>>+Content

=// Be in the Know //=

Entering the field of education has been one of the most exciting ventures of my life! I feel like I'm a part of an amazing team of educators/researchers/professionals who are committed to a lifelong journey in teaching and learning. Below you will find the components of content knowledge I chose to include in this section of my Wiki. The concept map below shows how each component connects to content, or content knowledge. Please feel free to use the following resources at any time :)



// Math + The Arts = Brilliant! //
I just love The Arts! It's a shame that my high school did not offer Drama as a course. However, I took music and played the trumpet for four years...I miss my trumpet. Anyway, I think it's amazing how some educators have integrated The Arts into Math. Check out the following links for great ideas and research in the field:

[|Queen's University - Integrating The Arts into Mathematics]
 * Although the sample lessons provided through this link are geared toward grades 1, 2 and 3, the ideas can easily be extended to intermediate levels (e.g. working with tangrams, demonstrating acoustics by changing the volume of water in different glasses).

[|Mathematical Imagery]
 * The artwork on this website is really neat! The artists demonstrate how they combined ath with art to create beautiful masterpieces. I chose to include this site because I think the artwork can motivate teachers in creating lessons that involve integration of the subjects as well. For example, students could use periodic functions or geometric shapes (tactile or computer-simulated) to create murals, sculptures, buildings, etc. Check out some of the cool pieces below!

(Click on the image to read poem)

[|Today's Parent - Music, Math and the Mind]
 * An interesting article that discusses the link between math and music based on research that has been conducted over the years. It also mentions some creative ways in which a teacher integrated music into science lessons. I just love the creativity!

[|Teaching Math as a Narrative Drama] = =
 * This article is about a teacher who builds excitement in his math lessons with the use of drama. I thought this was really great, and can be very effective for both teachers and students. Excitement can lead to classroom engagement, which can lead to increased comprehension among students. Additionally, teachers can use this idea to challenge their students to incorporate drama in the presentation of their Math assignments/projects, tying drama curriculum expectations into Math.

// Ontario Curriculum, Assessment Tips & More... //
I'm all for cross-curricular methods to teaching. As such, I decided to post the links to the Ministry of Education curriculum documents for //all// subjects, not just math. After all, keeping an open mind and being creative are essential for student engagement inside (and even outside of) the classroom. Below, you will also find other useful resources pertaining to assessment, evaluation and more...

[|Elementary & Intermediate Curriculum] [|Secondary Curriculum]

Below you will find links to Ontario Math curriculum exemplars, which are samples of student work. Although a little outdated, the samples are still relevant and can be useful in giving teachers an idea of how students solve various math problems.

[|Ontario Math Exemplars - Grade 7] [|Ontario Math Exemplars - Grade 8] [|Ontario Math Exemplars - Grade 9] [|Ontario Math Exemplars - Grade 11] [|Ontario Math Exemplars - Grade 12]

[|This is only a Test - Book Study Guide]
 * Written by Nancy Litton and Maryanne Wickett, this book study guide (fully titled //This is only a Test: Teaching for Mathematical Understanding in an Age of Standardized Testing)// takes a look at the methods of teaching Math, and the extent to which they prepare students for various forms of assessment and evaluation (such as standardized testing). Although the text make reference to U.S. standardized testing, I thought many of the ideas discussed are applicable in Canada as well since we have our own types of standardized testing in Ontario (i.e. EQAO). I haven't read the entire book, but from what I've read so far, it seems like a great resource because the authors take into account that there are no one-size-fits-all solutions; students are unique in the learning styles and abilities. So, rather than suggesting solutions, the authors provide numerous reflection questions, asking the readers what they think, how they feel and how they might answer the questions provided.


 * ** Assessment & Evaluation Resources ** ||
 * [[file:Assessment Strategies.pdf]] ||
 * [[file:Assessment and Evaluation of Student Achievement.pdf]] ||
 * [[file:Program Planning and Assessment_Grades 9-12_Ontario 2000.pdf]] ||
 * Source: Ontario Curriculum Unit Planner
 * [|Assessment Video - Clip 1]
 * [|Assessment Video - Clip 2]
 * [|Video Clip] from Assessment & Evaluation Symposium (2008); Keynote Speaker: Dr. Douglas Reeves (click on link, then double-click on page to enlarge video) ||
 * [|Rubric Builder]
 * Use this site to build rubrics for any grade level. It is based on the Ontario curriculum, and is available for use (free-of-charge) by all teacher candidates (you just need your log in information). ||


 * // An Educator's Understanding of Content //**

Tips and/or strategies for increasing knowledge and understanding of Math:


 * Review, review, review! Brush up on concepts by completing sample problems, reviewing theory/explanations, practice explaining concepts to yourself/colleagues before teaching them to students
 * Conduct research on and investigate student preconceptions pertaining to Math, and develop ways to address these preconceptions during lessons (check out the following link for an example: [|Students' Misconceptions in Middle School Mathematics] - by L. Keaser)
 * Challenge yourself; push your thought process and your comprehension to the limit
 * Ask colleagues for help
 * Learn from and collaborate with your students - if you don't know an answer to a question, share the responsibility of finding the solution(s) with inquisitive minds (e.g. encourage your students to look into the topic further, and you do the same, then share your findings the next time you meet)
 * Ongoing professional learning - I think this is self-explanatory
 * Integrate subjects - find relationships between different subjects and investigate different ways to solving the same problem(s) (e.g. using Calculus to solve Physics problems)