Exit Slip #7

Hello twins.

The following is a short gratitude poem I wrote in class while at my sit spot.

thank you branches

as you sprout and you grow

bearing leaves & gifts

home to those who crawl

 home to those who soar

I enjoyed exploring all the fascinating ways our bodies can be used for units of measurement. I'm not someone who typically utilizes such ways of measuring things so it was eye-opening to see how commonplace it was. It's intriguing to consider how the human body provided the first metric system for ancient civilizations and the level of accuracy that was obtained. I didn't realize how important measurement was in planting a garden so I was surprised when reading the back of the seed packages. I was slightly perturbed that they didn't provide exact values for distances but instead a wide range for each. I suppose there is considerable variability when growing crops and so one must account for this. I wonder to what extent gardening is an exact science like baking or is more based on feel. There must be some lack of control over how your crops behave due to the unpredictability of nature. At first, this might seem frustrating but I suppose that is where the beauty of imperfection arises.

Thanks for reading,

Josh

Exit Slip #6

 Hello twins.

Today we had a debate where one team was pro-grades and one team was anti-grades. I was on of the panel of judges and was taking notes on which arguments stood out to me.

For anti-grades, the following points stood out to me:

* Graded system promotes rote memorization & instrumental learning over deep understanding

* Grading isn’t standard across different schools/teachers (national/international)

* Its an elitist mindset, people with higher grades stick together, lower grades stick together

* If grading leads the learning, it takes away from ability to teach genuinely

* Have this superficial toxic system, “what are we really grading?”

For pro-grades, the following points stood out to me:

* Grades are not the issue, but our relationship with grades as a society

* Proficiency scales provide a road map, where are you now and where are you going

* The ability to take feedback and apply it is a universal skill

* How do we communicate our opinions about feedback?

* Grades don’t necessarily create competition but can create community

Overall was super interesting to hear both sides of the coin even though our class readings have clearly taken a more anti-grading stance.

Thanks for reading,

Josh

Entrance Slip #4

 Hello twins.

The following is a response to an article on the effects of marking in grading practices in the classroom.

Being a student for almost 20 years, talking about grades evokes powerful feelings. They have a profound impact on people's lives that can shape both our present and our future. They can disrupt relationships, harm mental health, and have a lasting impact on the person you become. There needs to be a change in how we view grades in schools. 

As a teacher, I can use my experience as a student to guide how best to approach grades. The first point I will address is the quantitative element of grades. Reducing a multi-faceted learner to a two-digit number degrades the learning process. Students' entire lives will revolve around that number and any fluctuations can significantly impact their well-being. I support the BC curriculum's plan for moving towards a proficiency scale as a first step in fixing this issue. However, grades 11-12 still receive numbered grades for their report cards to be considered for opportunities in higher education. How can we decide which students are the best without a quantitative measure to compare them? Does the grade provide an accurate measure of their abilities in that subject? If 8 students in a class receive "extending", how can we determine who is the "best"? I wonder how feasible it is to eliminate quantitative measures and stick to more qualitative options. Since qualitative assessments lack this ease of comparison, it may prove difficult to determine which students are most qualified for post-secondary opportunities. 

Is there a problem with the current university admissions process? Suppose we completely eliminate numerical grades in high schools, how would universities respond? One of my classmates made an interesting point about how universities are potentially the root of the many problems facing high schools. Our class on math assessment has been one of my favourite classes for this very reason. It is clear that the status quo for assessments requires an update. I believe there is no magic bullet that would solve our problems. However, it is an ongoing process of making minor improvements to the system to help move toward a better future for all.

From the student perspective, how would they respond if we removed quantitative grades from all classes? Grades are treated like currency and they need to maximize their worth in the educational economy. It is a strong motivator for student success and its removal would rely on more intrinsic forms of motivation in our students.  There is a certain freedom or relief students feel when grades are removed from the equation. It encourages students to explore and be curious without the burden of worrying about their grades. This paradigm shift would disrupt the entire system and the potential consequences should be considered. 

Thanks for reading,

Josh

Thanks for reading,

Josh

Exit Slip #5

 Hello twins.

The following is a poem I wrote in class following a Fibonacci model based on the number of words per line. Fall is my favourite season; the goal was to encapsulate its sensory elements.

Chestnut

Lush cashmere

Leaves, crispy, crunching

The mug warms the soul

Aromas of pumpkin & spice

Winds, icy, harsh

Cozy blankets

Rye

Thanks for reading,

Josh

Entrance Slip #3

Hello twins.

The following is a response to Dr. Kimmer's chapter on scientific terminology and the language of animacy from her book Braiding Sweetgrass.

I had never really considered how the English language rejects the concept of animacy. The anecdote about "someone was in my hat" instead of "something was in my hat" was a moment of epiphany. Why do we only give humans such exclusive rights to be a "who"? It is a subtle shift in the use of pronouns but its impact is profound. I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment that society's way of objectifying nature opens the door for exploitation by reducing living organisms to things. We mistakenly see ourselves as the only important beings inhabiting our planet. It enables a humbling paradigm shift in how we view and interact with nature by seeing natural beings as our equals. 

I can see the applications to science classes but am less sure of how such a shift could impact mathematics education. My biggest takeaway from this article was that there is always another way of looking at things. In my life, I have never considered that there could be another way of discussing nature. This exemplifies adopting the Two-Eyed Seeing approach to how we educate our students. Just because we have long viewed an idea in a certain way doesn’t mean there are no other perspectives to explore. Often we are simply unaware that alternatives exist and thus miss out on the insights they offer. Therefore the first step is making students aware that there are other, often better, ways of viewing the world.

Thanks for reading,

Josh

Exit Slip #4

 Hello twins.

Really enjoyed learning a new skill and getting to work with my hands, which is something I don't do enough. My first attempt was a bit underwhelming but after Susan showed me the technique I was able to successfully tie the rope. We had an engaging discussion at the end of class about connecting with ancestors and how our students might view such an activity. Often times we are so swept up in the busyness of the present that we don't take time to reflect on the past. I agreed with a sentiment shared in class about feeling a disconnect from those who came before. So I actually took a course on knot/braid theory at UBC and one gripe I had was that we could have benefitted from more physical demos and hands-on activities. Exploring knots on a blackboard or with pencil/paper created a major disconnect and we would have benefitted from more connections to our physical reality. 

I believe that students could find a connection to an activity similar to the one today. I personally connected through the lens of fashion and textiles, as I am often interested in learning more about the way fabric and textiles are made. For example, I have frequently encountered the warp & weft technique Susan discussed when researching clothing. There is an Indian designer named Kartik Kumra who founded the brand Kartik Research in 2021. They amazingly create all of their clothing without the use of electricity. He celebrates India's rich cultural heritage by closely partnering with skilled Indian artisans to preserve traditional craftsmanship. I have included photos of some of their pieces above. The group weaving of the dress directly onto the wearer was another point of engagement. I can imagine a fashion visionary such as Alexander Mcqueen recreating a similar spectacle, as he was known for having incredibly creative runway shows. Students tend to only engage with pencil/paper and allowing them to use their hands more creatively would be beneficial. They could learn a new skill and create something of value in the process.

Thanks for reading, 

Josh

Entrance Slip #2

Hello twins.

The following is a response to an excerpt from a book on reviving ancient technologies and inventing new ones, written by Vancouver artist Sharon Kallis.

I immediately connected with her discussion of awakening the consumer's mind. This internal line of questioning about where our products come from, who made them, and how they got here is a way of thinking that lies dormant in many consumers—including myself. Upon reading, I realized that I've been blindly fulfilling the consumer role without considering the production half of the system. For example, when shopping for food at a local market, I don't stop to consider the backstory of the tomato or avocado in my hand. I rarely ponder whether a product is made by humans or machines, or if it's produced sustainably. I agree that modern society is overrun with consumerism and that a paradigm shift to focus on the production aspect would be beneficial. Encouragingly, there has been a growing movement to become more aware of the production practices behind the food and fashion industries, which is promising for the future.

I wholeheartedly agree with her point about the intrinsic power and confidence gained when you take the time to craft an item. As a blind consumer, I often don't consider learning how to make something on my own instead of purchasing it. However, on the rare occasions where I have crafted an item for someone, there's a fulfilling satisfaction that is unrivalled. I only wish that I exercised this option more frequently in my daily life.

As someone with a self-proclaimed inability to tie knots, I'm a bit apprehensive about tying these ropes on my own. I may require some additional help with the rope-making, as I believe the experts in these videos make it look much easier than it is. Still, I'm excited to learn how to make my first rope as it's a helpful skill to know. I've had several students who enjoyed knitting and crocheting and would bring their tools to class. They enjoyed showing off their creations and even offered to make me some, which I genuinely appreciated. For example, one of my students offered to knit a small calculator I could display on my desk as a math teacher.

Thanks for reading,

Josh