Recently, we were investigating the notion of congruence in my 9th grade Geometry class. I made sure students were comfortable with the idea of "same shape, same size". I then had the students test their understanding by seeing if they could predict the result of three common computer picture-editing tools: dragging, grabbing a corner, and flipping. Will the resulting picture be congruent to the original? Using blank sticky notes, students voted whether they thought each tool would produce a shape congruent to the original.
"Let the students do the heavy lifting" is a phrase I heard repeatedly in an education course I recently took on Coursera. The phrase was used in the context of classroom discussions about character and grit, but it applies equally well to teaching content material. Recently, we were investigating the notion of congruence in my 9th grade Geometry class. I made sure students were comfortable with the idea of "same shape, same size". I then had the students test their understanding by seeing if they could predict the result of three common computer picture-editing tools: dragging, grabbing a corner, and flipping. Will the resulting picture be congruent to the original? Using blank sticky notes, students voted whether they thought each tool would produce a shape congruent to the original. Then we tested out our predictions on the computer. It turns out my students have a pretty keen sense when it comes to congruence! This voting approach allows every student to participate in the discussion and takes the burden of checking understanding off of me. By voting, students now have some skin in the game and can check if they understand on their own. The students do their "heavy lifting" when they have to reconcile what we observed in the computer test with their own predictions. Thanks Coursera.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
About Me
I started this blog to share my transformation from math nerd to math nerd who loves to share math with young people. I teach high school in Hanoi, Vietnam. Your comments are always welcome. Archives
May 2021
|