sub this week!

I was out of the classroom and at a conference about culturally responsive conversations yesterday. This will continue today.  I checked in with the sub, Meg Ballyntine, yesterday, and she said all was going well.  I will return Wednesday and then have an additional conference, again centered on culturally responsive teaching, on Thursday and Friday. 

While I'm gone, the kids are creating poster-sized proofs to "The Great Train Problem". This is a math problem that we have been working on for several weeks.  

              "Jenny's model train is set up on a circular track. There are six houses evenly spaced around the track.  It takes the engine of her train 10 seconds to go from the first house to the third house. How long would it take for the engine to travel all around the track? "

When initially given the scenario, every student in our classroom vehemently maintained that the answer was 20 seconds.  We have spent a considerate amount of time reexamining the problem, and I have watched as thinking has slowly begun to change.  We have talked about the importance of flexibility in thinking and how difficult it can be to revise one's opinions. To aid this movement, the kids have created diagrams, acted the problem out, and engaged in academic discourse where they practiced respectfully sharing and listening to alternate viewpoints, Last week, they all finally came to the conclusion that it would actually take the train 30 seconds to circle the track.  Now they are working in teams to create a poster-sized proof.  I'm super excited to see their work when I return! 

Hoping to see everyone at the auction this Friday!  

Meg