Oct 18 - Microteaching Lesson Plan - reflections on how your lesson went and modification

 

 

EDCP 342A - Microteaching Session (Lesson Plan)

Subject: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ)	Grade: N/A	Date: Scheduled for October, 14, 2020.	Duration: 10 min.
Lesson Overview	The goal of this lesson is to give an introduction to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, as well as teach basic fighting skills.

Big Idea(s)

Fighting in general is a technically complex sport, that is physics heavy, yet akin to the game of chess. Fighting techniques are found through the scientific method.

	Lesson Stages	Learning Activities	Time Allotted
1.	Warm-up	Introduce Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as a form of ground fighting Give example of having a drunk uncle at a party or at a wedding and having to control him or hold him down without wanting to hurt him (i.e. knock him out) History of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and how BJJ got started	3 min.
2.	Presentation	Present slides on joint locks or chokeholds Show the physics involved Show examples of submission holds Show comparison with chess Safety in training How BJJ is now a requirement for MMA Show other functional martial arts in MMA	5 min.
4.	Closure	Mental benefits of BJJ: humility, perseverance, confidence. Kids programs, and what it teachers children. What to expect from training	2 min.

5.

Reflections

I should have included a video, since in the case of physical sports a video is worth a thousand words compared to pictures. I was worried it might lag on Zoom but it would have been worth trying. I would also shorten the content by a bit, since I packed a lot in 10 minutes. A video, again would have helped with this.

N/A

Oct 18 - geometric/ numerical puzzle

If they are equally spaced, then 15 would be diametrically opposite of 30. So if we count from 0 to 7, like on a clock, that's 7 units. So we add 7 to 15, and we get 22.

The process I used was thinking about a clock.

An impossible puzzle would be dividing by an irrational number (as a spacing). Then there is no true diametrically opposite of a number since we have infinite decimal places. I think there is value in giving students impossible puzzles, as long as we don't overdue it. Some great mathematical problems (squaring the circle) were actually proved to be impossible. In real life the answers aren't at the back of the book.

The puzzle is geometric if we simply draw the circle and count and see. It would be logical if we use the formula for the circumference, divide by 30, and then play with the radius to get even spaces, and hence find the spacing.

Oct 18 - The new BC curriculum & secondary math course pathways structure

I didn't know that there were so many "inquiry-based approaches". I like the idea of the students going "through an extended process of inquiry in response to a complex question". It seems that's how mathematics problems are found in the real world in the first place. The design-based learning can definitely be used in math in order to design one's own problems and perhaps proofs. The problem-based inquiry is self-explanatory in mathematics, however the scientific inquiry is what I believe would bring the most joy in our classrooms, as students should be "able to connect what they are learning in class to their own lives and important issues in their world."

I like how the "Core Competencies" include a "Personal and Social" competency. Throughout all my education I always believed this was overlooked. Social skills are crucial, perhaps more crucial than the actual skills we are trying to teach students. Just being able to do math is not enough in the world, and someone who lacks social skills will definitely fall on the shorter end of the stick. Having interactions in math classes can definitely help build a sense of community and hone team skills.

For the pre-requisite chart, since the curriculum does not provide one, I used my own judgement and some help from: http://mcnair.sd38.bc.ca/school-information/course-descriptions/mathematics

 

Elliot Eisner on Three curricula all schools teach

While "compliant behavior is only one of several kinds of behavior that schools foster" (p. 91), I think it's important to realize that it's not necessarily a bad thing. We can agree that critical thinking and thinking for yourself are meaningful skills to learn. I believe that some level of being compliant is also useful to have. In the workforce it's not always good to start antagonistic relationships, and there is a certain balance that needs to be achieved between being compliant and being rebellious.

I agree with the author that schools do not teach what artists have contributed to the world (p. 106). I had to learn about the artists mentioned: Bergman, Stravinsky, etc., on my own because of their popularity on the internet and simply from general inquiry about art. Art, just like any other human skill, has its own experts, and in order to appreciate such skill we definitely need some formal education in it. However, it could also be argued that we cannot teach every single thing in school, and perhaps the most important thing to teach would be the students being able to to self learn and, in the case of art, learning and researching by themselves the skills to understand it.

The "null curriculum" idea can definitely be applied to the BC Provincial Curriculum, as we don't really teach much art, economics, law, as these are just electives only a few students take. I think it's important to reflect on the knowledge our children leave high school with, since it's the last "mandatory" education they will get.

Microteaching Lesson Plan

 

EDCP 342A - Microteaching Session (Lesson Plan)

Subject: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ)	Grade: N/A	Date: Scheduled for October, 14, 2020.	Duration: 10 min.
Lesson Overview	The goal of this lesson is to give an introduction to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, as well as teach basic fighting skills.

Big Idea(s)

Fighting in general is a technically complex sport, that is physics heavy, yet akin to the game of chess. Fighting techniques are found through the scientific method.

	Lesson Stages	Learning Activities	Time Allotted
1.	Warm-up	Introduce Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as a form of ground fighting Give example of having a drunk uncle at a party or at a wedding and having to control him or hold him down without wanting to hurt him (i.e. knock him out) History of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and how BJJ got started	3 min.
2.	Presentation	Present slides on joint locks or chokeholds Show the physics involved Show examples of submission holds Show comparison with chess Safety in training How BJJ is now a requirement for MMA Show other functional martial arts in MMA	5 min.
4.	Closure	Mental benefits of BJJ: humility, perseverance, confidence. Kids programs, and what it teachers children. What to expect from training	2 min.

Microteaching topic: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

 Microteaching topic: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Oct 5 - The Dish Problem

•  If I didn't know algebra, I would solve it by drawing sticks for guests and using R,B,M for a dish:

II - R

III - B

IIII - M

Then, I would write out 65 "I's" which would be in excess of the guest number and then try to group them together as much as I can with circles (basically simulating LCM). The circles would represent R,B,M. Once done I'd count the "I's" to see how many guests.

• I believe it does make a difference to "offer examples, puzzles and histories of mathematics from diverse cultures". The reason is, math is not about regurgitating facts, but it's about thinking, and the way we develop our thinking is by seeing something new and challenging.
• I believe "the word problem or puzzle story and imagery matter" and that they "do make a difference to our enjoyment in solving it". Stories are captivating, and pushing the boundaries of our imagination stimulates thinking. We can always make up new stories and therefore challenge the students to new ways of thinking and hence help them grow.
  

5 October - Battleground Schools Response

 I've always thought about the "New Math" movement, especially in the States. At first I thought it was kind of comical since it's just a response to the soviets. How the Bourbaki style of mathematics helps with defeating the soviets beats me. I've heard the soviets used similar mathematics, but perhaps not in the way the US implemented it. The article mentioned how Morris Kline was against it. I remember reading how Richard Feynman was against it as well. I do believe, however, that some set theory should be seen before university. Just basic stuff like union, intersection, etc. Set theory is the foundation of math, and how we made everything in math be a set is remarkable to me. Especially since it's consistent! Whether "New Math" failed completely is hard to tell. There are mathematicians that came out of that era (i.e. Arturo Magidin on stackexchange comes to mind). But the question would be did they become mathematicians because of "New Math" or in spite of it?

The third thing I wanted to address was how "those who like mathematics are [...] eggheads, nerds, [...], unable to cope with the world of human interactions [...]." I've actually experienced this myself, from my own colleagues. Since this is still a common conception, when I first started my degree, a lot of people told me that I had to be or become weird if I studied math. I also experienced a lot of pushback in university from either professors or my classmates, and being seen as not one of them. What I mean is, I like being a well rounded person and I like physical activity. Physical activity was mostly shunned by my colleagues. It wasn't from everyone but it was there.