Exit Slip: September 28 (Reflections on questions)

The classroom discussion today brought forth many important queries in mathematics education. Among those many great ideas, two concepts really stood out to me. They were "the story of mathematics" and "teaching students how to do good." I personally believe that those ideas are deeply interconnected.

On surface level, the story of mathematics may appear to sound like: "Once upon a time there was a problem. A really smart student knew what to do and bravely suggested to the teacher what the solution could be. It just so happened that because our young hero(ine) was so brilliant, they got the correct answer and the problem was solved forever. Today, our young hero(ine) journeys across the land, solving problems for their friends, living a super-smart life one day at a time. The end." 

Entrance Slip: September 28 (Richard Barwell)

"A Critical Mathematics Education for Climate Change" was a thought-provoking read. I thought that the principles for teaching mathematics in the context of climate change was a well-presented reflection on the way math makes an impact as caretakers of our planet. As future educators, we have a growing responsibility to raise and teach the new generations, because every year becomes more desperate with the fight against the factors for climate change. 

Exit Slip: September 21 (Traditional crafts and learning gardens)

Today's class felt incredibly welcoming. The comfortable atmosphere made the activities were so communal and relaxing. It was so heartwarming to see everyone working on their 5-strand and 7-strand braids, twisting the ropes, and excitedly fashioning a kite. Instead of the competitive environments we are used to, I felt so proud of everyone's creations and appreciative knowing how much work each person put in to their project! 

Entrance Slip: September 21 (Sharon Kallis)

Sharon Kallis' point on "happily [divesting] the responsibility of taking care of ourselves" stood out to me (page 21). Despite being aware of our inabilities to survive without specific technologies, her explanation of outsourcing highlighted the choice we made to prioritize comfort over effort. For some reason, it made me feel really uncomfortable to be so aware of our inevitable dependences (which is a good thing!). Sharon's outline of the situation elucidated the shift in priorities and potential consequences that could occur without enough effort to change, which was something I really resonated with. Given the evidences of human-impacted climate change, I think it's crucial that we make achievable adjustments to reconnect to natural, local methods wherever possible. I also liked that her concept of backsourcing is simple enough to have nurtured discussions in classrooms, and a grassroots movement towards supporting that independence could be very powerful. 

Exit Slip: September 14 (Thinking about learning gardens)

Throughout the reading, I was really surprised at how many different groups of people were able to connect and benefit from the UBC Orchard Garden. It felt amazing to link my limited experience in the garden to the experiences of students from many other disciplines, faculty members, global and local visitors, artists, generations, small communities, and professionals. Usually, a classroom experience is shared by students of the past and present, but the beauty of the learning garden was that this "classroom" experience gets to be shared by people from so many walks of life. 

Entrance Slip: September 14 (On being a reflective teacher)

1) Does this article 'speak to you' as a new teacher candidate in Vancouver in 2023, even though it was written in a different time and place? What in this article reaches or touches your life and ideas as a teacher candidate, and why? What seems dated or irrelevant, and why?

The notion of being a reflective teacher was summarised really well in the article. I agreed with the categorization of open-mindedness, responsibility, and wholeheartedness, and I feel like that has not changed for teachers. In fact, those are still highlighted points in our current teacher education program, which goes to show how timeless those characteristics are in this profession. 

Exit Slip: September 7 (Frank McCourt)

As a result of last year's current events, towards the end of the video, I thought, "Why does a man described as an 'ordinary everyday' teacher, share with Taylor Swift the fact that they both have an honourary doctorate from NYU?" That was answered by Frank McCourt himself, who coincidentally answered, "ordinary teachers don't get honourary doctorates." In a wonderful discussion with Andrew and Jacky, we settled on the following differences between an ordinary teacher and Frank McCourt: mastery of teaching requires mastery of connection, a fine line exists between comfort and stagnancy, lesson plans do not make great teachers, and great teachers teach humans- not students. 

Hello World

 Hello everyone! This is my first blog post.