Hi everyone! My name is Sametria, and I’m from Dallas, Texas. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics in 2014. I have spent the last 11 years teaching middle school math. I started out teaching sixth-grade math for eight years, then moved on to eighth-grade math and Algebra for two more years. I currently work as a Math Specialist and Interventionist, helping middle school students who need extra support with key math concepts. I’m now working toward a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on Mathematics to strengthen my educational skills. My goal is to become a Lead Instructional Coach so I can guide and support other teachers in helping students succeed and enjoy math.
When reviewing Texas TEKS alongside the ISTE Standards, I was drawn to TEKS 8.4B, which focuses on using proportional relationships to determine solutions. In past years, I have noticed that students often struggle to see how proportional relationships and unit rates apply to real-life situations. By using the ISTE Standard: Creative Communicator (6c), which involves communicating complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models, or simulations, students can tackle this challenge through a project like planning a class fundraiser or a small business, then calculating the costs, sales, and profits. They could use digital tools like Google Slides, Canva, and Desmos to create graphs, charts, and tables that clearly show relationships between quantities and predictions for earnings.
Kolb’s Triple E Framework really connects with this lesson because it focuses on how technology should engage, enhance, and extend learning. First, the project engages students by connecting math to something real, like planning a fundraiser or a small business. Students usually get more excited when they see how math connects to money, sales, and real decisions. Second, technology enhances learning by giving students tools to create graphs, charts, and tables that make proportional relationships easier to see and explain. Finally, the lesson extends learning because students aren’t just doing math problems; they’re also practicing communication and problem-solving skills they can use outside the classroom.
Overall, the Triple E Framework reminds us that technology shouldn’t just be an extra step. It’s a way to make learning deeper, more relevant, and more meaningful while helping students share their mathematical thinking in clear, creative ways.
Hi Sametria. I enjoyed reading your introduction and activity idea. Math is a subject I struggled with throughout my K12 years and in college. Reading about how your activity will help students understand math concepts rather than memorizing steps. I like the practical application that is involved in the activity in planning projects. I think activities like the class fundraiser or small business planning, rather than a straight lecture and teaching style that focused on drill and practice, would have helped me much more in math. I also liked how you tied all of it into the Triple E Framework. It shows how tech can deepen engagement and make math both practical and fun.
ReplyDeleteHi Sametria, I loved reading about your background in math! I think you are right about the proportional relationship and the struggles students have. I have seen some of that myself as a middle school math teacher. I am excited to see how your ideas turn out and to learn more from you this semester.
ReplyDeleteHello Sametria! I love your activity idea about running the project like a class fundraiser or small business. I am in early childhood but we do something similar called a goods and services fair where they create a business and sell goods or provide a service at a fair for our school. Other students are able to come shop with tickets. It is an amazing project and it teaches them so much more than the academic content.
ReplyDelete