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Excitement for Math

empty classroom ready for decoratingWhat?  How can you be so excited for math? 

Well, for one thing I am starting at an awesome district in southwestern Minnesota (Butterfield-Odin).  It's a new opportunity for sharing my love of math with how I struggled with math (I was considered too simple to understand programming by my math professor at MSU who worked with NASA).


Secondly, in my last post I listed my summer goals, which I have accomplished 90% of them!!  I am now a Level 2 Google Certified Educator. 

I've also learned, as I have been transitioned into this phase (not exactly a voluntary choice), to be excited for others and their accomplishments.  If for example, an acquaintance shares their enthusiasm for a dream job or moment, share in that celebration!  Kayla Delzer promotes, promotes, promotes this; just find @topdogteaching. 

Another one to check up with is May Vang @vangmay1.  When you watch her talk on video, or read her blog, you would NOT guess she's been teaching for 30 years!

Yet another of my people I look up to is George Couros @gcouros, a superintendent in Canada ON FIRE about learning.  His tweets help keep me going and getting ready.

Of course I cannot mention everyone I have used as a virtual mentor, but it's similar to ones I mentioned in previous posts.  Eric Sheninger, Richard Byrne, Sara Van Der Werf, and others have inspired the ideas I implement (and will implement) into my classroom.

Here's my outline of the first week:

  • Day 1 Introduce myself, expectations, Table Tent activity, and Jo Boaler Activity
  • Day 2 Lesson about math thinking and reasoning from Jo Boaler's 1st week of math.
  • Day 3 1-100 activity inspired from Sara Van Der Werf
  • Day 4 Either one mindfulness activity or review of previous material or both
I will try to be better at logging my activity this year as well...

Mr. Shel

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