Kendall
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Posts posted by Kendall
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Lori,
Thank you! I'm feeling hopeful that I can get this. Your opinion about always doing the whole process makes so much sense and starting with paragraphs. We are trying to use the Writing With a Thesis which is why I realized at the end that I didn't think we had one.
Do you think there is a clear line between an assertive opinion/point that is interesting and something that is just more of an obvious observation? Is there a clear line or is it a find line with assertions that are farther above being more interesting? Or is it obvious that it is above vs. below the line and just the complexity or depth of thought makes it more interesting? That might be hard to answer without examples. I'll try one
For example in Wives and Daughters and P & P the two characters are similar in ____, but ___ is more mature than ____.
vs
in Wives and Daughters and P & P the two characters are similar in ____, but ___experiences growth while ____ doesn't. ( or ____ experiences more growth vs. not much in ____)
I'm looking forward to checking out the threads you linked. I need to really get this figured out myself so that I can guide them into a thesis.
Kendall
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Thank you so much everyone. I've read everything twice and am hoping for time tonight to really study it. I found this quote in A Short Guide to Writing About Literature in the comparison essay chapter. "In making a comparison...do not simply list similarities and differences, make a point." Which is what Lori and several others of you are saying. The book then went on to give little to no help on how to get to a claim. But you all have been more helpful. I feel like I almost have a grasp on it.
I do have the Windows to the World book, BTW and will pull it out.
The thesis sentence that just lists say three comparisons and doesn't make a point, would that be appropriate for younger than high school? Would that be a good starting point for upper grade school/middle school or should I teach them to make a point, too. (Once I figure out how to teach the older ones and myself to make a point!) I think we need more discussion about their topic before figuring out a thesis statement.
Thank you all!
Kendall
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I am always struggling with teaching writing. The hardest thing for me is the thesis statement. And the next is being sure that everything in the essay supports the thesis statement.
My 10th and 11th grader’s both wrote comparison essays. I suspect that the 11th grader will get a good grade on hers(online class), but I just don’t think either of them have a good thesis. (and I doubt the online teacher will comment on the thesis. We’ll see) The 10th grader is just doing writing with me.
My 11th grader compared something from two novels, Wives and Daughters by Gaskell and Pride and Prejudice.
Her thesis is: “Although Elizabeth and Molly both have bad first impressions of the main male character in their life, both impressions improve as the story progresses, and both relationships have obstacles to overcome.â€
Is this an acceptable type thesis at any grade level (and which grades) and should it be better for high school and what about college writing? I find myself asking, “So What?†after I read her thesis.
My 10th grader is writing about The Importance of Being Earnest.
Her three points are that Algy and Jack are both higher class gentlemen, both practice bunburying, and both end up assuming the name of Earnest.
She had this as an introduction but no strong thesis statement. I was going to help her with a thesis statement but I'm stuck.
“In The Importance of Being Earnest, two friends find themselves in the same situation. Their actions are always almost mirror images of the other’s. They are more alike than they knew.â€
I have read some books on writing that I have at home(and will read more today) and some internet/ sources.
One of the internet sources I thought gave bad instruction, but what do I know? The other looked helpful, but if that is the direction they need to go I’m not sure how to get them there with their current comparisons.
First source:
Here are three sample thesis sentences from the first source that I suspect is not good instruction. https://www.press.umich.edu/pdf/0472031937-templates.pdf
The similarities between R-rated movies and PG-rated movies are pronounced, and they merit rigorous scrutiny.
Despite bearing some minor similarities, the differences between Pele and Ronaldinho are pronounced.
While some differences between high school and college are evident, the similarities are striking.
Second source:
The source gives these three thesis statements and categories them by quality.
Bad: Judaism and Christianity were similar in some ways but different in others.
Better: Judaism and Christianity were similar in origin but different in practice.
Best: While both Judaism and Christianity are Abrahamic religions sprung from the same cultural hearth, they have diverged in their practices of the faith, recognition of religious cannon, and the divinity of Jesus Christ.
So to sum up my rambling post
Should their thesis statements be improved and if so how?
Thanks,
Kendall
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To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
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daijobu, Thank you so much for adding your thoughts. I'd forgotten about the AMC papers. This thread has given me more tools in my teaching/guiding toolbox! I'm excited! Thanks for mentioning explicitly telling them not only what you would try, but what the problem made you think of.
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You could have them play the sessions at a little bit higher speed. Then you could set a total time limit for their work and either assign select problems or let them choose questions or have them work from the beginning but only until the time is up. Then call that good for that lesson. My son did BJU earth science and he learned a lot and never did all of the questions. I think he enjoyed it a lot more because he could focus on reading and learning and not worry about finishing questions. I didn't have him take questions.
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Thank you so much everyone! You've given me great ideas and encouragement. I'm excited about using these problems to grow their math abilities and grow their ability to embrace difficulty.
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I’m wanting to do a better job with teaching problem solving, so I am having two of my daughters do the Challenger problems from the Art of Problem Solving Introductory Algebra. MAth background-one in Alg 1 using Foerster and so far 7 chapters of AoPS Intro to Alg. The other daughter is in Foerster Alg 2. I can't imagine doing these with a child just going through the chapter!
Today they both worked on the 3rd challenger problem in Chapter 2. There weren’t any in Chapter 1.
The problem was something like this:
5(x-4)- k(2x+1)
Find k so that the expression has the same value for any x value.
I put the girls in different rooms and went back and forth giving suggestions. I wanted them to wrestle with it awhile, but because of frustration levels did suggest at first that they just try picking a value for k and find the value of the expression for different values of x.
I gave some other suggestions and commented on what they had tried when it was way off base.
I finally had them each distribute and then associate the x terms, factor the x out
X(5-2k) -20-k and then had to talk them through what value of k would make x have no effect on the outcome.
My questions are both general and specific.
How do you handle these problems when they either don’t seem to have any idea of where to start or get stuck? I think if they try awhile and get stuck I will have them try again another day, but when they don’t even know how to start and are frustrated do you give ideas or just work through it with them?'
What specifically would you have said to guide them to finding the answer to this one?
I gave a pep talk to each girl about the value of difficulty, yada-yada and told them that over time they would be more and more able to approach these problems with ideas. I encouraged them by telling them that I didn’t immediately see what to do when I first looked at the problem and that I had to really think about what it would mean. I have a degree in math (which I feel I should give back after the slowness with which I have figured out the answer to some of the challenger problems!)
Thanks in advance,
Kendall
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Can any of you point me to an internet resource(or book) that gives real world applications for rational algebraic functions? Or a forum where I could ask? I've done some searching, but have not been able to find what I am looking for.
We are graphing rational algebraic functions linear numerators and quadratic denominators, both numerator and denominator quadratic, constant numerator, algebraic denominator, etc. I know how to graph them, but I am not finding real world applications.
Thanks,
Kendall
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This doesn't have a live teacher, but this is what we used. http://www.lifeprint.com/
I quickly see lessons 1-30 which is ASL 1 and 2 at a college. I think videos for semester 3 and 4 are on youtube.
Two of my children used those for two years in high school, through most of semester 4 I think. My son had not had ASL prior to that, my daughter had local classes with a Deaf woman. My son then took ASL 2 in college and knew almost all of it. He also had no trouble with ASL 3 in college. Before he took that college ASL 2 course he started working in an early ed center for deaf/hard of hearing kids and did fine there. All that to say that I think the program teaches well. The professor is an ASL professor at a california university and he is hard of hearing and his wife is Deaf.
I would be ideal to add real time with someone who is a fluent and preferably native signer. You could do the lifeprint for free and hire an occasional tutor, or see if there are any deaf coffees or other events that welcome beginning signers.
FYI I did not like the quizzes. They took so long to do and we skipped them. The kids also did fingerspelling practice (link on the same site).
HTH,
Kendall
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I've had 3 sons at two universities and all have easily gotten all of their hours (one got paid for more out of a different fund). One son is working in the field he did his works study in, though not because of it. He only went to college two years and the work study was his favorite part. He was on the audio visual tech team running the sound board. My son asked to visit with her on a campus visit. That had never happened to her before:).
My third son(sophomore this year) found his passion and made a major change and career choice change after being at his work study position for a year. His work study will definitely look good to graduate schools when he applies.
I'd just ask the college what percentage of students that are awarded work study usually get jobs.
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Thanks, that resource looks great!
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I agree that it is different for each college. I remember reading somewhere that there are 3 different types of honors programs, but I can't find that. One was great books oriented, one was just more work, I can't remember the other type. And the perks vary as well.
My son does not get priority registration and they did away with the honors dorm because the students didn't like feeling set apart and above(college has an average ACT of 30 so many kids qualify but don't choose honors). My son definitely found community with fellow honors students and the classes are much more discussion based and great books based. Also, his sophomore year spring honors class is a very good prep for graduate school with a semester long learning/writing project that the students design base on their interests. My son was not even considering graduate school when he started college, but has switched his major and now plans on a 5 year PhD program after graduation, so this course will be really helpful. His school gives a small honors scholarship ($2000 a year). The last two years they can explore any topic they want with a faculty mentor(s) of their choosing. It is a way to integrate their major with other areas of interest that they don't have time to major in. They don't get college credit for the last two years, but do get the scholarship.
Bottom line - ask lots of details about the honors program from official channels and also try to get the inside scoop from current honors students to see what they actually think.
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Thank you both so much for your time! That is really helpful as I work today to make a plan.
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Thanks, Erica. Do you happen to remember which of these didn't work well, etc?
Guacamole, salsa
Cookie - death by chocolate
Pancakes
Bread
Scones and coffee
Meringue
Jams and jellies
Three bean chili and corn bread
Cheese
Molecular gastronomy
Wacky cake
Ice cream
Pasta, meatballs, and crème brulee
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Do any of you have tips on how to use this?
Do the different recipes need to all be done and in order?
Did you have trouble finding the articles? I've only tried one and couldn't get it.
I'm not planning on using this in place of chemistry, but to liven up chemistry and give some lab work as we finish out the year.
Thanks in advance,
Kendall
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You could use chapter tests to more quickly determine where the gaps are, then go slower when you hit one. Ideally you would be able to review algebra 1 and much of algebra 2 before going on to precalculus.
For the OP - When I had time between Geometry and
I will make an attempt to answer both the OP and the recent question
When I had time after completing a high school math and before the next school year, I have
1) with the child I knew would have had extra time after Algebra 1, I am attempting to strengthen her skills and problem solving abilities by doing AoPS alternating with the algebra text we are using. If I hadn't thought of that in time, I would have started AoPS when she finished or maybe used alcumus online. Even if you do chapter tests(Or selected problems which done in quick succession is more like a long comprehensive exam) and determine that your child seems solid, you could spend the time until the end of the year(and/or through the summer) to strengthen/deepen algebra skills and problem solving skills because they both are so fundamental.
2) A different child had time between Geometry and Algebra 2. I went through the chapter tests for algebra 1 and stopped and retaught as necessary. We also did ACT tests and as we went over every single question on the ACT practice tests, topics came up we added them(and the algebra skills from the text) to a continual set of review "flashcards" that she would cycle through. This made a HUGE difference in her math skills which has made algebra 2 go much better and improved her ACT score.
Edited to add - I think algebra should be reviewed regularly through geometry and I do not think very many geometry texts have enough and they do not review it all. I haven't personally seem a geometry text that had enough to thoroughly review algebra. solving equations and systems of equations and quadratic equation and even some radical work are used in geometry, but not necessarily enough. Some topics just aren't used in geometry.
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I am currently using both Foerster Algebra 1 and AoPs Intro to Algebra with my 8th grader, and Foerster Alg 2 with my older 2 girls. Foerster Algebra 1 does not cover everything in intro to Algebra. Don't be fooled by the title "Introductory". I'm not as familiar with the second half of Intro, but a lot of it looks like what is in Foerster Alg 2. You definitely would not want to start in Intermediate. They could start at the beginning of Intro and do chapter reviews until they get to new material. And there will be some new material in the chapters that cover the same concepts that Foerster Algebra 1 does. I think you need some of Intermediate also to cover all of what Foerster Alg 2 covers (not counting the trig in either book).
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I like this idea and would love to hear more about how you would go about it. I can see myself spending more time than I have trying to find the perfect articles, speeches, etc to use. And then running out of time to find anything and the whole thing petering. Would you plan on reading all of them yourself and discussing them?
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Thanks for the input, everyone! I have two girls behind her who will benefit from these ideas as well. They are not quite as strong in math and some of these ideas sound like good ones for them. I asked her today and she likes going back and forth so we will keep doing that. I think I will try doing just the reviews and maybe some challenge instead of going through all of the exercises. She does Alcumus for fun on her own time.
I also like the combo of plenty of practice with Foerster and deep and detailed with AoPS. I am finding that for this child we often only do every 4th odd or even 2 or 3 of each kind in Foerster, so it isn't as much work as it sounds. She did all of the chapter on exponents in 2 days because of the prior exponent work in prealgebra and the early part of Intro. My older kids needed the whole year for Foerster, but this one does not so it has worked great to have the deeper problems in AoPS. I'm so glad I finally bought it! I'm just not ready to switch to it totally. I'm pretty sure the younger two couldn't anyway, but I will want them to have as much of the depth of AoPS that I can get them.
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I wan't sure which forum to post my question on, so if you combined these I'd love it if you read this thread I started on the logic stage forum
Thanks,
Kendall
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Are any of you using/have you used these two texts together? I'm doing that with my 8th grader this year and wanted to compare experiences.
I've been having her do the Foerster text until we can move to the AoPS and have it be mostly review. Then when it introduces something new we go back to Foerster.* I've been having her do just the exercises in AoPS (with a few exceptions when we do the problems first). but now I'm wondering if I should just have her do the chapter Review instead of the chapter exercises. We haven't been doing the Chapter Review or Challenger(those I'm saving for summer). Thoughts?
I am really liking this combination. I had done Foerster Algebra I with my older 5 and this child needed more, but AoPS often does not have enough practice on the basic concepts even for her. She could have maybe handled it alone, but I'm not sure. I think I would have had to supplement with easier practice problems. I guess Foerster is really doing that for me and giving lots of word problems.
I think we can finish Foerster this year and through chapter 8 or 9 or 10 of AoPS. I thought I would just continue on with Intro to Algebra alongside Geometry(Jurgensen) her 9th grade year. Though maybe I will do the same kind of thing alternating back and forth with Foerster Algebra 2 slowly through next year and 10th.
During AoPS prealgebra we learned that she MUCH prefers me to teach her vs. going through the problems in the book to learn it. She learns from me teaching her in a fraction of the time it takes her to read it and work the problems and solutions.
Thanks,
Kendall
* FYI for anyone finding this thread and wanting to try this- The exponent work in the AoPS is in chapter 1 or 2 and not until chapter 9 in Foerster, but she had a lot of that in AoPS Prealgebra so we went ahead with it.
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I am not getting notifications for some reason, so I am just seeing this. I'm not offended at all! I always want to know such information. When I posted, we hadn't gotten to the section that talks about exceptions to the octet rule. I think our text isn't really having the students figure out many Lewis structures for exceptions. I don't know how important that is... but we are going to learn the ones the book showed.
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How to you help your student to be faster on the ACT?
in High School and Self-Education Board
Posted
My son was missed very few math questions, but was slow and didn't finish the tests. He did a bunch of math practice tests-real ACT ones. We went over every single question right or wrong. We talked about ways to do it faster. Sometimes I could see from what he had written and sometimes he would describe his thinking process and we would think about ways to be faster. We talked about things like keeping an eye on the answers and not going further in solving than you have to in order to narrow the choice down to 1. He improved his score by about 6 points from his first practice test to the actual test.