ZPD and Engagement

It is good to have some practical examples of what the ZPD might look in a math class.  Boredom on one end when math is too easy and anxiety on the other end when math is too difficult.  The ZPD looks like a pretty narrow target and I believe it is going to take some practice to hit the bull’s-eye and engagement is critical!

Going to the computer lab was a good example of how we might engage some of our students in different ways.  Geometers sketch pad was a lot of fun and would allow some of our students a different entry point for geometry. I need to review my geometry vocabulary as I had my kite and rombus a bit confused.  Using DASL in conjunction with  Fathom 2 was a great combination for engagement for statistics and graphing.  We have already talked about how using real data can allow students to connect and create meaning in ways that “made up” data sets does not allow.  I think analyzing data is lot more important that being able to graph data and this is a brilliant way to enable that to be easy.

I did ask my high school senior and he has never used any of these tools.  He attends a pretty resource rich high school (Issaquah), so it does give me pause about the cost or feasibility of schools using these to engage students.  He does have the same TI graphing calculator that he has used since middle school.  Although he has never hooked it up to a probe to do motion analysis, he has done something similar with Loggerpro that he tells me is pretty cool.  My understanding Loggerpro allows a variety of sensors (thermometer, ph, etc)  to plug into hardware that connects to a computer for graphing.  So maybe it will eventually be at our fingertips, or smart phones.

Writing Conferences

I spent time on the plane to California reading Routman's chapter on student writing conferences.  I wished I had read it a couple of weeks earlier as I now realize that I have been in a series of writing conferences with my son - we just did not have a name for it.  He is a high school senior writing essays for his college applications.  The whole application process feels very stressful and high stakes with the essays providing an opportunity to differentiate applicants.  I am comfortable with content conferences, but I also got pulled into editing conferences too.


As a parent, I focused on the content of the essays.  Was it interesting? (reviewers would be reading hundreds of essays).  Did it sound like him? (it needs to be his voice).  Did the topic he chose highlight an activity or accomplishment where he learned something? (this is not the time to be modest).  Does it avoid cliche and hyperbole? (not another athlete that overcame an injury to return to triumph).


As a teacher, I think that this is where we can really help our students be successful writers with great ideas to share and communicate.  I agree with Routman when she says to ignore editing concerns at first and focus on content.  I think that a lot of my "parent talk" translates to "teacher talk."  I suggested my son write another intro when I thought his did not provide enough of a hook.  One excellent essay ended flat and I suggested he reconsider the close.  In retrospect, I should have been using Routman's simple suggestion of having him reread his essay multiple times and especially each time he returned to the essays.


As a parent, the editing conferences were not comfortable for me.  I do not remember all the finer points of grammar.  Should it be "that or which" should it be past or past perfect (whatever that is).  What sounds right to me may not be grammatically correct and that worries me with so much at stake.  Luckily, my teenager seems pretty confident in all the editing.  As a teacher, I am okay with punctuation and spelling, but my grammar will need to be dusted off a bit.  I do like the idea of students doing most of the editing themselves or with their peers.  I like Routman's tips about students becoming as independent as possible by having one on one conferences only when the students have done everything they can on their own and completed requirements.

In summary, this chapter was filled with great tips for having writing conferences with students.  Routman's ideas about "frontloading" are among my favorite.  She says that frontloading means "doing whatever you need to do before students write to ensure they understand the talk and expectations and are prepare to succeed. ...the payoff is huge: quality writing, right from the start, along with efficient conferences.  The month of December will be filled with more college applications and essays.  I am prepared to let my son know that before I read another essay that there are certain expectations that I have for him too.