Using Multiple Representations in Middle School Math

Teaching for Understanding:  Why Using Multiple Representations is Essential for Math Learners.

 

A common belief held by many people is that math is difficult to learn.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  In fact, each of us is a mathematician, and all students have the ability to make substantial growth in math.  It is true, perhaps, that math could be very difficult to learn if all it is to students is an exercise in tedious memorization.  You see, math is about much more than learning algorithms and memorizing multiplication facts and formulas. 

MATH IS ABOUT THINKING.  

From infancy all children wonder about the world around them, seeking out answers to problems based on the information available to them at the time.  To help students grow as math thinkers, teachers and parents must get past thinking that memorizing math facts is enough.  To grow and excel in math, students must be challenged at the earliest ages - even before kindergarten - to think about math critically.  One of the best ways to help students develop this critical thinking ability is to expose them to multiple representations of mathematical concepts while challenging them to create representations of their own.

What would this look like for students in a middle school classroom?  Given that math is about thinking, we must accept that it is also about communicating our thinking - and about challenging our thinking and questioning our approaches to problems.  Consider the importance of these concepts in this brief video from Dan Meyer, doctoral fellow at Stanford University.



 

 

 



Recently, 8th grade math students at MSW were challenged to use multiple representations to analyze a non-linear pattern of growth.  Their teachers, Nikki Kelley and Denise Wolfe, wanted students to share their thinking as they examined one another's work.

 

"Students had to use various representations (tables, graphs, equations, pictures) to analyze a non-linear pattern of growth.  They had to make connections between the representations with the idea that given one they should be able to create the others.  The teams worked together to create the posters.  Then the teams went on a Gallery Walk to analyze the other teams' posters.  First they had to give feedback on the patterns the other teams created and critique the work the other teams produced.  Then they had to compare and contrast the work done by different class periods that had the same rule as them.  Overall the students should have a deeper understanding of multiple representations for algebraic problems."  ~ Nikki Kelley

 

Some examples of student work from the Gallery Walk:

 



 

One of the best indicators of a student's math understanding is his/her ability to explain their mathematical thinking.  As you sit down with your children to review their homework each night, ask them to explain their strategies for tackling problems.  You'll be surprised how much you know about math and about how impressive our students are!

 

 

What's Up at West?

• 11/26 - Winter Sports Pictures at 3:45pm
• 11/27 - Students return from Thanksgiving Break
• 11/29 - Coffee with Mr. Scruci (7:30-9am at Tim Horton's)
• 11/29 - 6th grade Strings w/LHS orchestra (7:30 pm at GMSW auditorium)
• 11/30 - Progress Reports Go Home
• 12/6 - PTO meeting (7pm in GMSW library)



RED RIBBON WEEK

GMSW Students Learn About the Dangers of Drugs

 

 

 

Spice. K2. Salvia. Bath Salts. Meth. X. Inhalents. Do you know about these drugs? If not, you should. Young people are being exposed to these street drugs earlier and earlier in their lives. In Ohio and across the country, the variety of drugs being offered on the street is exploding. Some even seem harmless. One looks like a clump of brown sugar, another like a child's multi-vitamin - complete with an imprint of a Transformer. Teens need information from caring, responsible adults about the dangers of drugs & alcohol if they are to understand the negative effects drugs have on one's life. As teachers and parents we must first understand what dangers these drugs pose before we can understand how to advise teens to make good choices about avoiding them. One thing is certain: Those who would push these products on children are not telling them the truth about the damage they can do.

During RED RIBBON Week at MSW, students had an opportunity to show their spirit and commit to following a drug and alcohol free lifestyle. Seventh and Eighth grade students had the opportunity to hear from retired Sergeant Mike Powell about the dangers of street drugs, including marijuana and alcohol. Sergeant Powell served in the Franklin County Sheriff's Office for over 32 years and now he continues to work as a public information specialist with Franklin County, conducting drug awareness training for students and parents all over the United States of America. Sgt. Powell was a supervisor with the FBI Drug Task Force here in Columbus. He is a member of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, and is widely recognized as an expert on illegal drugs and their manufacture, sale, and impact on our society. He also happens to be a former GMSW Parent. We are excited to announce that we are planning a training for parents led by Mike sometime this winter. Look for more information coming soon. In the meantime, visit Operation:StreetSmart on Facebook.

Sergeant Mike Powell (Ret.) speaks with GMSW 8th graders about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.



What's Up at West?

• November 7th - MSW Skate Zone Party, sponsored by the GMSW PTO (6-8:30pm)
• November 8th - Early Release Day. Students dismissed at 2:10pm.
• November 8th - 7th & 8th grade strings rehearsal at GLHS Band Room (6:30-8:30pm)
• November 15th - MS & HS district orchestra concert (7:30pm @ LHS auditorium)
• November 19th - 8th grade district choir concert (7:30pm @ GLHS)
• November 21-23 - Thanksgiving Holiday. NO SCHOOL.
• November 26th - NO SCHOOL. Teacher In-Service Training.



Why READING is so important.

Sustained Silent Reading During PRIDE Period Helps All Students Grow

 

 

 

 

All students at MSW have time each day to read during their PRIDE period.  Why is this such an important part of their academic growth?  There are several reasons.  The most important of these is that when students are able to choose what they read and are given time to focus on that reading, they grow at an astonishing rate.  As Bernice Cullinan of New York University writes in Independent Reading and School Achievement:

Age level is a primary factor that shapes why people read, what they read, how much they read, and what they do with what they read. Furthermore when students started to read affects their subsequent school experiences and reading competence. Developmental influences are strong.

Unfortunately, many studies suggest that it is during the middle school years that students begin to read less on their own, often enticed by other emerging interests and pursuits common for their age and development.  For this reason, it is essential that students are afforded the time each day to choose rigorous, high-interest, engaging text that is appropriately complex for them. 

“There’s no better way to inform and expand your mind on a regular basis than to get into the habit of reading good literature . . . You can get into the best minds that are now or that have ever been in the world.” – Stephen Covey
 

Please take the time to discuss with your children what they are currently reading and encourage them to continue to read for extended periods at home.  READING is a habit of success.  Let' make is a habit for all.


What's Up at West?

• October 22nd - Red Ribbon Week Begins (anti drug and alcohol awareness)
• October 26th - Red Cross Blood Drive (noon - 6pm in the auditorium)
• October 26th - End of the First Grading Period

 



Mr. Harmon's Student Blogging Contest

Students are Challenged to Show What They Know in the Principal's Blogging Contest!

Some say that students today cannot write as well as those from previous generations.  I say this is false!  Today's children are writing and publishing more than any generation in history.  So why is it that some experts are so concerned about students' command of the written word?  I recently spoke with a friend who works at Ohio State as a physics professor and researcher.  He was clearly excited about the work that he and his graduate students were doing in the lab, but he lamented their ability to write academically about their important work.  He said to me, "It's amazing how hard it is for me to teach them to write.  They are wonderful young scientists, but they struggle when trying to put their findings into a professional, academic paper."

I don't have the answer to why some clearly bright students struggle with academic writing.  I can say, however, that a passion for writing begins with the content we are asking students to write about.  Think back to your first positive experiences with writing.  I bet that part of what made your experience positive was that you were writing about something that you cared deeply about.  With young writers we must foster a love of writing by embracing the opportunities we have to encourage students to write about the things they find interesting.  While students who enjoy writing will usually be content with a pencil and paper, blogging offers a high tech, creative alternative form of writing that incorporates multi-media.  Through such technology students gain access to a very rich platform for writing that allows them to use the technology they love so much!

Enter the Principal's Blogging Contest!

I'm inviting all students at Middle School West to enter the Principal's Blogging Contest.  To enter, simply create a blog site (see information about free blog sites below) and email the link to the completed blog to Mr. Harmon no later than November 15, 2012.  Rules to follow:

1)  The blog must educate the reader about a topic learned in school.  It can be about something interesting that the student learned in any of his/her classes.

2)  The blog must include media (photos, weblinks, video, etc.) about the topic that assists the reader in learning about the topic.

3) All content on the blog must be appropriate for school.

Up to 5 blogs will be chosen as gold medal blogs by a panel of staff members and students at MSW, and the winning bloggers will be awarded with an Expect Your Best! certificate.  With parent permission, the winning blogs will be featured on the West Weekly Blog and on Twitter via my Twitter feed, @bharmon2.  

Resources for Beginning Bloggers:

PC Magazine's best free blog sites (This article profiles several free blog sites, including Blogger, Google's free blog platform that West Weekly is published with.)

How to Help Your Child Start Blogging

Fun Things to Include on Your Blog

Remember, as you assist your child in creating his/her blog, students must focus their blog posts on demonstrating/teaching about some topic they have learned in school.  Using all of the multi-media and technology makes the exercise very engaging, but the content of the writing should be the star of the post!  Good luck - I can't wait to read the entries!

What's Up at West?

• 10/16 - 7th & 8th grade strings rehearsal at LHS band room (6:30-8:30pm)
• 10/18 - Parent/Teacher Conferences (4:15-7:45pm)
• 10/19 - MSW 7th & 8th grade Halloween Dance (6-7:30pm)
• 10/26 - Red Cross Blood Drive (MSW auditorium 12-6pm)
• 10/26 - End of First Grading Period - Remind students to expect their best as the grading period comes to an end!

Homework Incentive Plans Work

iPass Incentive Motivates Students to Demonstrate Positive Academic Behaviors

 

 

Students at GMSW have a new reason to think positively about their homework!  The iPass is an incentive system that rewards students for doing their homework with attention to detail and for turning it in on time.  Equally important, the iPass encourages kids who miss a homework to do what great learners do:  ask questions and work to understand the material they have missed.  There is a reward for this behavior, too. 

 

The iPass rewards students on a monthly basis with experiences and incentives that they choose.  The "i" stands for initiative.  Here's how it works:

• Students are encouraged to do their homework on time - all of the time.  That's the standard of excellence.
• However, we recognize that there will always be times when unexpected things pop up.  Because of this, students receive an iOops opportunity once per month.  It's basically one free pass if something unexpected happens.
• If a student misses any homeworks that month beyond the one iOops, he/she is marked with an iMiss.  If a student receives more than two iMisses in any given month, he/she does not earn the initiative incentive.
• Encouraging students who make mistakes to work hard to improve is a primary tenet of the iPass system!  Students keep their iPass sheets out as they learn and work in class.  As teachers recognize good academic behaviors (asking good questions, being prepared to learn, being engaged in discussions, etc.) they reward students with iStamps on their sheets.  When a student earns 10 iStamps, he/she gets one iMiss erased.
• Students learn responsibility and have short term goals to work toward.  They must be responsible enough to keep their iPass and have it out in class to earn iStamps.  Losing your iPass means you have taken yourself out of the running for that month's incentive.

 



Students who complete the month with two or fewer iMisses earn the incentive for that month.  Our first month, September, was a great success!  The students really embraced the idea, and 87% of students (that's 548 boys & girls!) earned the "Build Your Own Sundae" incentive.  Further, there were close to 300 students in the building (almost half of our students) who didn't miss a single homework or even use one iOops pass!  These students were entered into a drawing where two students from each grade level won iTunes cards.  Students now have their new iPass sheets for October, so please talk with your children about their academic goals for this month.  The incentive?  A Gaming Party on November 2nd!

 

What's Up at West?

 

• October 5-12 is Book Fair Week!  Feel free to stop by our library to check out lots of great books, posters, and other fun stuff!
• October 9th & 18th are Parent-Teacher Conferences.  Please call 614-478-5570 to schedule a conference with your child's team of teachers.
• October 12th - NO SCHOOL
• October 26th is the GMSW-American Red Cross Blood Drive.  The blood drive will be held in the GMSW Auditorium from 12-6pm.  Your child will bring home information about the drive and how to give the gift of life.  All West parents and friends who donate will be entered into a drawing sponsored by the GMSW PTO for $50 to California Pizza Kitchen!

 

 

 

 



Building a Comprehensive Anti-Bullying Awareness Program

The Strongest Anti-Bullying Programs Use Multiple Approaches to Educate Students, Parents, and Teachers 

 

 

Bullying is an issue that concerns all students, parents, and educators.  Research shows us that bullying behaviors peak during the middle school years.  Why is this?  There are many reasons why students encounter bullying-type behaviors during the middle school years.  Because of the rapid physical, emotional, and social growth that children make between the ages of 10-14, it's no wonder that they struggle at times to find appropriate ways to express feelings of disappointment and anger.  Often, middle school students learn about appropriate social behavior by making mistakes - sometimes they even bully others.

So how does a school community effectively combat these types of behaviors and teach students more positive ways to handle their emotions?  The reality is that it is not easy, but it can absolutely be done.  Successful anti-bullying programs require the collaboration of students, parents, educators, and a host of other specialists.  At Middle School West we are fortunate to have a staff that is committed to putting an end to bullying - a staff that is not willing to succumb to the belief that bullying is just a part of growing up.  We believe it doesn't have to be.

Assistant Principal, Sherri Zynda, speaks with MSW students about the negative effects of bullying.



The lead designer of our anti-bullying program is Assistant Principal, Sherri Zynda.  Over the past five years, Mrs. Zynda has worked with her team to build an anti-bullying program that includes several key components:

Educate, Educate, Educate - Early in the school year, assemblies are held with students to teach them about the negative effects of bullying.  Students learn about the three roles that people can play in any given bullying scenario:  the bully, the bullied, or the bystander(s).  They hear about characteristics of bullies, avoidance tactics and avenues for assistance for the bullied, and the power of bystanders to be positive agents for change in any school.  It's important to note that teachers and parents learn a lot throughout this process by talking with students about their thoughts and feelings.

Include Third Party Experts - Students at Middle School West have an opportunity to hear from a variety of experts on bullying, including experts who speak about cyber-bullying, mental health experts and counselors who speak about how bullying affects one's self-image, police officers who educate about the legal ramifications of bullying, and educators & students who speak about bullying and special populations of students.

Thinking & Reflection - Students should be challenged to think about bullying scenarios.  They should be asked to reflect (even if only to themselves) about their own experiences with bullying.  Have they ever been bullied?  If so, how did it feel?  Have they every bullied someone?  Did they even know they were bullying?  Have they ever been a bystander to bullying?  If so, did they do anything to help out?  Students at MSW have a chance to think about these types of questions with writing prompts.  In addition, they engage in a number of reflective exercises such as the Power Shuffle, where students step across a line in silence to indicate that they have experienced a specific bullying scenario.  Through such activities, students see that they are not alone - even their teachers have gone through some similar experiences.  Finally, students have the opportunity to view films with bullying themes and reflect on how they would handle similar situations.

Teach and Practice Empathy - Showing empathy for another is the antithesis of bullying.  Each year at MSW, students engage in service-learning projects aimed at teaching empathy for others.  This year, with the help of some funding from the generous MSW PTO, students made fleece blankets to donate to Gahanna Residents In Need (GRIN).  When middle school students have an opportunity to help others they experience how good deeds have a positive effect on each of us, whereas negative behaviors hurt our own self-esteem.  Throughout the year, this message of service to others is promoted in class and in other clubs and activities.


We thank all of the members of the MSW school community for their efforts to help ensure that each child can feel comfortable being who he/she is - that each can enjoy coming to school to build friendships and experience academic progress!

Thanks for reading,
Brett

MSW student, Jacob Barno, and teacher, Heather Turner, pose for a picture after
their presentation about the negative effects of bullying.



Superintendent, Francis Scruci, speaks with MSW
students about how to fill their buckets with great
life experiences and how to deny bullies the chance
to take away from those positive experiences.


 

What's Up at West?

10/1/12 - Fall Fundraiser Orders Due
             - 6th grade Band Fitting at GLHS (4pm-8pm)
             - Market Day Pickup (5-6pm in the cafeteria)

10/2/12 - Rachel's Challenge Community Event (7:30 pm in MSW Auditorium)

10/4/12 - GMSW PTO Meeting (7pm in MSW library)

10/9 & 10/18/12 - Parent/Teacher Conferences (Call 478-5570 to set up a conference.)

10/12/12 - No School





 

Rachel's Challenge Comes to MSW!

You're Invited to a Special Community Event at Gahanna MS West!

 

 

 

Being a teenager today can be tough.  Certainly, the teenage years can still be a wonderful time in a young person's life - as they should be.  Still, with all of the distractions and media teens are exposed to these days, the waters of adolescence can be turbulent and difficult to navigate alone.  Often, teens learn through making mistakes, especially in the area of relationships with their peers.  Some teens really struggle through these years.  Despite these challenges, there are many stories of teens doing wonderful things each and every day.  Some inspire their peers to maintain positive attitudes and accept others for who they are - spreading a message of tolerance and friendship.  Rachel Scott was such a person.

 

Rachel was the first person killed at the Columbine High School tragedy in 1999.  After her death, her parents and siblings found many writings she had done, outlining her core values and beliefs about the power of simple acts of kindness.  From these messages and anecdotes about her work with other young people, Rachel's Challenge was born.  Rachel's Challenge is an organization dedicated to bringing positive growth to schools and communities across America by sharing Rachel's five challenges with students, parents, and community leaders in an effort to begin a chain reaction of kindness.

 

Gahanna Middle School West is proud to host a Rachel's Challenge Community Event at the MSW Auditorium on October 2nd from 7:30-8:30pm.  You are cordially invited to attend!  Visit http://www.rachelschallenge.org/parents/ for more information.  We are fortunate to live in an amazing community with outstanding schools.  Together, let's pledge to keep working to improve our community and to ensure that all children see the amazing potential that lies within them.

 



 

 

 

MSW Drama Club - Calling all aspiring actors!

 

Drama Club has started and is ready for a great year! Any MSW student interested in joining Drama Club may still join. There is a bulletin board outside of Rm. 129 with permission slips. All students must have a permission slip signed by a parent/guardian and returned in order to join. We will meet every Monday from 3:30-4:30 in the auditorium. Parents/guardians are responsible for ensuring their child has a ride home. This is a club for any student interested in set design, acting, or any other aspect of theater. In early spring we will have a showcase to celebrate the talents of the students involved. The whole community will be invited and this date is TBA. Miss Shotts (6^th grade teacher) and Mrs. Kelley (8^th grade teacher) are the supervisors for Drama Club. They can be reached with any questions or comments by email or phone. Miss Shotts’ email is shottsm@gjps.org and Mrs. Kelley is kelleyn@gjps.org. This is our 3^rd year having a Drama Club at MSW.  The club was requested by students, and we are very excited for the upcoming year!

 

 

Gahanna Middle School West PTO invites you to join Facebook

 

Visit Facebook.com and search "Gahanna Middle School West PTO"

 

Thanks to Anita Bosaw, PTO Vice President, for designing and maintaining this important tool, the purpose of which is to share information about our school community and all of the great things happening at West.  Thanks Anita!

 

 

 

What's Up at West?

 

9/21 - Progress Reports come home today

 

9/25 & 9/27 - 6th grade band fitting at GLHS (4-8pm)

 

9/28 - Spirit Rally (2:45-3:30pm)

 

9/28 - 6th Grade Fun Night (4-6pm)  Buy tickets for $3 during lunch!