One of my teachers got back to me right away with math ideas.
There are two videos that he made last year, mini-documentaries that I found inspiring. And yes, I did spend my Saturday night watching them. (family was asleep or at departmental parties).
Here are the links, but I will also keep them on my video resources page.
The first one profiles award-winning math teachers, and the second one interviews students about what makes a really good math teacher.
I am familiar with the principles presented, but it was wonderful to see the different personalities and classrooms of the teachers, and to see some concrete examples of the theory.
Basically, I am on the right track. I need to start simple, use baby steps, take time, and repeat. Two things that hit me especially from the first video were the teacher who was amazing at using humor and fun in his classroom, and the teacher who emphasized a variety of problem solving strategies. I want signs like the teacher from Baltimore. It made sense to me, to have a tool box of strategies that the kids are familiar with. Then when they are having trouble you can ask them, have you tried X strategy? what about Y strategy? and they have reminders on the walls.
