Math in China

Nanjing.

2005-08-12T21:35:00.001-07:00

The two last days of the conference where in Nanjing, another nice, humid and warm city in China....

Dtr. Kissane from Australia. Speaks about our personal Technology.

Revisiting personal technology.
Technology is everywhere in society, calculators are cheaper than computers, that is a fact...
Learn by doing.
Calculators can be very important to learn not just to calculate.
Nothing changes in education if nothing changes in our techers which have to be supported.

He shared with us a couple of webs.

Www.aamt.edu.au/projects/gc
Www.staff.murdoch.edu.au/~kissane

He also details a typical problem...

About inequalities
Expose students to a problem about the two rates of mobile telephones before they have been taught firmally to solve inequalities.
Student can guess and check with the calculator.

Here in Nanjing the organization has been also very nice to everybody. And the campus of the city is not as modern as it is in Shanghai but it defenetely is one of the nicest ones in China as they say. The gardens are look very nice and there are old houses that hold the departments of the University, the food here was very good to .... I know we eat much better than students here... in a way they want to impress us...

The last but one meal was really something amazing.... we went to one of the most traditional restaurants in the city....

30 something tiny small courses... very good all of them. And all very well thaught and planed... something light to begin, then meats and fish... soups of mushrooms to finish and to help you to digest...

Ending the conference in Shanghai

2005-08-11T21:15:00.000-07:00

To teach one of the most famous equations of Math....

(a +b)2 =a2+2ab+b2 (2's mean square not multiplying)

Dtor. Li Peng says there are two very well known ways.

1-Deductive model... step by step.
2-Geometric model ( two rectangles divided in two ways) & find a patern.

You choose, depending on the students you have but you really need to know that: "An individual does not learn mathematics automaticatically they need an intellectal effort that will smaller as closer it is his or her previous knowledge to the taught topic."

The campus of the University is nice. Chairman Mao is also, as in many places, present...

Dtr. Wei-Chi -Chang.
Talks about some impacts among using technology in math classes. He works in US.
Pros and Cons. He summarizes...
Bush wants more tests which means more class with questions on the test and less creativity, are we just teaching Math for a damn test?

Quoting Leo Tolstoy.

2005-08-10T19:12:00.000-07:00

When I ask how failing classes in Philipines are, Mark, a man from NY working in Washington DC for the National Science Organization, says something very interestig to me:

"Ana Karenina begins: Every happy family is happy the same way, every unhappy family is unhappy their own way.... "

He adds: "is the same fot students that peform bad in school."

More interesting sessions.

2005-08-09T19:58:00.000-07:00

Today the first plenary session is about.

Teaching with variation.

Experience progressive formalization & extend a problem by varing the conditions this is a very interesting way of teaching is begining with something very easy that could be the warm-up and really growing the knwoledge into something deep. you can use very different examples standard ones and non standard ones to clarify the understanding.

In the second talk Dr. Xi explains us how is a regular class, the environment in a Chinese school.

It seems to be that a chinese class regular class environment is really what I have experienced . We can summurize it saying that there is

• Social & psychological coherence.
• Serious class opening ritual.
• More than half of the students responses are choral responses.
• Class opening ritual as follows.
1. Class begins,
2. Teachers stands behind the desk, look at students and says: good morning students.
3. Students in choral: Good morning, teacher.
4. Sit down, please. says the teacher.

They explain their philosophy like that.
Foundations for high building must be deep & strong.
Understanding is long process recquires extensive mental effort.
Tacit knowledge
Michael Polianyi 1962
Zhu Xi phases of learning
1 have a goal.
2 learn extensively.
3 question seriously.
4 think carefully.
5 distinguish clearly.
6 review and practice.
7 use deligently.

Earcome Conference Shanghai

2005-08-08T18:42:00.000-07:00

The conference is being in held by the East Normal University of Shanghai.

I would not say that the organization is good is GREAT. All under control. Everything ready. Volunteers to help us out in case we do not know where to go. Ready to help always.

Many of the conferences are for small groups but some are plenary sessions.

Dr. Tsin-mei Huang talks about Math knowledge to solve everyday live problems.
She states that although students use their knowledge on Math for everyday live they are not aware they are using that math...
Activities like tales and games are fine meanwhile are real in students minds.
In her study she designed interesting presentations to be projected on a white board to keep students engaged. The story is about a group of friend that have to buy things for a party o their way they have to solve some problems about distances, about quantities, discounts etc. I find it quite interesting.

Problem Solving in Philippines.

They present a situation that can be similar to the one I have in the Bronx in terms of population. High percent of Low class, economically high need, but with a "slight" difference, in Philippines students are tutored home by parents. A boy from the most dangerous area made it to the finals of Math Olimpiad due the tutoring and discipline at home.

Another case exposed by the foment is the one about a teacher from a small School in the mountains where students after walking some hours cannot work properly because the last meal they had (rice & dried fish) Teacher brings food for them her position is "I am single; I am not getting to get married, my students are my kids. My money goes to them..."

In another presentation I found very interesting that activity.

Game Run to 30.
To work with an strategy.
Two players count numbers each player can count one or two numbers, but it has to be fast,it wins the one that counts 30.
Game about the spinners. One bigger than the other both with a 1/4 of it painted in blue. Which is the spinner that will give you more options to have blue? Why?

Let's make think, let's make them write their own thinking....

Taiyuan (Catalan Version)

2005-08-07T19:05:00.000-07:00

6 d'Agost

Visita a un temple budista que hi ha aprop de Taiyuan. Interessant. Hi aribo amb bus local. Molts xinesos....milers. Turisme que fan una mica cutre... Bruticia, amontegament, i fan fotos a sobre de xavalls o camells. Esfan fotos amb disfresses de l'epoca...
A partir de l'entrada del temple no tants.

Temple budista molt bonic, musica molt bonica. Compro el segon CD.
Torno vaig a un establiment recomanat per una noia que vaig coneixer la nit abans. CaríÌssim... Polos per 1250¡•...125$...
Sopo al establiment torno en taxi a la zona del hotel.

Marxant de Pyngiao (Catalan Version)

2005-08-05T19:12:00.000-07:00

For my beloved Catalan friends that are complaining that sometimes they don't get all what I am writing.

5 d'Agost

Al mati hem anat a esmorzar al bar america...

He arribat a Taiyuan. Es una ciutat molt lletja, molt. No obstant estic content d'haver vingut per que m'ensenya una altra cara de la Xina. Em sembla que esta es una bona mostra dek que es de debo la Xina. Aqui no hi ha turistes. En 7 hores no n'he vist ni un, cap europeu, cap. Soc, ara mes que mai una rara abbis. En arribar he vist un munt de gent assentats all carrer, no feien pinta de treballadors de la contrucció com es veu cada dos per tres a Beijing, aqui simplement estaven assentats o estirats al carrer. Brutejaven, mal vestits, deixats....

Alguns jugaven a jocs de taula...

He sortit a fer un volt, m'he comprat un parell de jerseis de cara a la conferencia. He anat a sopar a un buffet lliure, ja estava fart de tant menjar xines...

He voltat per trobar incens ja que el water fa una mica de pudor. L'he trobat i per sorpresa meva es diu Xian... Com la ciutat...
En tornar al hotel he vist un grup d'unes 20 persones dormint al carrer just al costat d'on estic jo, tots junts, tapats.

Xina evoluciona molt molt ràpid... avança el país? no ho sé pas. Suposant que avanci. El que veig és que alguns en un intent desesperat de tenir els mateixos luxes que altres ciutadans arriben a la ciutat sense res, no troben feina... o simplement no poden assumir les despeses que tenen i es queden enrera..

Tiananmen Sq.

2005-07-29T18:34:00.000-07:00

Tiananmen Square is the huge, open square in the middle of Beijing. It's mostly just empty, open space, with the Mao Shrine (which we skipped) and a war memorial in the middle. There is a gate at one end, and the Forbidden City is on the other end. I didn't find the square very interesting. In fact, the most interesting thing about the square to me is the long line of Chinese waiting to enter the Mao Shrine for a glimpse of his body in the morning or the huge crowd waiting for the Chinese flag to be lowered.

The best quote on Tiananmen Square in Lonely Planet:

Bicycles cannot be ridden across Tiananmen Square (apparently tanks are OK), but you can walk the bike.
There is also a gate (Qianmen) at the edge of Tiananmen square, which you can go upstairs to get a good view of the line to see Mao.

No news, good news?

2005-07-27T21:21:00.000-07:00

Today I met Zhong again.

He is a really nice man. As a many Chinese people he really wants to make
you feel comfortable in his country. He really wants to help. He could not
contact his friend, the one I should interview.

I will visit him again tomorrow.

Apart from that I like Beijing. I got used to some smell, to some dirt on
the street, to the chaotic traffic, to high temperatures, humidity (these
last two they are really look like NY and Barcelona).... Once you get used
to these circumstances you can begin to like Beijing... A different culture
a different world...

Contacts.

2005-07-24T15:37:00.000-07:00

First contacts....

One of the objectives here was interviewing Math teachers and sit in their classes. When I was writing the project I luckily contacted a Math teacher. Lily (many chinese people has an english name) agreed to be interviewed and to introduce me some other teachers and she said there was no problem for me to attend to her classes. She disappered. I have been emailing her since I knew for sure that I was going to China and one day she stopped writing me.

I do not know where she is. If something happened.

Being that the actual situation, these days I go around trying to contact people that or are teachers or can know anyone that works as teacher.

Today walking near Darshamla Street a touristic street full of shops I met a man that spoke a little english. After few minutes I asked him what is he doing. He works in a hospital repairing electronic devices. His wife is a bus driver. When I asked if he would know any math teacher to be interviewed he answered that a good friend of him works as a teacher and it seems that I will be able to interview him. I have to call Zhong (the man I met) in two days he will let me know.

Comunication is very difficult. I will need a translator for my interviews. Some young people speak a bit of english. People older than 30 normally speak nothing. At the moment my chinese is not more than " Xie xie " (Thank you), " Nihao " (Hello), "Tsai tie" (good bye).

Taking a bus is a good experience. I am not doing it a lot at the moment because I mainly use my bike but as the you cannot comunicate a lot before getting in you really need to be sure is the one you want because once you are inside you will not be able to know if you are in the correct direction unless you have next to you somebody young that speaks english.... the bus will be totally packed and looking outside you will not know where you are because the organization of the streets is not the one we are used.

In two days I will know if I have my first interviews... I am crossing my fingers.

First days in China

2005-07-23T11:16:00.000-07:00

Firsts days in China, in Beijing.

Today is my second day in China. Yesterday, just after landing, first thing I did: take a cab and go to the city center. Second thing: Buy a bike.

I love biking; it is part of my live. Here in Beijing there is plenty of people using their bikes, plenty.

I love it. They do have a city prepared for biker and many people commute by bike. It is clean, healthy and for short distances much faster than buses or underground.

When I leave I will sell my bike again to the person that sold it to me or just give it to somebody as a present probably I will give it to somebody.

I am staying in a Hotel just few blocks away from the Forbidden City. I will be staying there for few days, two or three and then I will move to somewhere else. I feel like staying in different places in the city in order to get to know it better.

In general the places I have seen are a bit dirty. Sometimes the smell is a bit bad. There is a lot of pollution. I wanted to go running but I think I will suffer from asthma here. Anyway at least I will try.

Food is fine. Last night I met a couple of Art students and I went with them to have dinner. The place was nice and cheap. I like all kinds of food but I don‚t know how is going to be eating Chinese food for a month....

Leaving

2005-07-21T18:07:00.000-07:00

Today I leave....

China is watiting for me.

I don't how these firsts days are going to be....

I am excited, after one year in NY I just spent two weeks home and I have my backpack ready again. First I go to Amsterdam few hours there and then fly to Beijing.

I don't know where I will sleep, where I will go... just that I have one month in front of me and I will enjoy a lot.

Time to go.

At Fund for Teachers office

2005-04-12T20:24:00.000-07:00

Today I received the check that is my grant to go to China.

Fund for Teachers is a foundation whose mission is to enrich the lives of schoolteachers and students by providing outstanding teachers with recognition and opportunities for summer learning and exploration. Making a difference one teacher at a time, Fund for Teachers provides funds for direct grants to teachers to support summer sabbaticals of their own design.

Fund for Teachers grants are awarded to teachers who work with students in grades K - 12 and have a minimum of three years teaching experience. Participants are selected based on how their proposed summer activity will make the applicant a better teacher, how improved skills and capacity will be implemented in the classroom and how his or her improved skills or capacity ill benefit his or her students, curricula and school.

Unique learning experiences funded by Fund for Teachers have included everything from exploring active volcanoes in Hawaii to participating in a hands-on study of Beluga whales to trekking across Laos to learn about the Hmong culture to sharpening Spanish skills in Guatemala.

I will go to China.

Awarded!!!

2005-03-25T17:48:00.000-08:00

They gave it to me...

YES!!

I knew it, I was sure that in case of being awarded the letter would begin.

You have been awarded a grant....

Nothing else... No other words to begin the letter....

And my dream came true.

I work in the Bronx. Hellooooo!!!

Guys, students, people around there...

Don't you see that over there, for you are many opportunities waiting?

I think that I am a clear example. No citizen, a very bad visa, J1, a teacher.

I asked for a grant to go to China to attend a Math conference all expenses paid. They gave it to me. I take it as a great opportunity to learn about Math, to become a better teacher and to learn how to teach better. Apart from that I will do a nice trip to China and I will learn about a another culture...

We should all have dreams.... in case of having them I am sure that they will be there waiting for us....

About Restaurants

2004-11-12T20:14:00.000-08:00

NY has more than 27,000 restaurants, that's why new yorkers never eat their words, says an advertisement on the train ...

Bruckner bar.

2004-09-10T23:39:00.000-07:00

I’m in bar, Jenny is here. Jenny is the AP!! (Assistent Principal). She is just sitting next to me in a sofa. Everybody told me that you don’t want contact with the Principal and maybe a bit with the AP… this Banana Kelly I’m (my High School) is really different. I like it. I’m so happy to be a member of that group of teachers.

We are now like ten people in that bar called Bucker the grill bar or something like that.

At the beginning we all were here, all the staff except the P and the AP. 20 people mostly young people not older thant 35 the majority. When I saw them arriving I was so surprised, amazed…. Joshua the Principal is now going to play pool… it seems that every Friday afternoon all of them come to that bar to have a drink, to talk and just to have a bit of fun after the working week.

They really make me feel so welcome.

Joshua is drinking directly from the jar of beer….. playing pool.

Some others are outside of the bar, drinking beer, on the street!!! That is illegal, not allowed, not supposed …. But that is the Bronx…

I’ve been told today that my student my eleven graders are a bit difficult. That in the US terms means really difficult… I know it, I just spent a month here but I know that they are always so polite… they don’t say the things exactly as they are… they don’t want to be offensive. They really care about the words they use…. So in a way you have to interpret them.

I talked to Giulio a guy from California. He is really funny, likes jokes quite a lot. He invited to go to a kind of barbacue tomorrow. Tomorrow is Saturday, I will go to the HS to set up my class, so much work needs to be done there. After that, in the afternoon I’ll go to that barbacue…. He just came to me saying about going there after a nice talk we had. I do feel welcome here, that is really important when you are foreing. I feel I’m not alone in front of the danger.

Karl also one guy from has been really helpful also, he explained me some things about the planning some strategies for the homework he uses. We’ve been talking today here and when he knew I was going to the HS tomorrow he also offered himself to help me. I do know is not just a saying.

Now we are online, connected to internet… we were given a laptop each. The school received a grant so all the teachers have a laptop a iBook G4 to work with it. We will use a software called PowerGrade and Powerschool to grade our students to take attendence and so on...

In ten fifteen minutes I will live to a kind of party that some austrian girls are having, a warming up party of their apartment.
I won't go to sleep to late because is going to be another long day.

Andy, Amanda and a former teacher are here sorrounding me many of us with our brand new computers... checking our email or downloading the software we were required.

Monday is the D day, the day we begin. I'm looking forward for it.