ECST Mathematics Department

Newsletter

November 14-18, 2022

ACTIONABLE ITEMs

Requested Feedback

I am interested in your feedback from the November 7th in-service. The following link takes you to a very short Google Form with 3-4 questions: https://forms.gle/5UyvapAzUFef8PbY7

Also, Bickram Singh sent out an email with a request to complete a survey. I know it considers that you attended only one session on November 7th, so I suggest you pick one that you attended that day and give feedback. If you have not already completed the survey, the link is here for your convenience: https://tinyurl.com/PDEvalNov7

REMINDERS & IMPORTANT NOTES

WED., NOVEMBER 16 - MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT MEETING
WED., NOVEMBER 23 - SINGLE DAY SESSION (HAPPY THANKSGIVING!)

PD & PLC Log of Hours

Each year I record the PD & PLC attendance in a spreadsheet so that in May/June we all know which PD/PLC hours I need to sign on the PD/PLC logs that must be submitted. As you will see, some of you have accumulated many hours so far. The total number of hours on this spreadsheet for each individual does not include the building-based PD, the building-based PLCs, or other out of district workshops. You are responsible for recording those PD hours. View the spreadsheet HERE. I will continue to update the spreadsheet throughout the school year.

Resource Spreadsheet

Recently, several conversations have taken place where I realized that some of you do not know about the location of the MATH DEPARTMENT resource spreadsheet. It contains many links to curricular support materials. Here is the DIRECT LINK to the spreadsheet. For future reference, the link (and many others) can be found on the math department website HERE.

Moving Back Home

The Newark Tech team will be moving back to West Market Street around the first of the year. Those at West Caldwell Tech and Payne Tech who were with us for the other BIG MOVES remember this well. If you have any advice or are able to support the NT team in the coming months, it would be appreciated. To the NT Math Team, please let me know how I can assist you. Every little bit helps. PS- I plan on having a department meeting or in-service at NT in the near future so we can tour the renovated building together.

NOTE: I have a few more sets of the dry erase poster boards (22" X 28"). One of your colleagues suggested using them for a placemat activity when students are in groups. And in case you are confusing these with the individual 8" X 10" dry erase boards with coordinate grids, I have two more sets of those. Contact me if you are still interested in either of these dry erase resources.

PROFESSIONAL/INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES WORTH SHARING

While we are waiting for the book, Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics to be delivered, I found this BLOG by Robert Kaplinsky from Open Middle about the book.
Calc-Medic emailed an article about The 5 Commandments of Calculus and I forwarded it to the AP Calculus teachers. The author shares some of her biggest takeaways after reading hundreds and hundreds of student responses [on the AP Calculus exam] and seeing where points are taken off (or not earned, as the case may be). Upon reflection I realized that those 5 commandments are habits that were formed by students during prior years of instruction. I thought it worthwhile to share the article with the entire department with the hopes that we can ease some of the circling back that the AP Calculus teachers often have to include in their instructional planning. Do you agree Dr. Lucas, Mr. Bevilacqua, Mr. Paul and Mr. Rodriguez? The 5 commandments are:
- - THOU SHALT NOT USE VAGUE PHRASES SUCH AS “THE GRAPH”, “THE SLOPE”, OR “IT”.
  - THOU SHALT NOT CLAIM THAT TWO THINGS ARE EQUAL WHEN THEY ARE NOT.
  - THOU SHALT NOT SAY TOO MUCH.
  - THOU SHALT ALWAYS LABEL THY ANSWER.
  - THOU SHALT CONSISTENTLY USE CORRECT MATH PUNCTUATION/GRAMMAR

Have you read this newsletter and completed the actionable items? PROVE IT!

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