“Knowing is not enough; we must apply.

Willing is not enough; we must do.”

—Goethe

Here we are at week 7 in a new school year. Crazy! I am getting to know my students and most are starting to confide in me—asking good questions to clarify their thinking and sharing their frustrations and misconceptions as they begin to trust me with their fears and their mathematical understandings, however fragile. My 8^th grade class (who are convinced they ‘can’t do math’ ) is finding brilliant connections that make sense and that show they are quite capable mathematical thinkers. Most are getting an ‘A’ or a ‘B’ for the first quarter…better than most ‘accelerated algebra’ students. They have many friends in the other math classes and hove begun asking the difference between our class and the accelerated classes. I tell them that they are different because they have me and the others don’t….quite simple, I think. They just figure that they’re the lucky ones…cool!

Watching the lack of collaboration within this math department, I am still amazed. The principal swears that we collaborate because we meet as per her expectation once a month. The discussion isn’t deep and it has yet to be about curriculum, mathematics, students or pedagogy, but rather how much would a replacement LCD projector cost. Professional, huh? (Of course I suggested the LCD projector probably just needs a new lamp, silly me!)

I am practicing what I preach—designing interesting, worthwhile problems for students to grapple with daily is interesting, but challenging. It makes me ‘walk the walk’ regularly….and it is really quite FUN! I do like to teach and I’m learning what my book should focus on. Interesting and fun work. I think the theme is going to be “Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.” —Goethe As I plan it, I watch with great interest! xo