Exit Slip: Oct 21st

Gender Euqality in Physics:

    I remember when professor Donna Strickland came to do a colloquium at Hebb building at UBC, to give lecture on her research that won her the Nobel Prize. One thing I remember that she said was how many guest lecture request she was receiving now that she have won a very esteemed reward, when she had very little before. What really hit me the most was after the guest lecture and when we were having social meeting after ward. In one of the room in physics building, we were all gathered to have conversation with the professor and had some wine and cheese on the side. I noticed that one of the questions that she was most asked was "how is it like to be woman in field of physics?" What was interesting for me was her face expression (oh, how miss the days without masks). It was clear she was disturbed by the questions. I do not know how she felt exactly, but I am sure she wanted to approached by students to discuss physics and the question only made her feel as if she was only approached because she is woman. I understand where the question is coming from, but by asking the same the question we are treating her like how she have been treated before.

    I believe our job as teacher is to provide equal opportunity for all students to pursue any field. It is our job to break those gender stereotypes that students are often exposed to. We should never be the one to discriminate students depending on the gender, colour and etc. With socially constructed stereotypes and systematic biases I do not expect them to disappear over night. But it is our duty to dilute these ideas so in next generation there would be even less and the cycle repeats until they disappear, this should be our goal. Until the day where a person is judged only by their work and get proper credit for them, we should be an active model for the students. 

Choosing an Area for Inquiry Project

Main Topic: Two-Stage Test/Exams

For those who do not know Two-Stage test/exam is a test that has two parts. The first part of the test is done individually like any test we all might be familiar with. There is a second part where you are given a portion of the test from the first part again to the students, but have students come to the group and come up with a solution together. The given questions are usually the hardest part of the test, so could be a long answer question or a multilayered question. The purpose of this exam is to reduce the stress level of the students and to turn the test into a learning tool and not just an assessment tool.

I wanted to talk about this because this is something that I've only experienced in the Physics department once I came to UBC. I think this was a unique experience that I think was beneficial in my learning. This is why I started to wonder why this type of strategy has not been implemented into 'rework' the system around testing and assessment. I feel like we only ever think about moving away from a standardized tests, but why can't we change the test to better suit our desired outcome? 

1. Define Your Question:

    What are some ways that you could turn tests into a learning experience and not just a tool for an assessment? Is Two-Stage a good tool to achieve such a goal?

2. Analyze Your Topic into Concepts:

    a. Vygotsky's Sociocultural & Social interaction in learning

    b. Assessment for Learning (AfL). AfL has disseminated four interventions: questioning, feedback through marking, peer- and self-assessment, and formative use of summative tests.

Entrance Slip: Oct 21st

 Learning The Grammar of Animacy

There are two things I like to talk about when talking about terminology in science and mathematics.

1. Origine of the terminology, such as prefixes and how some terms are derived from various cultures.

2. How to approach the teaching of the terminology. A word could be completely new to the student, or they may already have a slightly different definition of the word that is out of the context of science.

In the case of number 2, I do not know if the two cases require different approaches in teaching because, in the end, the student will require a concrete understanding of the word, so perhaps how you decide to assist the student in learning or experiencing such words does not matter. 

Personally speaking, etymology always has been interesting for me, because it shows the way of thinking of the time period of that particular culture. It is true that all the scientific words are euro-centric but on the other hand, things were named after someone or whoever discovered came up with words however they see fit. Honestly, I have no issue with this, because I know that words only exist if people use them. There are words that get put up in the dictionary because enough population of people uses them, even the word itself has only existed for few years. There are cultural words such as Kimchi or Bibimbap that get put in the dictionary because there is enough awareness of the words and could represent new ideas that did not exist in this part of the world. (and yes I am of Korean heritage so I chose those words) I also think that indigenous words such as puhpowee could hold their own once people become aware of it because they represent something that had no 'name' for its Euro-centric ideas. I think this is one way to indigenize my classroom. Students can learn traditional European scientific words as well as these words to reinforce one another. It is not like the usage of these words are irrelevant, because students can always cite these words into their essay or projects and may help them communicate better and efficiently without using too many words to describe.

Exit Slip: Oct 14th

 Engaging Students and Moving Away From Grades

In general, I agreed with everything that was shown today, especially with Jo Boaler because that is something I have experience as a student in my university classes. The 'Think-Pair-Share' strategy is something that I am very fond of because I believe in such a style of the social aspect of learning that I will most definitely implement in my profession.

On the other hand, I have a sense of uneasiness in me regarding Alfie Kohn's idea of why grades do more harm than do good. On one hand, I can totally relate to where is coming from. I have chosen my high school elective and grades I received because I had to go into a university. Even in university, I was surrounded by friends who did research on the average GPA of the class so they can find the easiest elective they can take and receive the highest grade possible. There was no passion or interest in the topic involve when deciding on those electives. I do not know if this is something we can address by changing the system we live in, and if it is then the change has to be from top to bottom or bottom-up. 

Another idea that I was wondering was if there is no grade then what will replace that formal assessment. Would the assessment be in reflection of the progression of the individual students? If it is not done at the individual level, it means there would be certain thresholds and standards that all students have to meet, but is that not the same as having a grade? If it is assessed as individual, then that requires a very thorough understanding of students and their knowledge. Would that mean there has to be some sort of formal assessment to find where everyone is? 

I feel like, this class was good in that I encountered a lot of ideas that I really connect with and agree with, but still came out with more questions than answers. 

Entrance Slip: Oct 14th

 Dancing teacher into being

"For teachers, the sorting of curriculum, students, resources, timetables and grades into charts and tables tames the potentially overwhelming task of educating dozens or hundreds of young people, year after year."

This quote represents one of the things I am scared of, being too comfortable at where I will be. The first couple of years of my career will be some of my hardest years because I will be new at the job. It will take some time for me to learn how to interact with various students, try out various teaching methods and approaches, and at some point, I will be like I found something. It would be my default setting that I find that works, but once I get too comfortable, I might forget that when students are having a hard time, it might be me that is the problem. I do not want to fall into this false sense that I am doing everything right but its the students who are not putting enough effort into it. Flow like water, because water that does not flow gets tainted. 

My takeaway of metaphors in this article is that many that a lot of structures derived from the western influence which is based on ownership and power. I do have issues with putting students in square rooms and in a square desk, within the school that is shaped like a stack of boxes of room. On the other hand, I wonder if finding that grid system is something that is just natural for us. When we look at nature, hardly anything is perfectly square and in grid format, but when we look closely, all the building blocks are in the grid. Cells and cell walls are nicely organized blocks with their own compartments that have different functions. It is only with the combination of these building blocks that are in grids, that trees can grow into a shape it is now. I think it might be similar for us humans as well. It is true that we follow a particular timetable and live in a square building, but maybe that is okay as long as we can all come together to become a building block for something greater and not so square. I think our problem is not the fact that we live in a square world, but the fact that we often do not let anyone leave that square grid. If someone does not fit into that grid, perhaps we should change our 'grid' to better fit everyone, and perhaps the finished product would not be just a collection of a square box, but a unique shape. (now I feel like it took this more into general philosophy style of approach)

Exit Slip: Sept 23rd (3 weeks after)

 Braiding activity: 

Creating braiding was a fun activity for me since I really do enjoy making things and get my hand (somewhat) dirty. This was really special because I do not get opportunity to make things just with hands and the raw materials, which is different from working with other tools and glues that also requires great precision and accuracy. Not that braiding does not require precision and accuracy, but it purely relies on your hands and its sense of touch to come to such conclusion. In a sense this is similar to solving math or physics question because once you solve the questions, it requires the confidence and intuition of the one solving so they can also agree with the answer they found. I think there is a difference between knowing how to approach the solution and intuitively knowing if it is correct, and they are both very important in finding answers. 

I think this kind of activity is also beneficial for the students who gets easily distracted. Creating braid is not too complicated that I can do it as I am listening to someone else talk and still have comprehension of it, so it can benefit someone as a fidget spinner could. Also, creating something give one sense of pride and accomplishment as well, which could be beneficial for students' mental health as well. 

Exit Slip: Oct 7th

Sitting activity:

My spot is located past the orchard shed, beyond the field and the forest to the left. There you will find a tree that its branches arches over the in all direction resembling an umbrella. It is under that tree that I sit, leaning on the trunk. 

One thing that I noticed other then the temperature difference, was the colour. Surprisingly, not a lot of leaves have turn yellow and fall for the autumn. To be frank I do not know if the tree is one that visually indicate the change in seasons. The colour difference was in the new grass that are growing under the protection of the tree. Some random weeds, some that seems to be dandelions. Since there are very limited sources of direct sunlight, the colour of the grass are very light in colour, especially when you compare them to leaves out in the open field. They are also smaller and often cases chewed on because the tree also provide shade that more insects would find appealing.

Compass activity: 

My group tried to replicate the overall shape of the leave with the angle in which the veins are formed. We did make the assumption where we would be drawing the leaves as if it was perfectly symmetrical. It is interesting because all we did was draw a line that would represent the main stem of the leave then draw a circle centred at the middle of the leave and at 1/4, 3/4 location of the stem. and draw lines at the intersecting points. We used bisecting techniques to find other intersections that could be point of interest. It was cool to see that everything can be described with circles and lines, and more bisecting we did, closer we got to the actual leaf. We often forget that as much as the nature seems to be random, it is has its own patterns that it follows. We often describe math and physics as tools to learn about behaviours and how things works but we often overlook this natural design of the world and why things look the way it does. This was a cool activity to get hands on experience in seeing such design. 

Entrance Slip: Oct 7th

  Mathematics for Life

1. Emotions play a crucial role in decision-making and human action (Damasio, 1994). If we do not feel numbers, then our emotional access to the physical phenomena they represent is much diminish.

2.  Integrating the environment into the discourse of the mathematics classroom signals the possibility of a more genuine mathematics education. 

I think I speak for everyone when I say we have all wondered why we need to learn certain equations or concepts that feels so irrelevant. We used to just sit in class where an expression is derived and plug in numbers to make sure the expression stays true, but there was no meaning behind learning other than to pass the course. With introduction of environmental concerns, I believe that we can make the course more relevant to the students. As the 1st quote says, more we can build emotional connection between concepts/topics to the students, more enthusiastically the students will approach the topic. 

My questions regarding the climate education is on what I am trying to achieve by teaching this topic. As a teacher following curriculum, I will make sure the students understand the mathematical concepts that are being introduced. Also, I want the students to come to realise that environmental issues are real and something needs to be done, but I should not force that thought onto them. As a teacher, I should teach students to look at the other side of the argument, even though most of them would be from scientist or researchers affiliated to big oil company, their mathematics would also be valuable learning tool. As a teacher I want to teach students how to think on their own and do research for themselves not just listen to what someone else has to say, but I do fear that not everyone will be on the same matter at the end of the learning. I want more people to acknowledge that environmental issue are real, but as a teacher I want the students to learn how to come up with their own answers not just follow what I think. 

I feel like this is more ethical argument than about mathematics, and this is possibly why the math education has stayed away from the environmental issues, because it can be very easy to frame the education certain way. I would think that incorporating environmental aspect to math is to teach about issues we are facing, but some group or community could see this as an act to enforce someone else's value to their own children. I feel like at that point it becomes an issue for the community. One thing I want to say is that education should not become a point of discourse the divide society even further. Of course, I myself will incorporate environmental aspect to the course, but I know depending on the community I feel like there could be a backlash to it. 

Personally speaking, I always thought that curriculum needed more emphasis on environments, especially on energy consumption because as new technology comes out and replaces the human activity, our energy consumption is only increasing, and how we could mitigate environmental damage is by minimising energy usage where we can and turn to clean energy as much as possible.