I've had migraines for many years. Nothing can spoil a day faster than the initial inkling that an aura is beginning. In it's smallest stages, the aura is barely noticeable, I try to deny that it's happening, again, but within a few seconds, I can deny it no longer. My field of vision is diminishing, the jagged edges, the semicircle of triangular teeth gets larger, and larger. The colors are so vivid and vibrant that classifying them merely with the words red, blue, black, and white is an injustice. Quick, take something, anything, to prevent or minimize the headache, find the darkest room possible, and close my eyes. Then the aura is more alive, it flickers, it changes, but the pattern remains, more vibrant on the dark background of my tightly closed eyes. The experience is surreal, and the image of the aura would make beautiful artwork, if the experience was not followed by the pain.
My links won't work but here's the sites if you want to copy/paste:
http://www.migraine-aura.org/content/e24966/index_en.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrrviW0Od-w
Then my math brain kicks in. What is the pattern? Can I draw this image and analyze it? As with many other natural phenomenon, I would imagine this image to be fractal in nature, consisting of layers of repeating semicircles of jagged triangles, regressing into nothingness due to our limited visibility, but infinite in its ultimate regression.
Due to my curiosity, I decided to research the visual aura. The image, under other circumstances, would be a welcome diversion. The video gives an example, if you've never had the aura, but the colors are limited by video, so I can't fix that. A simple Google search on "migraine aura picture" let me to the website MigrainAura.org which contains artwork in several mediums related to migraine headaches and auras. There are some interesting collections here, including several video montages of artwork inspired by migraines. While none of these are exactly what I see, as I assume each individual has a similar but unique aura, several accurately represent the migraine aura, albeit with colors limited by manmade materials.
I hope this post has helped to put a picture to migraine auras. I will now go bury my head beneath a pillow in a dark room and hope for relief!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Sunday, June 12, 2011
What ever happened to personal responsibility?
Okay, it's soapbox Sunday. After watching the Sunday morning news shows this morning, with all the talk about Congressman Weiner, I cannot help but write about personal responsibility. Where did it go?
I know that responsibility for ones own actions is alive and well in my house, as well as my classroom. We have a phrase that we use in my family, and at school also: If you mess up, you fess up. No blaming others, no excuses, no lying, just admit it. When students use the "he did x to me first" tactic, I often ask them if they've ever watched hockey. Does arguing with the referree ever get a player out of a penalty? No, it doesn't, and it doesn't work in my classroom either. I had a discussion with a group of students earlier this week about keeping their hands to themselves, and of course, the first comment was that another student touched them first. I asked this group "has the blaming someone else tactic ever worked for you this year?" Their answer, a resounding no. Do they still do it? Yes, but they are catching on that it is not effective, at least not with me.
So when I'm watching television, and I hear adults in positions of power blaming the molestation of children (and the coverup that followed) on the sexual revolution, the state of the economy on political foes, and bad decisions as a need for "treatment," I'm dumbfounded. It's always someone else's fault, I couldn't help it, I need treatment. We've become a society who does not accept responsibility for our own actions.
I'm curious about this "treatment" that Congressman Weiner is seeking. I didn't realize that we had treatment programs for making stupid decisions. I certainly hope that whatever this treatment is, it is conducted by the drill sergeant from the Geico commercials, because he needs to man up and get out of mamby-pamby land and take responsibility for his own actions of making stupid decisions.
I know that responsibility for ones own actions is alive and well in my house, as well as my classroom. We have a phrase that we use in my family, and at school also: If you mess up, you fess up. No blaming others, no excuses, no lying, just admit it. When students use the "he did x to me first" tactic, I often ask them if they've ever watched hockey. Does arguing with the referree ever get a player out of a penalty? No, it doesn't, and it doesn't work in my classroom either. I had a discussion with a group of students earlier this week about keeping their hands to themselves, and of course, the first comment was that another student touched them first. I asked this group "has the blaming someone else tactic ever worked for you this year?" Their answer, a resounding no. Do they still do it? Yes, but they are catching on that it is not effective, at least not with me.
So when I'm watching television, and I hear adults in positions of power blaming the molestation of children (and the coverup that followed) on the sexual revolution, the state of the economy on political foes, and bad decisions as a need for "treatment," I'm dumbfounded. It's always someone else's fault, I couldn't help it, I need treatment. We've become a society who does not accept responsibility for our own actions.
I'm curious about this "treatment" that Congressman Weiner is seeking. I didn't realize that we had treatment programs for making stupid decisions. I certainly hope that whatever this treatment is, it is conducted by the drill sergeant from the Geico commercials, because he needs to man up and get out of mamby-pamby land and take responsibility for his own actions of making stupid decisions.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Handicapping in the Classroom? You bet!
Friends and family know that I am a big fan of horseracing. Let's face it, I grew up in Lexington, Kentucky, and spent considerable time in my formative years at Keeneland Racecourse. The first Saturday in May is, and always will be, a holiday on my calendar.
Now that I live in Maryland, I try to incorporate the 2nd leg of the Triple Crown into my math classroom. Horseracing here is just not as prominent as it is in Kentucky, so I am on a mission to introduce a new generation to this event. This is one of my favorite units, and since I have some students three years in a row, I have to mix it up a bit each year.
Most of my unit focuses on probability. Sure, I could have the kids spinning spinners, flipping coins, or other activies (which we do also), but there's nothing like the excitement of watching a 2 minute race hoping that the name you drew out of a hat is the winner!
What is handicapping, really, but studying lists of data and making predictions on possible outcomes? The students receive a list of the horses in the race, the morning line odds, purse money won, and post position. We usually start with purse money, since students can usually see the connection, the better horse usually has won the most money. Students list the horses by purse money from greatest to least.
Next,students are given a graph or data table that shows how often, historically, a horse wins from a given post position. Using this data, student rank the horses based on their post position.
Students have often heard about odds, but sometimes they don't understand the concept. Using the morning line odds, we create a fraction, and find the percent chance that the experts think that horse has of winning. For example, 3-1 odds would mean that the horse would have 3 chances of losing for each chance of winning. The fraction would be the chances of winning divided by the total chances, which is 1/4, or 25%. Students find percentages, and then rank the horses based on odds. I also explain that morning line odds are what the experts think. I often get questions on betting, which I do answer, but point out that betting is only for adults.
After students have ranked the horses in these different ways, then they get a chance to predict the order of finish for all the horses in the race, in whichever way they choose. I usually offer $100 if anyone gets all the horses listed in the correct order of finish, which usually excites the students beyond belief! Until we do the math! (I have yet had to pay the $100, by the way).
We then work on how to calculate how many different combinations there are for the 1st place finisher, the 1st and 2nd place finishers (exacta), the first 3 places (trifecta), and for all the horses in the race.
Some other options for this unit include measuring in furlongs, rate/time/distance problems, and stride length. This year, I plan on doing stride length. Man-o-War had a stride length of 28 feet, Secretariat's stride was 24 feet. One activity is for students to measure the stride length and mark it with tape. Then students can walk the distance to find out how many strides they take to walk 28 feet. An alternative would be to measure their own stride. The Preakness is 1 3/16 of a mile, so I have students convert the distance to feet, and then determine how many strides each horse would need to complete the race. They can also do this calculation based on their stride length.
For more information on horse-related activities in the Math classroom, check out http://www.ket.org/scalecity/kentuckyhorsepark.html
Now that I live in Maryland, I try to incorporate the 2nd leg of the Triple Crown into my math classroom. Horseracing here is just not as prominent as it is in Kentucky, so I am on a mission to introduce a new generation to this event. This is one of my favorite units, and since I have some students three years in a row, I have to mix it up a bit each year.
Most of my unit focuses on probability. Sure, I could have the kids spinning spinners, flipping coins, or other activies (which we do also), but there's nothing like the excitement of watching a 2 minute race hoping that the name you drew out of a hat is the winner!
What is handicapping, really, but studying lists of data and making predictions on possible outcomes? The students receive a list of the horses in the race, the morning line odds, purse money won, and post position. We usually start with purse money, since students can usually see the connection, the better horse usually has won the most money. Students list the horses by purse money from greatest to least.
Next,students are given a graph or data table that shows how often, historically, a horse wins from a given post position. Using this data, student rank the horses based on their post position.
Students have often heard about odds, but sometimes they don't understand the concept. Using the morning line odds, we create a fraction, and find the percent chance that the experts think that horse has of winning. For example, 3-1 odds would mean that the horse would have 3 chances of losing for each chance of winning. The fraction would be the chances of winning divided by the total chances, which is 1/4, or 25%. Students find percentages, and then rank the horses based on odds. I also explain that morning line odds are what the experts think. I often get questions on betting, which I do answer, but point out that betting is only for adults.
After students have ranked the horses in these different ways, then they get a chance to predict the order of finish for all the horses in the race, in whichever way they choose. I usually offer $100 if anyone gets all the horses listed in the correct order of finish, which usually excites the students beyond belief! Until we do the math! (I have yet had to pay the $100, by the way).
We then work on how to calculate how many different combinations there are for the 1st place finisher, the 1st and 2nd place finishers (exacta), the first 3 places (trifecta), and for all the horses in the race.
Some other options for this unit include measuring in furlongs, rate/time/distance problems, and stride length. This year, I plan on doing stride length. Man-o-War had a stride length of 28 feet, Secretariat's stride was 24 feet. One activity is for students to measure the stride length and mark it with tape. Then students can walk the distance to find out how many strides they take to walk 28 feet. An alternative would be to measure their own stride. The Preakness is 1 3/16 of a mile, so I have students convert the distance to feet, and then determine how many strides each horse would need to complete the race. They can also do this calculation based on their stride length.
For more information on horse-related activities in the Math classroom, check out http://www.ket.org/scalecity/kentuckyhorsepark.html
Friday, May 6, 2011
Another Grandparent's Day
I have to admit, I love grandparent's day. Yes, it's a dog and pony show, it's crowded, it's hot, and you can't really do a lesson. But for some reason, I love it.
I use this day to let the students show off their talents, and awe their grandparents. So this year, my 8th grade students were explaining our Stormwater unit. The students did an awesome job, describing the issue, our driving question, the brainstorming process, the data we have collected, and the tools we've been using. I didn't give the students a heads-up that this was happening, and their answers were very thought-out and informative.
Then came the technology demonstration. I showed the students and grandparents some presentations from high school students http://prezi.com/ov4ijwediv1e/elastic-and-inelastic-collisons-by-alex-krasne/ so that they could see an example of what their final projects might look like. I also gave a demonstration on Google Earth. The students were fully engaged, but the grandparents had mixed reactions.
I often try to imagine what people are thinking, by looking at their faces and body language. (Okay, I admit that I do this with more than people, like animals at the zoo or fish at the aquarium). I can create complete conversations in these situations that do not actually take place, and probably are very far from what is actually going on (especially with the animals!) My pretend conversations were in full force today!
There were some grandparents who I would imagine were thinking that we are comletely off our rockers. They didn't learn this way, why are we doing all of these crazy things? Seriously, bowling, car crashes, techno music? Is this what my grandchild is learning about?!
Then there were the grandparents who were in awe. They loved the creativity, the math-science connection, and technology. As many of the students do, the grandparents wanted to put in their address in Google Earth to find their house. We took a trip to the Eiffel Tower. I even had a granparent who needed directions to somewhere she was going this weekend, so we did a tour. Several asked where they could download it!
So all in all, it was another amazing grandparents day. Next year, students will be presenting their own STEM presentations. And maybe some grandparents will join in the fun!
I use this day to let the students show off their talents, and awe their grandparents. So this year, my 8th grade students were explaining our Stormwater unit. The students did an awesome job, describing the issue, our driving question, the brainstorming process, the data we have collected, and the tools we've been using. I didn't give the students a heads-up that this was happening, and their answers were very thought-out and informative.
Then came the technology demonstration. I showed the students and grandparents some presentations from high school students http://prezi.com/ov4ijwediv1e/elastic-and-inelastic-collisons-by-alex-krasne/ so that they could see an example of what their final projects might look like. I also gave a demonstration on Google Earth. The students were fully engaged, but the grandparents had mixed reactions.
I often try to imagine what people are thinking, by looking at their faces and body language. (Okay, I admit that I do this with more than people, like animals at the zoo or fish at the aquarium). I can create complete conversations in these situations that do not actually take place, and probably are very far from what is actually going on (especially with the animals!) My pretend conversations were in full force today!
There were some grandparents who I would imagine were thinking that we are comletely off our rockers. They didn't learn this way, why are we doing all of these crazy things? Seriously, bowling, car crashes, techno music? Is this what my grandchild is learning about?!
Then there were the grandparents who were in awe. They loved the creativity, the math-science connection, and technology. As many of the students do, the grandparents wanted to put in their address in Google Earth to find their house. We took a trip to the Eiffel Tower. I even had a granparent who needed directions to somewhere she was going this weekend, so we did a tour. Several asked where they could download it!
So all in all, it was another amazing grandparents day. Next year, students will be presenting their own STEM presentations. And maybe some grandparents will join in the fun!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
What I Want for Mother's Day
I want...
my boys to be healthy and happy. Of course, I want that every day, too.
my family to be near me.
good weather. We love to be outside!
my scale to have a 4 in the ten's place.
to be a good role model that what's inside, your heart and brain, is much more important than what's outside.
to tell the important people in my life what they mean to me.
my boys to be healthy and happy. Of course, I want that every day, too.
my family to be near me.
good weather. We love to be outside!
my scale to have a 4 in the ten's place.
to be a good role model that what's inside, your heart and brain, is much more important than what's outside.
to tell the important people in my life what they mean to me.
Monday, May 2, 2011
What Students Think
Why on earth am I posting on a school night?! Because today was too good not to share!
Today was the first day back to school after spring break. A day notorious for chaos, as students and teachers return to the old routines, sleep schedules, and catch up after a week and a half of relaxation. Today was no different, and we caught up with the events of the past week, nad there were many. So after some discussion of tornadoes, bin Laden, and baseball bats, it was time to get back to work.
My journey this year to include more technology resources has been interesting. I've shared many tools with students this year, from Edmodo, Google Earth, Gizmos, GoAnimate, among a few. Today, I introduced students to Quizlet. Wow...what a reception! When I first opened an example, the students were amazed. When I told them they could make their own set of "flashcards" and create review games from them, they were hooked. I heard comments like:
"This is awesome! I'm using this to study for my ... test!" (Not math, but hey, I'll share!)
"I can't wait to try this!"
"Mrs. Cluney! Where do you find all of these cool sites? I bet you sit at home at night looking stuff up on the computer!"
Okay, I have to admit, the last comment was my favorite one. First of all, most students think we live at school, so I got a chuckle out of his comment. When I answered him, the conversation got even better.
Me: Yes, ..., sometimes I do spend time looking up websites at home. But sometimes, I get them from twitter posts of other teachers. (See where this is going?)
Students: You tweet? Teachers tweet? How cool!
So yes, I was actually called "cool" by a 7th grader today. Not to bad for a math and STEM nerd. It was a good day.
Today was the first day back to school after spring break. A day notorious for chaos, as students and teachers return to the old routines, sleep schedules, and catch up after a week and a half of relaxation. Today was no different, and we caught up with the events of the past week, nad there were many. So after some discussion of tornadoes, bin Laden, and baseball bats, it was time to get back to work.
My journey this year to include more technology resources has been interesting. I've shared many tools with students this year, from Edmodo, Google Earth, Gizmos, GoAnimate, among a few. Today, I introduced students to Quizlet. Wow...what a reception! When I first opened an example, the students were amazed. When I told them they could make their own set of "flashcards" and create review games from them, they were hooked. I heard comments like:
"This is awesome! I'm using this to study for my ... test!" (Not math, but hey, I'll share!)
"I can't wait to try this!"
"Mrs. Cluney! Where do you find all of these cool sites? I bet you sit at home at night looking stuff up on the computer!"
Okay, I have to admit, the last comment was my favorite one. First of all, most students think we live at school, so I got a chuckle out of his comment. When I answered him, the conversation got even better.
Me: Yes, ..., sometimes I do spend time looking up websites at home. But sometimes, I get them from twitter posts of other teachers. (See where this is going?)
Students: You tweet? Teachers tweet? How cool!
So yes, I was actually called "cool" by a 7th grader today. Not to bad for a math and STEM nerd. It was a good day.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Do I REALLY need one? AKA Why I love my Kindle!
Ok, I was late to the e-reader technology. I watched all the hype as people scoured to buy Kindles and Nooks, and kept thinking, do I I really need one of these? Let's face it, I'm a book store junkie. I'm perfectly content sitting in a used book store, with a cup of coffee, for hours. I often spend my "me" time curled up with a good book and a blanket. Would I get the same satisfaction with a piece of technology in my hand?
Fast forward to my last eye exam, when I heard the dreaded "b" word, bifocals. I don't need bifocals, I told myself, bifocals are for old people, and I'm not old! Never mind that I have to take my glasses off to read, and that I often get headaches. But alas, I have to admit, I do need them, although I did not get them this time. I tried the cheap reading glasses, but that is more hassle than it's worth.
So I'm thinking, maybe, perhaps, that the Kindle would be a more stylish version of bifocals/reading glasses? Ok, let's give it a try. I was amazed at how the screen looked, when I first opened it. Even though I'd read reviews, I was surprised at how "book-like" the screen looked. Changing the font size has been a God-send! On weekends, when my eyes are refreshed, I can use a smaller font size, but when my eyes are tired, I can make the print larger and easier to read. It's almost like 2 (or more!) books in one!
A Tale of Two Readers
Since both of my boys are assigned 20 minutes of reading a night, we often do group reading together. I had a cheap copy of The Story of Doctor Dolittle that I had picked up on a clearance rack, and we would take turns reading a page. The boys really liked the story, so when we were finished, I looked at the Kindle bookstore, and found The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle for free. The boys were so excited to get to read on the Kindle, they couldn't wait for reading time!
We all know that all kids are different, and this is very evident in my sons. My 7 year old is a voracious reader (well, voracious in everything he does!) and reads well above his grade level. I often find him up late reading, because he can't put the book down (I have NO idea where he gets that from!) He likes to put lots of words on the page, so that he can read as much as he wants for his turn. He uses the "microscopic" font size to make his turn last longer.
My 6 year old is more reluctant. He gets overwhelmed if there are too many words on the page. When we were reading the print version, he would only read the short pages at the beginning and end of the chapter, even though I knew that he could read almost all the words on the longer pages. With the Kindle, he makes the print larger, so that fewer words are on the page. He likes to play around and choose the largest font size, just so that the words are huge, but then will switch to a more reasonable font size.
I would like to see a "highlighter" row option (maybe it's there and I don't know it) where it would highlight a row and you could move it down the page as you read, to help my young readers keep their place on the page. This technology could be really useful in the classroom, and help many struggling or unmotivated readers.
The addition of the Kindle has been very exciting for family reading time, as well as for me personally. I do not expect it to replace actual books or trips to the bookstore, but to supplement our reading at home.
Fast forward to my last eye exam, when I heard the dreaded "b" word, bifocals. I don't need bifocals, I told myself, bifocals are for old people, and I'm not old! Never mind that I have to take my glasses off to read, and that I often get headaches. But alas, I have to admit, I do need them, although I did not get them this time. I tried the cheap reading glasses, but that is more hassle than it's worth.
So I'm thinking, maybe, perhaps, that the Kindle would be a more stylish version of bifocals/reading glasses? Ok, let's give it a try. I was amazed at how the screen looked, when I first opened it. Even though I'd read reviews, I was surprised at how "book-like" the screen looked. Changing the font size has been a God-send! On weekends, when my eyes are refreshed, I can use a smaller font size, but when my eyes are tired, I can make the print larger and easier to read. It's almost like 2 (or more!) books in one!
A Tale of Two Readers
Since both of my boys are assigned 20 minutes of reading a night, we often do group reading together. I had a cheap copy of The Story of Doctor Dolittle that I had picked up on a clearance rack, and we would take turns reading a page. The boys really liked the story, so when we were finished, I looked at the Kindle bookstore, and found The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle for free. The boys were so excited to get to read on the Kindle, they couldn't wait for reading time!
We all know that all kids are different, and this is very evident in my sons. My 7 year old is a voracious reader (well, voracious in everything he does!) and reads well above his grade level. I often find him up late reading, because he can't put the book down (I have NO idea where he gets that from!) He likes to put lots of words on the page, so that he can read as much as he wants for his turn. He uses the "microscopic" font size to make his turn last longer.
My 6 year old is more reluctant. He gets overwhelmed if there are too many words on the page. When we were reading the print version, he would only read the short pages at the beginning and end of the chapter, even though I knew that he could read almost all the words on the longer pages. With the Kindle, he makes the print larger, so that fewer words are on the page. He likes to play around and choose the largest font size, just so that the words are huge, but then will switch to a more reasonable font size.
I would like to see a "highlighter" row option (maybe it's there and I don't know it) where it would highlight a row and you could move it down the page as you read, to help my young readers keep their place on the page. This technology could be really useful in the classroom, and help many struggling or unmotivated readers.
The addition of the Kindle has been very exciting for family reading time, as well as for me personally. I do not expect it to replace actual books or trips to the bookstore, but to supplement our reading at home.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Managing Transitions
I've been thinking recently about transitions. In education, we talk about managing transitions, between activities, going to lunch and recess, or other "down times." But in real life, transitions are so much more.
My transitions have been many. From high school student to college student, to employee, to wife, mom, student again, and teacher. Each of these transitions have made me into the person I am today. This reminds me of the "what you do with your - (dash) on your tombstone. The transition is important as the steps it takes to get there.
So what transitions are occuring now? For one, I'm blogging. As a logical math person, this is a big step outside my comfort zone into the touchy-feely world of words. And the huge transition as my school is implementing a STEM program. This transition has been a roller coaster. I love the excitement during this transition, as students are engaged in problem based learning, using technology, creating projects to demonstrate their learning. Then there's the frustration of not having the resources available to do some of the things I'd like to do. Then there's the hecticness (ok, not a real word!) of meeting deadlines and documenting our progress during this time of change. Add to that the apprehension of some of the teachers in our school as they are stepping outside of their comfort zones. I am eager to see the results of this transition as we move forward.
My transitions have been many. From high school student to college student, to employee, to wife, mom, student again, and teacher. Each of these transitions have made me into the person I am today. This reminds me of the "what you do with your - (dash) on your tombstone. The transition is important as the steps it takes to get there.
So what transitions are occuring now? For one, I'm blogging. As a logical math person, this is a big step outside my comfort zone into the touchy-feely world of words. And the huge transition as my school is implementing a STEM program. This transition has been a roller coaster. I love the excitement during this transition, as students are engaged in problem based learning, using technology, creating projects to demonstrate their learning. Then there's the frustration of not having the resources available to do some of the things I'd like to do. Then there's the hecticness (ok, not a real word!) of meeting deadlines and documenting our progress during this time of change. Add to that the apprehension of some of the teachers in our school as they are stepping outside of their comfort zones. I am eager to see the results of this transition as we move forward.
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