Math and More from Nan at BOCES

New Blog

2009-07-22T13:30:00.002-04:00

Hello Everyone,
If you haven't been to the DCMO website lately (at www.dcmoboces.com ), you should check it out. It's all new! Part of having the new site is that I will have my own webpage. It has many more features than Blogger, so I'll be able to post book lists, web links, my calendar, pictures, documents, puzzles, polls, etc, etc. It also has a blog attached to it. Since it's much more fitting for the things I'd like to be able to share with you, I will be no longer keeping this blog updated. I will be adding new information and blog entries to the one on the BOCES website. Please have some patience as I continue building the resources there. I won't erase this Blog for quite some time, so the resources here will still be available.
You can view the new site at: http://www.dcmoboces.com/webpages/gizowski/

Best wishes for the rest of your summer!!
Nan

BT BOCES HS Math Curriculum Project

2009-06-01T14:33:00.003-04:00

Over the past few years, teachers from districts in the Broome-Tioga BOCES region have gotten together to work on the new math regents course curriculum. Their hard work has been posted on their blackboard site and can be previewed for those who are not registered blackboard users. The link to find the different resources they have to put together is:
http://dl-btboces.org/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab=courses&url=%2fbin%2fcommon%2fcourse.pl%3fcourse_id%3d_4084_1

If this doesn't create an active link, copy the above address and paste it into your browser address bar. When the page opens, there will be links on the left for each of the courses for which they have created resources.
Enjoy!
~Nan

An Amazing Website

2009-05-26T10:02:00.003-04:00

For those of you who are always looking for more resources, you're in luck. Todd Rutan, our technology trainer, sent me this link. The website is for Wolfram Math World. It has tons of entries about different math aspects and contents, with some really interesting supporting interactive technology boosts. It will take a bit of playing on your part, but it's worth it when you do. Enjoy!!

~Nan

http://mathworld.wolfram.com/

Math Awareness Month!!

2009-04-07T11:55:00.002-04:00

The American Mathematical Society, the American Statistical Association, the Mathematical Association of America, and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics announce that the theme for Mathematics Awareness Month, April 2009, is Mathematics and Climate.

You can find a variety of resources at the Math Awareness Month website located here:

http://www.mathaware.org/

Other resources to support the event can be found at:

http://www.mathgoodies.com/mam/

Enjoy!

Nan

Scoring and Conversion Charts

2009-03-31T09:29:00.002-04:00

Hello All,

Hopefully, you've all had positive experiences with the scoring of the 3-8 math tests this year! The change over to audio files from the DVDs seemed to be smooth and they are certainly easier to store for future reference. It's usually at this point when people are looking for the conversion charts for raw to scale scores, and from scale scores to performance levels. While this year's charts haven't been posted yet, last year's are available on the NYSED website. Because I had difficulty finding them, I am posting the link below. The link through the Office of State Assessment didn't bring me to them anymore. They are now housed in the Information and Reporting Services area. The link is:
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/irts/ela-math/

I have also added this link to the "Links" section on the right hand side of this blog.

Best wishes,
Nan

March EDCompass Issue Focuses on Math

2009-03-04T15:15:00.005-05:00

This month's issue of EDCompass, the newsletter for those of you who are lucky enough to have a SMARTBoard to use, focuses on math. They share ideas and the link to download some math-related lessons and resources.

The link to the online issue is here:

http://www.education.smarttech.com/common/education/pdf/EDCompassMarchIssue.pdf

Good luck to all of you who are administering tests this week and next!

Nan

World Math Day Competition

2009-02-19T11:11:00.003-05:00

If you're looking for a fun way for your students to engage in math competitively, you might consider the World Math Day event that is coming up on March 3rd or 4th (depending on which time zone you live in). Students of all ages and from around the world compete against one another through this website. Registration is free and can be for one student, or groups of them. And there are even prizes!

Here is an excerpt from the site:
The students play against each other in mental arithmetic games. Students are captivated by the fact that they are playing in real time. Each game lasts for 60 seconds, students can play as many games as they wish. The questions are appropriately leveled for different ages and abilities. Also open to school aged private individuals and homeschoolers.

Check it out at:
http://www.worldmathday.com/

Feedback Sought by NYSED About 3-8 Testing

2009-02-09T09:11:00.002-05:00

This email came in regard to the NYS testing program for grades 3 - 8:

"From: NYSED EMSCASSESSINFO [mailto:EMSCASSESSINFO@MAIL.NYSED.GOV]
Sent: Fri 2/6/2009 3:32 PM
To: NYSED EMSCTesting
Subject: Survey Concerning Grades 3-8 Testing Program

Colleagues ~
The Board of Regents is considering making changes to the Grades 3-8 testing program starting with the 2010-11 school year. To inform their policy discussion, the Board would like to gather input from the field regarding certain aspects of these tests.

Please take a few minutes to complete the survey linked below and submit it to us no later than February 27, 2009. http://www.forms2.nysed.gov/emsc/osa/Grades38TestingSurvey.cfm

So we can receive as much feedback as possible from all New Yorkers, please circulate this e-mail widely to all parents, educators, employers, and other members of your school, district, and community.
Thank you for helping the Department shape New York State's testing procedures.
David Abrams
Assistant CommissionerOffice for Standards, Assessment & Reporting
New York State Education Department
Room 675 EBA
Albany, NY 12234"

2009 Integrated Algebra Conversion Scores

2009-02-03T17:17:00.005-05:00

If you'd like to see the raw to scale score conversion chart for the January 2009 Integrated Algebra exam, you can find it on the NYSED website here:

http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/concht/jan09/ia-cc-109.html

Feel free to post any comments about your thoughts of this second administration of this exam!

Best wishes,
Nan

June 2009 Regents Exam Schedule

2009-01-23T11:39:00.003-05:00

The final draft for the June Regents exams has been posted by NYSED. You can find it here:
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/schedules/det504-609.pdf

January and August are also available here: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/schedules/hs-schedule-109.pdf and here: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/schedules/det504-809.pdf

Good luck to all of you who are administering tests next week and to those of you scoring ELA 3-5!

~Nan

The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement

2009-01-19T13:34:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year & Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!
Hopefully your January is moving right along now that you're all energized from the winter break. While planning for a workshop, my director shared a great resource with me. The website is for The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement. Their current "spotlight" is on mathematics and they have great resources for your own personal growth. They have articles, video clips, lesson ideas and information, and a variety of further links and resources to help you improve your level of instruction. The link is:
http://www.centerforcsri.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=541&Itemid=109
Best wishes as we continue with the year. Can you believe it's 2009 already?
~Nan

NYSED Links

2008-12-29T20:32:00.002-05:00

Hello Everyone!
I hope you're enjoying your long vacation. I just wanted to draw your attention to the "links" section of this blog. I used to have several links to the NYS Education Department's website that took you directly to the math standards/performance indicators, to the sample tests, to the recommended glossary, and more. NYSED has been doing some reconstruction of their website recently and some of these links had become invalid. I haven't had time to search the site to "re-link" to them. As soon as I do, I'll put them back on the blog. Sorry for any inconvenience! Those are the links I usually use myself to get the information I'm looking for, so I'll get to it pretty quickly.

Happy New Year!
Nan

NYS Scoring Training for 2009

2008-12-16T10:49:00.003-05:00

Happy Last-week-of-school-before-the-winter-break!
I wanted to let you know that information has been posted regarding the NYS assessment scoring training information that is provided to us. Traditionally, we have received scoring DVDs to watch that show and explain to us the scoring rubrics, materials, and examples. While I am unsure of the reasoning behind the decision for a change in this year's training materials, it will save money and resources (we all know that we don't know what to do with those DVDs when we're done with scoring!). This year CTB will provide the training for scoring through audio and PDF files that can be downloaded from their website. While it was nice to have the visual aspect of a DVD, being able to download the audio file onto your iPod or MP3 player will give you some flexibility in where you listen to and go through your scoring guides. You can also listen through your computer.

In order to prepare for this, CTB has put out a "pilot" example. I would recommend trying this out to make sure you are able to access the audio file and the PDF file so that you can work out any kinks before "scoring season" comes along. This pilot example is for ELA since that comes in January, but we assume that the format will be the same for math. The active files for the 2009 tests are supposed to be posted to their website on the Friday before scoring begins at 10 a.m.
The direct link to the pilot files (which can be found at www.ctb.com/nys ) is below:

http://www.ctb.com/netcaster/extranet/category_index.jsp?CAT_ID=3701&PROG_ID=1881&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302075211&bmUID=1229443402633

Have a great holiday season and nice long vacation!
Best wishes,
Nan

Interim Growth Model Proposal for NYS testing

2008-12-03T15:28:00.003-05:00

Hello Everyone! I hope your Thanksgiving break was a happy, restful one! At the last meeting of the MS/HS Math Forum (which will be called "rountable" in the next catalog), a request was made for information about the Interim Growth Model that was proposed for the upcoming testing season. NYSED put together a powerpoint with the main points of the model. It can be viewed here:
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/sar/growth-model-proposal08.ppt

If you have questions or want more information, please feel free to give me a call or drop me an email and I'll do the best that I can to help. The most important thing to know about the change is that it will only HELP schools meet accountability standards!

Best wishes,
Nan

HS Math Outlines from BT BOCES

2008-11-16T21:03:00.003-05:00

Kathy Ingalls from Hancock was nice enough to share the links to get to the outlines for the high school math courses that were put together by BT BOCES area staff and posted on their Blackboard site. To find the outlines go to:
Go to the Broome-Tioga Blackboard site at http://dl-btboces.org/
Click on "user login"
Click on "Preview" to enter the site as a guest
Click on the "Courses and Communities" tab (near the top left)
Click on "Broome Tioga BOCES" on the right-hand side
Find the course "BT BOCES Math Secondary Curriculum Projects" (which is on the 4th page)

The different course outlines are listed on the left and are "clickable".

Thanks to Kathy!
Nan

NYS Geometry Regents Sampler

2008-10-31T14:19:00.002-04:00

Hello Geometry Teachers!
The state has posted the test sampler and scoring guide for the new Geometry Regents Exam. You can find them respectively at:
http://emsc.nysed.gov/osa/mathre/geometry-sampler.pdf

and

http://emsc.nysed.gov/osa/mathre/geometry-sampler-sg.pdf

Best wishes & Happy Halloween!
Nan

Multiplication Facts for Free Rice!

2008-10-30T11:32:00.004-04:00

Yesterday at the "Intro to the Tests" workshop, one of the participants
showed me this GREAT aspect of the Free Rice site. I've always had a
link to it on this blog because it was a fun game for kids (and adults) and
it earns food for the hungry. What this teacher showed me is that in the upper right-hand corner of the vocabulary window (when you first go to the page) there is a button marked "Change Subjects". If you click that, you can choose from different content areas. The math activity is practicing multiplication! Be sure to share this with the other content teachers as there is geography identification and even "name the artist" with famous paintings! The link to the site is on the right side of this blog, but the address is also here: http://www.freerice.com/

Enjoy!! And thanks for the great resource!!
Nan

2009 NYS Geometry Regents Information

2008-10-27T17:38:00.002-04:00

Trick or treat!
SED has put out a memo regarding the new Geometry Regents Exam that will be administered next June. The memo gives information about score sheets, the turn-around after scoring (using the same box that they come in---sound familiar?), and a soon-to-be-posted test sampler. The memo can be found under the "Geometry" section at this link:
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/new-math.htm

I will post a follow-up notice when I see that the sampler is there.

Best wishes!
Nan

My Math Blunder

2008-10-15T19:44:00.002-04:00

Earlier today I published a post that was poking fun at a math statement in a newspaper that at first glance, in my tired work brain, looked incorrect. After dinner tonight when I re-read it, I saw that it was absolutely correct! So, if you saw my post, you should have emailed me to let me know I was temporarily boneheaded. If you didn't see it, you can rest assured that we all make mistakes!!! Although, in this case, it wasn't the newspaper!

Best wishes,
Nan (=

NYS Testing Schedules (updated 10/14)

2008-10-08T20:47:00.003-04:00

Here is the link to the schedule for the 3-8 Math and ELA testing and scoring windows:
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/08-09memo/eli-memo-schedule-09.pdf

And this is the link to the January regents exams schedule:
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/schedules/schedule-109/hs-schedule-109.pdf

The schedule for the June regents exams is available, but not posted online yet, so I'm unable to link to it. I'll do that as soon as I see it on the website. Geometry teachers should note that the exam will be earlier than the rest of the exams. This is to allow enough time for scoring and the scaling to take place for this new test. As you all know, it was a tight turn-around last year. This will inevitably bring up some issues. Please feel free to leave comments or ask questions.
The schedule isn't posted yet because it is still in DRAFT form. The state is accepting feedback on the proposed schedule. The proposed date for the Geometry exam is one week earlier than the start of the rest of the exams. If this is of concern to you, you should make it known to your administrator so that they can offer the feedback to SED.

Happy Columbus Day Weekend!
Nan

Ideas from the NCTM

2008-09-26T14:07:00.002-04:00

The NCTM website has a multitude of resources, ideas, plans, information, etc. One section of their site offers very quick bulleted ideas to think about as you head into the full swing of this school year. There are short thought-provoking statements and informative ideas on everything from homework, grading, and testing to diversity, classrooms, and parents. They are listed separately under "Tips for Teachers" and can be found at this link:
http://www.nctm.org/teachingtips.aspx?linkidentifier=id&itemid=9584

Although these would be great for individual teachers, they might be even better for discussion at a team or grade level meeting!

Best wishes,
Nan

Paper Saver Idea

2008-09-16T20:27:00.003-04:00

I was recently working with a middle school teacher who was talking about
having things for students to work on at their seats while some students
demonstrated an activity on the smartboard. We found a product in a catalog that is essentially a "sleeve" made out of heavy duty clear plastic that you slide a piece of paper into. The students can then use dry erase markers on the plastic to write on the paper multiple times. Some examples of what to slide into the sleeve: graph paper to practice drawing lines, plotting points or polygons, transformations, or building bar or line graphs; a number line to practice ordering fractions or numbers; parallel lines to practice with interior/exterior angles.....the possibilities are endless! The kids will have a blast with a new way to practice their skills and you'll save a tree!! If you're on a budget (who isn't?) and you can't purchase the catalog version, consider trying photo album inserts or the clear 3-ring binder sleeves!
If you have any other great ideas to share, please feel free to leave a comment or send an email to me and I'll post it!!
As always, best wishes, Nan

Making Math More Relevant

2008-09-04T10:39:00.003-04:00

Welcome back everyone! I hope your first week is going well. I recently had a few moments to go through the current News Bulletin from NCTM. One website that they mentioned was one that I had visited before, but had since forgotten. It is called The Futures Channel and can be found at http://www.thefutureschannel.com/. It has a variety of videos, activities, and projects that are related to specific careers. Each video is just a few minutes long, can be downloaded to your computer, and shows a wide spectrum of careers. The people highlighted discuss how math plays a part in their particular career. You can search through the resources by grade level, by math concept, or by resource (videos, activities, etc).

I hope you'll check out this resource or others to help make your math class more fun, interesting, and relevant for your new students!!

Best wishes,
Nan

Smartboard Newsletter and Teacher Resources

2008-08-22T08:41:00.002-04:00

I know that many of you either already have or are in the process of getting a Smartboard for your classroom. I wanted you to be aware of some of the resources that are available to you through smarttech.

This first link is to the current issue of a newsletter that they publish. It offers ideas and tips, new technology available, and links to lessons:
http://education.smarttech.com/common/education/pdf/Edcompass_August2008.pdf

This second link is to their teacher resources page. They have notebook lessons, senteo questions, and other tips and tricks. You can even browse by the NYS standards. If they have an activity available for the standard, it will be labeled.
http://www.education.smarttech.com/ste/en-US/Ed+Resource/

Good luck with your new technology. If you find a wonderful resource, please consider leaving a comment here so that others can benefit from your great find!!

Enjoy the last week of summer next week!
Nan

Conversion Chart for August 2008 Integrated Algebra

2008-08-14T18:08:00.002-04:00

Some have been looking for the August Integrated Algebra conversion chart. Here is the link to NYSED where it is posted:

http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/regentsexams/8-08/ia-cc-808-rev.pdf

Enjoy!
Nan

An Interesting Report on Boys and Performance

2008-08-11T15:36:00.003-04:00

As you prepare for the upcoming year, I hope you might take minute to browse this report:

http://www.smartboysbadgrades.com/smartboys_badgrades.pdf

It is called "Smart Boys Bad Grades: Why boys get worse grades than girls and are only 35% of
graduates in higher education"

With information on brain and other research, it sheds some light on some of the policies and procedures we regularly use and the impact they may have on the boys in our classrooms. I know that some of the issues brought out may challenge our current belief systems, but I encourage you to keep an open mind when reading!

Enjoy the rest of summer!

Nan

Answers to Content Questions

2008-07-23T17:24:00.002-04:00

It came to my attention again recently, while working with a teacher, that sometimes we come across specific math content where we may have a lack of understanding (maybe you've recently switched grade levels or courses and it's been a decade or so since you've worked with a specific area of math). I would sincerely hope that we all have someone in our department who we could search out for some discussion and clarification, but I also am realistic enough to know that this isn't the case for everyone. Also, I understand that sometimes it may not feel comfortable asking about something that we feel "boneheaded" about for not knowing.

This book Math Matters: Understanding the Math You Teach K-8 is a great resource with explanations and examples about all the areas of math you are responsible for. It will save you from all the online seaches and only costs $24 at Amazon.com. If you build your understanding, it will help you build your students' understanding. I hope you will also start to feel more free to ask the questions about your content to either me or someone else....either you will get some answers or a partner to help search for them!!

Best wishes,

Nan

A couple of new RESOURCES!

2008-07-09T14:59:00.005-04:00

Hi Everyone,

I hope your summers are going by very slowly! In the latest newsletter from NCTM, there were two resources listed that really caught my eye. One is www.teachers.tv It has video clips and lessons on mulitple educational areas. If you click on "subjects" and find "maths" or "mathematics", you can narrow down what you find. The BIG thing to be aware of....it's out of England...so the references can be quite entertaining and the accents make it a bit more engaging. Some were good, some were less than good, but definitely worth checking out.

The other is actually another blog. This one is created by a math teacher in Indiana. He has some great posts on there and introduced me to something called "squidoo" which is a site/service that allows people to create "pages" online called lenses. He has created a bunch of them on various math topics. His blog is at: http://teachingandlearningmath.blogspot.com

His template is the same as mine so it will look familiar.

Have fun browsing these new places!!

~Nan

Integrated Algebra Chart

2008-06-26T12:53:00.002-04:00

The scoring conversion chart is out! As many of you predicted the passing raw score is quite low. This supports the information that you shared about how your students performed on this first administration of the exam.

http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/documents/June2008IAConversionChart_1.pdf

Best wishes!
Nan

Commissioner's Statements

2008-06-23T16:20:00.003-04:00

Hello All!
The commissioner held his press conference on the Math and ELA test results today. They have a webcast version of it on the state website. It's approximately 45 minutes long and follows a powerpoint presentation that you can't see on the camera. If you'd like to follow along, you can open the powerpoint from a link on the same webpage as the webcast link. You'll have to keep both windows (the ppt and the video player) open but shrunken down a bit so that you can see them simultaneously. Both can be found here:
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/

The commissioner shared some good news about the impact you are all having on student learning as shown by the results of the testing for the past 3 years. It's not a blockbuster movie by any stretch of the imagination, but worth your time to watch it!

Have a great final few days!
Nan

A Great Game

2008-06-20T12:58:00.003-04:00

A great game was introduced to me yesterday by Todd Rutan, our technology trainer. It is called Set. Apparently, in addition to this great interactive web version of the game, there is also an "old fashioned" version with real playing cards---wow! The site that shows the details of the game and how it's play, and actually has the interactive version, also has connection links that support the math concepts that are used while playing. It will be great for your students, but be prepared....it might suck you in, as well!! I will list both the main site and the link for the daily puzzle in the NY Times below, but will also add the links to the LINKS LIST on the side so you don't have to try to find this post later on if you're looking for it in the future!

http://www.setgame.com/set/index.html

http://www.nytimes.com/ref/crosswords/setpuzzle.html

Happy Set Finding!!
Nan

The Infamous Integrated Algebra White Box

2008-06-13T13:15:00.002-04:00

As we head into the weekend, I just wanted to say have a GREAT last regular day on Monday if you are at the MS/HS level. You'll see here THE White Box for the integrated algebra regents exams (thanks to Kathy Ingalls at Hancock for sending us this picture!). For those of you who may have been out of the loop, there was an incredible amount of information stressing the importance of keeping this box for the transport of the exams. You can see that it's labeled for "Rapid Turnaround". Good luck to those of you who are involved in the administration of and "rapid turnaround" scoring and shipping of these new exams!

Have a great weekend,

~Nan

Math Scores Update

2008-06-08T09:14:00.002-04:00

Hello All,
This is just to update you that the 3-8 math data for 2008 has been loaded into COGNOS PowerPlay. Your administrators have access to this system through BT BOCES and can see how your district scored, but there haven't been any charts or graphs built yet for comparisons and such, as the data is still embargoed. They may have access to the data from other sources that I don't know about, as well. The commissioner should be making his statements soon and then all the information can be shared publicly.

I hope everyone is holding up with the last regular week of school upon us!
Best wishes,
Nan

Math Scores Update

2008-06-04T13:14:00.003-04:00

I'm just back from a meeting where the information was shared that the 2008 3-8 math scores will be made available on June 13th, which is next Friday! Wow.....scores on Friday the 13th....let's not read too much into that! Stay tuned......

TI Nspire Training this summer

2008-06-04T09:16:00.002-04:00

To those who are interested in training on the TI Nspire:

T³™ 3-Day Hands-on Institutes

June 30-July 2, 2008 Webster, NY
July 14-16, 2008 North Salem, NY
August 18-20, 2008 Staten Island, NY
August 26-28, 2008 Rockville Centre, NY
September 25-27, 2008 Hamburg, NY

T³™ 2-Day Subject Specific Hands-on Course

August 21-22, 2008 Staten Island, NYAlgebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry and Calculus

For more information go to education.ti.com

Math Scores

2008-06-03T10:01:00.002-04:00

Hi All,
We are still waiting on the 3-8 math scores for this year. The ELA scores are available and the "cubes" have been built for math for the 2008 data so it's coming soon, but it isn't there yet. I'm checking daily and as soon as the info is available, I'll get the word out. And I was informed today when I got to school that there are only 9 more days before regents exams start! This year has certainly flown by!!

Good luck to you all as you wind down the year.
Best wishes,
Nan

Another couple of interesting places

2008-05-21T09:52:00.003-04:00

Hi Everyone,
A couple of interesting things came across my "desk" this morning. First is a website called Teachnology. It has a nice variety of resources (lessons, games, web links, printables, downloads). You can find it at:
http://www.teach-nology.com/

The other is a production of PBS on "Growing Up Online". It takes a deep look at kids and parents and the multiple issues that arise from the very easy access to the internet and technology. The website with the links to the various areas is:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kidsonline/

Have a great holiday!
Nan

Math Report

2008-05-19T09:24:00.002-04:00

Hello All,
We had a GREAT MS/HS Math Forum on Friday. You should really consider attending next year! One of the things we discussed was the response of the NCTM to the report published by the National Mathematics Advisory Panel. If you'd like to check that report out, you can find it at:
http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/mathpanel/report/final-report.pdf
It has some great topics addressed in it, but be aware that it is 122 pages long if you are planning to print it out! The responses from NCTM are on their website at www.nctm.org

I hope you all have a great Memorial Day holiday!
Best wishes,
Nan

ELA conversion charts

2008-05-13T09:43:00.002-04:00

This post will qualify as the "more" part of Math and More from Nan. It's not math related, but I know that some of you are responsible for more than just math! The conversion charts for the raw to scale scores for ELA are out. They are at this link:
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/sar/

To see all the grades, you will need to maximize the Excel spreadsheet to see the "tabs" at the bottom. Each grade has a different tab.

Hopefully, math information will be following soon!

Math Forum

2008-05-11T18:57:00.001-04:00

Hi All,
The final MS/HS Math Forum is this Friday afternoon at the Sidney Public Library. If you're planning to attend, please double check that you are registered as lunch will be provided by Garf's and we want to make sure we're well prepared!! I'm looking forward to seeing you all. If there is anything specific you'd like to see on the agenda, feel free to leave a comment here or email me.

Best wishes,
Nan

A Couple of Fun New Links

2008-04-27T08:49:00.002-04:00

Thanks to the participants in two of the workshops I was in this week, I have a couple of fun links for you.

www.mathslice.com
http://jc-schools.net/tutorials/PPT-games/

They have nice selections of games that you can alter for interactive use (ie jeopardy & wheel of fortune, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, etc)

And don't forget about www.thinkfinity.com It's a great site, too..

I know that there are plenty of fun math sites out there. I have a list compiled that you are welcome to if you email me or leave a comment here so I know to send them. Also, please feel free to leave the name of any site or resource you use so that we can continue to update the things that are most useful!

Interesting Scoring Possibilities

2008-04-21T09:00:00.003-04:00

Welcome back!! I hope you all had a fabulous break. Below is a link to the NYS school boards' association. There is a quick reference of information regarding a possible change in the way 3-8 testing is administered and scored. Check it out, it's only a page long!

http://www.nyssba.org/index.php?src=news&submenu=on_board&srctype=detail&category=On%20Board%20Online%20Mar%2024%202008&refno=260

Best wishes as you enter the last leg of this year's marathon!!
Nan

Math Scoring Thoughts

2008-04-04T17:12:00.002-04:00

Well, as scoring comes to a close for another year, I'd love to see comments/thoughts on anything interesting that came up. On the whole, most of you who have been in contact are feeling pretty confident with student performance this year. I did hear of a few questions that brought up some irritation while scoring and a few of you that ended up calling the hotline or faxing in student examples. I always feel that "It doesn't hurt to ask". I heard examples of the hotline both allowing points and denying, so it's nice to know that they are going on a case by case basis. Please take a minute or two to leave your obserances during this year's testing/scoring. Then get ready to take a breath and relax over your upcoming break!!
As always, Best Wishes,
Nan

Purple Comet

2008-03-24T17:01:00.002-04:00

A possible alternative for those looking for "math contest" events for your math clubs, teams, and groups!

A CHALLENGE FOR YOUR STUDENTS?
The "Purple Comet" is a growing international math meet for middle and high school students, free and online. It begins at noon GMT April 14 and ends at noon GMT April 18; you can pick the time that works best for you and your students. For complete details, go to purplecomet.org and sign up as many teams as you want.

Let me know if anyone takes part in this. We can highlight some of it here on the blog! (=
Best wishes,
Nan

Grade 6-8 Scoring

2008-03-24T10:11:00.002-04:00

Best wishes for easy and uneventful scoring! Here is the link to the Q & A document for grades 6-8:

http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/mathei/gr6-8faq08.htm

And again.....watch those DVDs!! (=

3-5 Scoring Q & A Link

2008-03-17T08:20:00.002-04:00

For those of you who are scoring your NYS assessments this week, here is the link to the 3-5 Question & Answer document:

http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/mathei/faq08.htm

Make sure to watch your DVD's!!

Best wishes,
Nan

HS Math Texts: Part II

2008-03-13T08:57:00.002-04:00

We still have several groups looking for feedback about the texts you are using at the High School level as they pursue the purchase of new series for their Integrated Algebra and Geometry courses. There is a document on the state website at this link:

http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/3-8/templateanalysis.htm

that will help you go through the samples to see that they meet your needs as prescribed by the performance indicators for those courses.

If you have a minute, PLEASE leave a comment under this entry about which series you are using and whether or not you would recommend it to others or not (and why or why not, of course). You don't need to have a google account to leave a comment, just choose "anonymous" to submit it---you can leave your name and district IN your comment.

Cris Tovani Presents

2008-03-11T18:32:00.006-04:00

On Friday, March 7, 2008, Cris Tovani came to Howard Johnson's and spoke to a group of approximately 70 of us from the DCMO and OCM BOCES districts.

She had an incredible message that we ALL play a part in fostering the reading skills of our students, no matter what the content area we are teaching.

She highlighted ways to have students actively engage with text when they are reading, including writing questions/comments in the margins as they read.

Her books, I Read It, but I Don't Get It and Do I Really Have to Teach Reading?: Content Comprehension, Grades 6-12, offer insight into the ways we can help our students become better, more active readers.

I think it will not only help me offer more useful ideas for those of you who participate in professional development opportunities with me, but will also help me become a better reader myself!! If you were a participant on Friday, please feel free to leave a comment on what you learned or still have questions about!! If not, feel free to leave a question or go check out one of Cris Tovani's books (I have a copy of each. If you'd like to borrow one, let me know!)

Best wishes,

Nan

Ideas for fun!

2008-03-04T08:24:00.001-05:00

PI DAY IS NEXT WEEK
Looking for ways to celebrate 3/14? Try:
http://www.piday.org/ (T-shirts, e-cards, videos, cartoons)
http://www.angio.net/pi/piquery (find your birthday in the digits of pi)
http://www.exploratorium.edu/pi/ (history, activities, limericks, many good links)
http://mathforum.org/t2t/faq/faq.pi.html (activities, articles, many more links)

Also, please note the comments under the previous post for Math Texts. We're looking for your input. (=

Thanks,
Nan

Important Information

2008-02-29T11:30:00.004-05:00

There has been an issue with Book 1 of the Grade 8 Math Assessments. Please read the excerpt from a memo that was recently issued. The entire memo has not been posted on the NYSED website yet, but your administrator should have it. I will post the link to it as soon as I see it available.
Here is the link: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/deputy/mailbroadcast/2008MathematicsNotice.pdf

Important Notice to Administrators
re: March 6-12, 2008 Mathematics Tests, Grade 8, Book 1 only

The State Education Department has found a minor irregularity in the March 2008 Grade 8
Mathematics Test Book 1. These test books were shipped to your school or alternative storage location by the State Education Department along with the other test materials for the Grades 6-8 Mathematics Tests. They will be delivered between Monday, March 3, and Wednesday, March 5, 2008. To correct this minor problem, the Department and CTB/McGraw-Hill have arranged for replacements for Grade 8 Book 1s to be delivered to your school or alternative storage location on either Tuesday, March 4, or Wednesday, March 5, 2008.
The covers of the replacement Book 1s are printed with red ink.
Do not administer or distribute Grade 8 Book 1s that have covers printed with black ink (except for braille edition).
The replacement Grade 8 Book 1s will arrive in a separate shipment. In addition, the replacement large-type edition, for those schools that requested it, will be shipped separately from the regular and translated editions.

Cancelation

2008-02-27T06:32:00.002-05:00

The workshop that was scheduled for today (Developing Meaningful, Engaging Math Instruction: Grades 7-9) is being canceled due to the fact that several of the schools that are sending participants are either closed or delayed. Typically, we would continue with the participants who could come, but since this is a multi-day workshop, it made better sense to start everyone together tomorrow. See you then!

HS Math Texts

2008-02-17T12:54:00.002-05:00

Based on some discussion that took place at the MS/HS Math Forum on Friday, February 15th, this post invites comments on the current and future texts you are using at the high school level. We have some districts that are interested in purchasing new texts for the Integrated Algebra course and for the Geometry course that they will begin this fall. Some of the positives of both the Prentice Hall and AMSCO texts were brought up, but this blog seemed like a great place to invite some comments from all of you who are currently using or sampling different texts for these courses. Please take a minute or two to leave a comment here about the text you are using and what you feel are the positives and negatives you have experienced.

To leave a comment, click below this post on "# comments". A new window will pop up. Type your comment in the box. To publish, either sign in with your google account info (google accts are free and easy to set up) or click "anonymous" and then publish. *If you use "anonymous", please make sure you let us know in your actual comment who you are and which course you're teaching!

Hopefully, we'll get some good feedback from all of you and we can begin to enjoy the ability to have some discussions among peers!

I hope you all had a restful vacation week (if you actually had one!).
Nan

In Search of Presenters.....

2008-02-10T12:52:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone,

This is a plea for you to consider being a presenter at the "Teachers Teaching Teachers" regional conference day on October 10th! We are looking for school staff who are doing great things in their classrooms or elsewhere at school and would like to share it with their regional peers. There is a flier and form that you can fill out digitally at this link: http://www.dcmoboces.com/dcmoiss/staffdev/pdodef01.htm

We are planning to have a site at Walton and Oxford, with a presentation by Mike Schmoker for part of the day. If you are interested, you can also count on available summer planning days. We are going to use our Summer Institutes to provide time and support to those who are presenting. I really hope you'll consider this opportunity!!

Best wishes,

Nan

Another 2 Things

2008-01-31T08:25:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone,
I hope January regents exams went well! The state has recently posted two pertinent documents that you might want to check out. The link to go to is: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/sar/
The first is in regard to new protractors and rulers being issued for 3-8.
The second is in regard to the administration of the Integrated Algebra exam.
Best wishes for a great weekend!
Nan

2 Things

2008-01-17T09:32:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone,
There are 2 things that have recently come up. First, we have heard a definite from the state that they WILL be providing new rulers and protractors for the 7th & 8th grade math assessments. We can expect them and a memo out some time next month.

Second, I received an email invitation from Texas Instruments that they are holding a TI-Nspire "tour" on Saturday, February 9th in Syracuse. The registration is only $25. If this is something that any of you are interested in, drop me an email & I'll send you the registration link. I know that some of you are interested in training on the Nspire. I haven't forgotten to be looking into this for you!

2008-01-03T09:21:00.000-05:00

Welcome back everyone! Let's hope everyone is rested from a great break. HS teachers are gearing up for the January edition of the regents exam and 3-8 staff are looking at testing and scoring season beginning. We are doing the same here at BOCES. There are rumors of memos coming from State Ed about the test manipulatives. As soon as we hear, I'll let you all know.

This year for regional scoring, we have been lucky enough to recruit some great help in the facilitation of the days. Lorraine Porter from B-G and Deb Jackson from Unatego have graciously agreed to help us out. They will be watching the DVD's, training the 2-pt scorers, and acting as scoring leaders. THANKS to both of them for helping out! Next year we may try the same system for ELA scoring. This helps Lorie and I to not be scheduled for 5 weeks of scoring. It makes it tough for us to do anything else for that period of time! Best wishes to you all as you get back into the swing of things!!

Integrated Algebra Check-in

2007-12-17T10:18:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone,
We're all gearing up for a nice break! I've been asked by an administrator to "check-in" a bit with those of you who are teaching the new Integrated Algebra course. Some of you have apparently expressed some concern/stress/etc about whether or not you are "on target" with your timeline for the curriculum. With us coming upon the break, we often do some reflection on where we are and where we're going. Would anyone care to comment on your status, how you are managing, and whether you have any tips to offer to everyone else in the boat?

Thanks!
Nan (=

Math Share workshop

2007-12-10T06:41:00.000-05:00

If you're wondering about today's workshop, we only had S-E and Norwich coming and both districts have closed due to the weather.

Too funny to leave out (or scary)

2007-12-06T14:03:00.001-05:00

BRITISH LOTTERY GAME CANCELLED DUE TO MATH ILLITERACY:
The "Cool Cash" game featured a scratch-off card in which a player won by uncovering a winter temperature lower than the number shown on the card. Trouble is, people couldn't deal with negative temperatures. Said one Brit: "On one of my cards it said I had to find temperatures lower than -8. The numbers I uncovered were -6 and -7 so I thought I had won, and so did the woman in the shop. But when she scanned the card the machine said I hadn't. I phoned [the lottery agency] and they fobbed me off with some story that -6 is higher - not lower - than -8, but I'm not having it."
Don't be "fobbed off"... read the news article at:
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1022757_cool_cash_card_confusion

Postponements and Rescheduling

2007-12-05T14:09:00.000-05:00

The first date of the multi-day workshop "Developing Meaningful, Engaging Math Instruction: 7-9", which was scheduled to begin next Tuesday, December 11, 2007 has been removed from that workshop. The first day of the workshop will now be February 27th. The day that was lost from removing the December 11th date will be added at the end of the sessions. The other dates of this workshop are 2/28, 3/31, and 4/1.

Also, the workday for the planning of the Math Competition is going to be rescheduled after January. Those of you who have expressed interest in creating this great opportunity for math students in our area are going to brainstorm how we can make this happen. We still need more participation, so if you have any desire at all to be part of getting students from a variety of districts together to "do some math", please let me know so we can include you in the planning discussions!!!

Have a great holiday vacation!!!
Nan (=

Math Professional Development

2007-11-29T13:27:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone,
This is a reminder of an opportunity that is quickly coming up that you may or may not have heard about. It's planned as a facilitated curriculum development opportunity with the title "Developing Meaningful, Engaging Math Instruction: Grades 7-9". Teachers will attend on December 11, February 27 & 28, March 31, and April 1st and work with BOCES CTE and math teachers to refine curriculum that they can take back to their district classrooms. The experience is hoped to help teachers provide lessons that include experience with real world applications in various career clusters in an effort to increase student engagement. With this date quickly approaching, if you or someone you know is interested in participating, please contact Bonnie Burt at 335-1320 to register ASAP.

Awesome find!

2007-11-29T11:00:00.000-05:00

Many of you who have come to workshops here have seen my enthusiasm about the website of the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives. I was sent another great site by Beth Cameron at Unadilla Valley. It can be found at http://www.shodor.org/ . I haven't spent enough time there yet to give you all the ins and outs, but what I did find was awesome....lots of interaction! The activity that was recommended was the Transmographer & Transmographer 2 (you can just pop those terms into the search bar). They're amazing for doing translations. Check them out. Thanks to Beth for sharing!
Nan

June Regents Change

2007-11-26T15:21:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone,
This is just the "heads up" that State Ed recognized the concerns with the new Integrated Algebra regents exam being held on the afternoon of Tuesday, June 17th. Many shared that there would not be enough time to score the exams and still meet the State's deadline for having scores sent to them. Along with other concerns, this has lead to the exam time being changed to the morning of June 17th. For a new exam schedule, please see your administrator or click on this link: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/schedules/june08.htm

I hope everyone had a great holiday!
Nan

DCMO Area Math Competition

2007-11-06T09:39:00.001-05:00

We are currently looking to find out if any math teachers in the DCMO area are interested in bringing a team or teams of students to compete in a regional math competition. We have discussed creating two levels of competition (middle and high). Since we are creating this ourselves, we are open to input from all of you. Please see your administrator for a flier they have about this or contact me at BOCES. Our tentative planning date to work on competition set-up and questions is set for December 14th, but we currently don't have enough participation to move forward. We'd love to have you involved!!

Welcome to my blog!

2007-11-06T09:16:00.000-05:00

I'm creating this blog in attempt to make communication easier and information more readily available to the school staff I work with. I will try to keep putting information here the may be pertinent to you all in an effort to stay on top of the forever changing school issues we are all dealing with. I have also enabled this so that any of you can leave comments or questions. They will have to be moderated through me to avoid anything inappropriate, but feel free to post something you would like addressed. I would love to see you all being able to collaborate with one another on issues you are having. Since this is my first attempt at this, I welcome feedback and suggestions on how we can make this more efficient.
Best wishes to you all, Nan (=

Math and More from Nan at BOCES

New Blog

BT BOCES HS Math Curriculum Project

An Amazing Website

Math Awareness Month!!

Scoring and Conversion Charts

March EDCompass Issue Focuses on Math

World Math Day Competition

Feedback Sought by NYSED About 3-8 Testing

2009 Integrated Algebra Conversion Scores

June 2009 Regents Exam Schedule

The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement

NYSED Links

NYS Scoring Training for 2009

Interim Growth Model Proposal for NYS testing

HS Math Outlines from BT BOCES

NYS Geometry Regents Sampler

Multiplication Facts for Free Rice!

2009 NYS Geometry Regents Information

My Math Blunder

NYS Testing Schedules (updated 10/14)

Ideas from the NCTM

Paper Saver Idea

Making Math More Relevant

Smartboard Newsletter and Teacher Resources

Conversion Chart for August 2008 Integrated Algebra

An Interesting Report on Boys and Performance

Answers to Content Questions

A couple of new RESOURCES!

Integrated Algebra Chart

Commissioner's Statements

A Great Game

The Infamous Integrated Algebra White Box

Math Scores Update

Math Scores Update

TI Nspire Training this summer

Math Scores

Another couple of interesting places

Math Report

ELA conversion charts

Math Forum

A Couple of Fun New Links

Interesting Scoring Possibilities

Math Scoring Thoughts

Purple Comet

Grade 6-8 Scoring

3-5 Scoring Q & A Link

HS Math Texts: Part II

Cris Tovani Presents

Ideas for fun!

***Important Information***

Cancelation

HS Math Texts

In Search of Presenters.....

Another 2 Things

2 Things

Integrated Algebra Check-in

Math Share workshop

Too funny to leave out (or scary)

Postponements and Rescheduling

Math Professional Development

Awesome find!

June Regents Change

DCMO Area Math Competition

Welcome to my blog!

Important Information