to do something they know how to go about figuring out the solution given what they know.
The picture above provides a link to a page on Thirteen.org, an educational website, that explains in further detail how inquiry-based teaching works in a classroom.