Category: Math for Teachers

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Back to School for Teachers, Students and Parents

Now that Labor Day is behind us, it’s safe to say that most of country is back at school. In honor of this new beginning, I decided to share three of my most favorite posts for teachers, students and parents.

Five Things Math Teachers Wish Parents Knew

In this post, I asked veteran middle school teacher, Tiffany Choice, to share her advice for parents on how to help their kids succeed in math class. Her advice is golden, and stupid-easy to follow. In fact, none of her ideas involve learning new math methods. Huzzah!

Ten Things Students Wish Math Teachers Knew

I polled the high school and middle school students I know to get this great advice for teachers. If you teach math — at any level — do yourself a favor and take these to heart. Students aren’t asking for the moon.

Ten Things Parents Wish Math Teachers Knew

And there’s one more for teachers. Those of you who are parents see both sides of this equation. The homework wars are real, kids are stressed out and parents feel sometimes powerless to help.

If you’re a parent who needs even more support — and who among us doesn’t? — check out these bonus posts, where I outline ways that you can help your child become a master mathematician — or at least leave math class not feeling like a dummy!

Lowering Homework Stress: 5 easy steps for parents

Five Math Resources for Confused Parents

And of course, I’m around to answer your questions and give you support. Let’s get this school year off to a great, mathy start!

 Photo Credit: loop_oh via Compfight cc

Got a question or comment about any of the above resources, share in the comments section!

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Math at Work Monday: Louisa the Greeting Card Designer

Nothing says hello to a new neighbor like sending a greeting card or an invitation. And cards can mean so much in times of grief or illness. Those special little messages to pull the heart strings have to come from somewhere, right? Louisa Wimberger, founder of Weehah Greeting Cards and Invitations has built a business around these special messages. From greeting cards to invitations, she makes some of the best cards available.

Can you explain what you do for a living?

I design and create greeting cards and invitations. I sell them through my website, at retail shows and festivals, and also wholesale them to stores.

When do you use basic math in your job?

I use math all the time! For example: I use QuickBooks to invoice customers. I have to determine the cost of my supplies and my time in order to come up with a reasonable retail price ($3.95 per card or 10 for $35) and wholesale price ($2.25 per card).

I keep a budget, make purchases with credit cards, and pay that off monthly. On occasion, I hire someone to do mindless or repetitive tasks for me such as packaging cards. I learned that I have to pay someone per piece, and not by the hour!

I have to order cardstock and envelopes almost every week. My cardstock sheets come in 8.5 x 11 or 11 x 17 usually. So, when a customer wants 100 flat cards that measure 4.25 x 5.5 each, how many can I get per sheet? The list goes on.

Do you use any technology (like calculators or computers) to help with this math? Why or why not?

I use QuickBooks (for invoicing and budget/bookkeeping) and occasionally a calculator (to figure out measurements for things, mostly).

How do you think math helps you do your job better?

If it weren’t for math, I wouldn’t be able to actually make any money doing what I do!

How comfortable with math do you feel? Does this math feel different to you ?

I haven’t usually liked math in the past, but I have learned to appreciate (and even sometimes enjoy) it in the context of my business.

What kind of math did you take in high school? Did you like it/feel like you were good at it?

I think I took Algebra and Geometry but not Calculus. I never, ever felt like I was good at it. I glazed over a lot. I excelled in English, and that came naturally. Math was a push for me almost all the time. (And yet, I did pretty well on the math section of my SATs, oddly enough!)

Did you have to learn new skills in order to do the math you use in your job? Or was it something that you could pickup using the skills you learned in school?

I did not learn new skills. I more had to learn the theories people have behind how to price things, which doesn’t seem exactly like math to me.

Do you have a question for Louisa? Would you like to check out her cards? You can find out more about her at her website.

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Common Core Common Sense: The Series

It’s been a blast going unraveling five myths about the Common Core here at Math for Grownups. And I’ve gotten a lot of terrific feedback from commenters. In case you missed any of these posts, I thought I’d put them together in one package. Enjoy — and be sure to share your thoughts in the comment sections of each post!

Myth #1: Common Core is a Curriculum

This is perhaps the most pervasive misunderstanding. In fact, the Common Core Standards are simply that: standards. In education-speak, this means they are statements of what students should know, upon completing a course or grade. Common Core does something a bit more than other sets of standards, giving a clear expectation of the depth of this understanding. >>read the rest

Myth #2: The Standards Omit Basic Math Facts

While grabbing a latte at the local Starbucks a few weeks ago, I ran into a friend of mine. She was taking a break from teaching cursive to high school students at a nearby private school’s summer program. “Kids don’t learn cursive in elementary school anymore, and so they can’t sign their names,” she explained. “Kids aren’t even required to learn their multiplication tables these days!” >>read the rest

Myth #3: The Standards Introduce Algebra Too Late

One of the reasons for Common Core is to be sure that when students graduate from high school they are ready for college and/or the job market. And these days that means having some advanced math skills under their belts. But if you read the Common Core course headings, algebra is not mentioned until high school. >>read the rest

Myth #4: The Standards Require More Testing

Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the U.S. education system is standardized testing. And for good reason. There are a myriad of problems with these tests – from their links to private companies to their use as teacher evaluation tools. >>read the rest

Myth #5: Common Core is Overflowing with Fuzzy Math

First, a definition: fuzzy math is a derogatory term for an educational movement called reform math. Therefore the claim of fuzzy math isn’t so much a myth as an attempt to insult  the way that many math teachers and education researchers advocate teaching mathematics to K-12 students. >>read the rest

Know someone who could use an education on what the Common Core standards for math reallysay? Forward them this link. Or tweet about it and post on your Facebook page. 

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Common Core Common Sense: Myths About the Standards, Part 5

In recent months, there’s been a tremendous amount of buzz regarding an educational change called Common Core. And a ton of that buzz perpetuates down-right false information. There’s so much to say about this that I’ve developed a five-part series debunking these myths — or outright lies, if you’re being cynical. This is the last post of that series (read Myth 1, Myth 2, Myth 3 and Myth 4), which began in August. Of course, I’m writing from a math perspective. Photo Credit: Watt_Dabney via Compfight cc

Myth #5: Common Core is Overflowing with Fuzzy Math

First, a definition: fuzzy math is a derogatory term for an educational movement called reform math. Therefore the claim of fuzzy math isn’t so much a myth as an attempt to insult  the way that many math teachers and education researchers advocate teaching mathematics to K-12 students.

Second, some history: in 1989, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (disclaimer: I was once a member) published a document called Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics, which recommended a newish philosophy of math education. The group followed with Principles and Standards for School Mathematics in 2000. School officials and curriculum companies responded by implementing many of the approaches offered by the NCTM and as a result, the way we teach mathematics began to change. This change is what advocates call reform math and critics often call fuzzy math.

Before the NCTM’s publications, math teachers focused on the math — in particular series of steps (algorithms) designed to get the right answer to a problem or question. With reform math, educators became more focused on how students best learn mathematics. Suddenly, context and nuance and “why?” were at least as important as the answer. And it is true that Common Core Standards for Mathematics are largely based on the NCTM’s publications.

If this is truly fuzzy math, then we don’t have a myth here. (Although, to be fair, there is a legitimate branch of set theory and logic called “fuzzy mathematics.” But somehow, I don’t think Common Core critics using this term have real math in mind.) I include the fuzzy-math criticism as a myth because it suggests that teaching math in a conceptual way is a bad idea.

Throughout this series, I have asserted that the best way for students to understand and remember mathematical concepts is by returning over and over to the concepts behind the applications. Why is 24 such a flexible number? Because it has eight factors: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12 and 24. Students who really get this will have an easier time adding and subtracting fractions, reducing fractions, simplifying algebraic expressions and eventually solving algebraic equations through factoring.

This is numeracy, folks.

Students will not become numerate (think literate but with math) without a solid, conceptual understanding of mathematical ideas and properties. Numeracy does not typically evolve from memorizing multiplication tables or long division or pages and pages of practice problems. (Disclaimer: some kids will certainly become numerate regardless of how they’re being taught, but many, many others won’t.)

Numeracy is a life-long quest concentrated between the ages of five and 18 years old. Grownups can gain numeracy, but isn’t it better for our kids to enter into adulthood with this great understanding?

If Common Core critics want to call this whole philosophy “fuzzy math,” so be it. Just know that the ideas behind reform mathematics are deeply rooted in research about how kids learn math, not some ridiculous idea that was made up in the board rooms of a curriculum development company or smoke-filled political back rooms.

In short, the problems with Common Core math are not found in the standards themselves. Instead, the application and heated discourse are clouding Common Core’s real value and promise.

Got a question about the Common Core Standards for Mathematics? Please ask! Disagree with my assessment above? Share it! And if you missed Myth #1, Myth #2, Myth #3, Myth #4, you can find them here, here, here and here.

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Common Core Common Sense: Myths About the Standards, Part 3

In recent months, there’s been a tremendous amount of buzz regarding an educational change called Common Core. And a ton of that buzz perpetuates down-right false information. There’s so much to say about this that I’ve developed a five-part series debunking these myths — or outright lies, if you’re being cynical. This is the third in that series (read Myth 1 and Myth 2), which will continue on Wednesdays throughout August and into September. Of course, I’ll be writing from a math perspective. Photo Credit: Watt_Dabney via Compfight cc

Myth #3: The Standards Introduce Algebra Too Late

One of the reasons for Common Core is to be sure that when students graduate from high school they are ready for college and/or the job market. And these days that means having some advanced math skills under their belts. But if you read the Common Core course headings, algebra is not mentioned until high school.

Up to this point, the math is referred to by the grade level, not subject(s) covered. So at first glance, this looks suspiciously like there is no mention of algebra in middle school. You have to dig a little deeper to learn that tough algebraic concepts are covered in the middle school standards. In fact, algebra is introduced (in an extremely conceptual way, with no mention of the word algebra) in kindergarten!

The Common Core math standards are divided into domains — or mathematical concepts. Here is the full list:

  • Counting & Cardinality
  • Operations & Algebraic Thinking
  • Number & Operations in Base Ten
  • Number & Operations — Fractions
  • Measurement & Data
  • Geometry
  • Ratios & Proportional Relationships
  • The Number System
  • Expressions & Equations
  • Functions
  • Statistics & Probability

Of this list, you can find algebraic ideas and skills in at least four domains: Operations & Algebraic Thinking, Ratios & Proportional Relationships, Expressions & Equations and Functions. (You can argue that algebra appears in others as well.) In kindergarten, students are introduced to the idea of an equation, like this: 3 + 2 = 5. They also answer questions like this: What number can you add to 9 to get 10? (Algebraically speaking this question is x + 9 = 10, what is x?)

Variables aren’t introduced until much later, in 6th grade, when students are expected to “write, read, and evaluate expressions in which letters stand for numbers.” At this point, students begin to learn the language of algebra, with vocabulary words like coefficient (in the expression 3x, 3 is the coefficient) and term (in the expression 3x – 6, 3x and 6 are terms). Also in 6th grade, they start solving simple equations and inequalities, like 4 + x = 7 and 5x = 15.

In 8th grade, radicals and exponents are introduced, and students learn to solve simple equations with these operations. In addition, they graph lines and put equations into point-slope form and slope-intercept form, and begin solving systems of equations (pairs of equations with two variables). They also make connections between an equation of a line and the graph of a line. Finally, functions are introduced in 8th grade.

All of that happens well before high school, leaving lots of time in high school to delve into polynomials, quadratic equations and conic sections.

But here’s the most important thing: under Common Core, students are given a tremendous amount of context for all of this math, as well as time to develop true numeracy. This can speed along algebraic understanding. For example, students who are fluent with multiples and factors of whole numbers and decimals will have a much easier time learning how to solve equations by factoring. That’s because they will have the foundation of factoring or expanding. They will be able to use the distributive property with ease and focus their attention on the new concepts being presented.

In other words, this slow build develops numeracy.

So don’t let the Common Core headings fool you. Algebraic concepts and skills are meted out throughout the grade levels, allowing students to truly understand foundational concepts and fluently perform basic algebraic skills well before high school begins.

Got a question about the Common Core Standards for Mathematics? Please ask! Disagree with my assessment above? Share it! And if you missed Myth #1 or Myth #2, you can find the here and here.

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Common Core Common Sense: Myths About the Standards, Part 2

In recent months, there’s been a tremendous amount of buzz regarding an educational change called Common Core. And a ton of that buzz perpetuates down-right false information. There’s so much to say about this that I’ve developed a five-part series debunking these myths — or outright lies, if you’re being cynical. This is the second in that series (read the first here), which will continue on Wednesdays throughout August and into September. Of course, I’ll be writing from a math perspective. Photo Credit: Watt_Dabney via Compfight cc

Myth #2: The Standards Omit Basic Math Facts

While grabbing a latte at the local Starbucks a few weeks ago, I ran into a friend of mine. She was taking a break from teaching cursive to high school students at a nearby private school’s summer program.

“Kids don’t learn cursive in elementary school anymore, and so they can’t sign their names,” she explained. “Kids aren’t even required to learn their multiplication tables these days!” 

Well, I know for a fact that multiplication facts are covered in math classes across the country, including those in our fair city. But there’s this idea out there that third-graders are using calculators to find 8 x 2. While I don’t doubt that this has happened on at least one occasion, it’s not a trend in education. And math facts are a part of the Common Core.

The Common Core Standards emphasize critical thinking. And without a foundation in basic facts, students will not be able to apply critical thinking skills to problem solving of any kind.

Sure, there is no Common Core Standard that says students must be able to recite the multiplication tables 1 through 12 by heart. Instead, Common Core focuses on the concept of multiplication — which is pretty darned complex — encouraging teachers to illustrate multiplication with arrays (the picture below is an array), equal-sized groups, and area. The difference boils down to this: We grownups probably memorized that 8 x 2 = 16, while today’s students might figure it out on their own with a drawing like this:

• • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • •

The array above gives context to multiplication. Students can see for themselves that there are two rows of eight dots and 16 dots in all. The simple illustration even offers students a way to discover (or remember) the math fact themselves before memorization naturally occurs. In short, it’s much more meaningful than flash cards.

And while the example above is very visual, the idea behind it is flexible, allowing students with different learning styles to understand multiplication. A more kinetic (tactile) student can arrange 16 pennies in an array. A student with an aural learning style can count the dots out loud — in rows, in columns and in total. And so on.

There are plenty of other math facts included in the Common Core Standards, from the properties of number systems to formulas for area and volume. But I admit, you won’t find anything like, “Students will recite the value of π to the ninth decimal place.”

And this is a great change from more traditional approaches. Because, nothing sucks the life out of learning like memorization. Besides, can you remember the formula for the surface area of a cube? If not, could you figure it out or find it online? In my opinion, we want students to kick ass in the figuring-out option — to know that a cube has six sides that are exactly alike, and that surface area is figured when you add the area of each of the sides. Knowing those little details means that a formula isn’t necessary.

So yeah, Common Core hasn’t eliminated math facts. They’re just not front and center, leaving much more room for critical thinking. And that’s a good thing.

Got a question about the Common Core Standards for Mathematics? Please ask! Disagree with my assessment above? Share it! And if you missed Myth #1, you can find it here.

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Math at Work Monday: Tina the Event Coordinator

Business is business, right? When it’s time to have those meetings and conferences, you want everything to run smoothly so you can concentrate on the task at hand.  Tina Speers has been ensuring that happens for four years as a corporate event coordinator.  She is the one making sure the projector runs like it should, and the refreshments are available on time.

Can you explain what you do for a living?

I have been an corporate event coordinator for four years. The majority of my job involves scheduling and planning events. I keep a Google calendar and plan the events and schedule rooms based on the needs of each group.  We also do virtual conferences, which requires IT skills such as basic knowledge of IP based systems.  I also stock our small cafe and make coffee on a daily basis.

When do you use basic math in your job?

Basic math is needed for the cafe.  Each item is 50 cents, or we have all day pricing.  I often need to make change (cafe is operated on an honor system).  I never use a calculator unless large groups pay per person for a certain amount of items.

Do you use any technology (like calculators or computers) to help with this math? Why or why not?

If we need to make copies for our groups they are charged per page copied.  I often use a calculator because of the amount we charge.  A black and white copy is 05 cents and a color copy is 15 cents and we usual make copies in large volumes (at least 20 pages).  I also use basic math to complete the usage and metrics for the event center. We tally our guest totals by month.  I use a calculator for this because the numbers are usually large and uneven.

How do you think math helps you do your job better?

Math helps me do my job better because I am able to move fast when a guest is waiting for change.  I can’t imagine having to  use a calculator every time a guest needs change.

How comfortable with math do you feel? Does this math feel different to you ?

I am very comfortable with this math and it does not feel different or unusual in any way.  I mean,  I learned how to count change in first grade!  In general, I do not feel very comfortable with math unless it is very basic.

What kind of math did you take in high school? Did you like it/feel like you were good at it?

In high school I remember taking algebra, trig, and geometry as well as some sort of review class my senior year. I think it was actually called “Senior Review.”  I have not used any advanced math skills in my job. I took Calc I in college and barely passed.  I also feel I had a lot of bad math teachers especially in my middle school years.

Did you have to learn new skills in order to do the math you use in your job? Or was it something that you could pickup using the skills you learned in school?

I have not used any advanced math skills in my job.

Do you have a question for Tina? An event you need to plan? Send me your question and I will forward it to her.

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3rd Grade Math Quiz

[watupro 2] Photo Credit: jontintinjordan via Compfight cc

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Common Core Common Sense: Myths About the Standards, Part 1

In recent months, there’s been a tremendous amount of buzz regarding an educational change called Common Core. And a ton of that buzz perpetuates down-right false information. There’s so much to say about this that I’ve developed a five-part series debunking these myths — or outright lies, if you’re being cynical. This is the first in that series, which will continue on Wednesdays throughout August and into September. Of course, I’ll be writing from a math perspective. Photo Credit: Watt_Dabney via Compfight cc

Myth #1: Common Core is a Curriculum

This is perhaps the most pervasive misunderstanding. In fact, the Common Core Standards are simply that: standards. In education-speak, this means they are statements of what students should know, upon completing a course or grade. Common Core does something a bit more than other sets of standards, giving a clear expectation of the depth of this understanding. Compare these fifth-grade math standards, one from Virginia’s Standards of Learning (SOL) and it’s corresponding objective from Common Core:

SOL: The student will describe the relationship found in a number pattern and express the relationship.

Common Core: Generate two numerical patterns using two given rules. Identify apparent relationships between corresponding terms. Form ordered pairs consisting of corresponding terms from the two patterns, and graph the ordered pairs on a coordinate plane. For example, given the rule “Add 3” and the starting number 0, and given the rule “Add 6” and the starting number 0, generate terms in the resulting sequences, and observe that the terms in one sequence are twice the corresponding terms in the other sequence. Explain informally why this is so.

The Common Core Standard isn’t just longer — it expresses much more depth. Students begin to pay attention to the relationships between numerical expressions, algebraic expressions and graphing. The goal is for students to know that these number patterns can be shown in a variety of different ways. And that’s a pretty big deal when students get into more complex algebra.

But here’s the thing: How students are taught is left completely to school districts and/or states. Some select ready-made curriculum, like Everyday Mathematics. Others opt to develop their own curriculum, which is exactly what my daughter’s middle school did.

Certainly, curriculum development companies have leapt on the opportunity to create new lessons, textbooks, activities and online components that correspond with Common Core. That’s capitalism at work in our country. (And it’s fed my bottom line quite well over the last three years. I’ve turned away more work this summer than I was able to accept.) There is nothing in the Common Core that dictates which curriculum must adopt, however. Localities still have control over that decision and process.

This is not to say that the Common Core hasn’t forced some pretty major changes in how mathematics is taught. Under these standards, students are encouraged to discover mathematical concepts, rather than be told how math works or should be understood. For traditionalists this could be a bad change. Yet, I believe that a discovery-based approach helps students conceptualize mathematics, which gives them a much better chance at developing strong numeracy than those who learn merely by rote. More on that in a later myth.

But regardless of what you think of the standards themselves, it’s important to know that they are merely a guideline for teachers and schools. Just like state educational standards — and each state has them — Common Core is merely outlining what the students should know, once they’ve mastered the material. Now how states and districts choose to measure students’ understanding of the standards is a different story — and a completely separate discussion of the standards themselves.

Got a question about the Common Core Standards for Mathematics? Please ask! Disagree with my assessment above? Share it!

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Math at Work Monday: Cindy the Graphic Designer

I sure think it would be fun to be a graphic designer.  The only problem is…I’m not sure my creativity can keep up!  Today we interview Cindy Schnell, Vice President of Graphica, to find out how math plays a role in her job.

Can you explain what you do for a living?

I manage a creative firm that specializes in strategy and branding.

When do you use basic math in your job?

I use basic math when estimating projects and providing quotes.

Do you use any technology (like calculators or computers) to help with this math? Why, or why not?

I use a calculator to ensure accuracy.

How do you think math helps you do your job better?

Providing an estimate for a project is sometimes the first contact you may have with a new client. It is critical to provide accurate pricing. You do not get a second chance to say, “Oh wait, I didn’t add that right, or I forgot to include the following charges.” Our professionalism and accuracy is imperative to our brand.

How comfortable with math do you feel?

On my own, without a calculator to validate my final numbers, I am not as confident.

Does this math feel different to you?

No, my needs in day-to-day business are basic and are very familiar to me.

What kind of math did you take in high school?

Calculus.

Did you like it/feel like you were good at it?

No. I also took it in college, and it was one of my most difficult subjects. I also have a mild disability with dyslexia and numbers so numbers have always been a slight challenge.

Did you have to learn new skills in order to do the math you use in your job? Or was it something that you could pick up using the skills you learned in school?

No, I did not have to learn any new skills to do the math at my job.

Curious to know more? If so, let me know, and I will pass them along to her.

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Math at Work Monday: Andy the Design Director

EPS10 vector square techno design

You probably enjoy a good motion picture from time to time.  When watching, you probably do not think about how much math was used to design it.  Today, you will hear from Andy Nick who has been a Design Director  for ten years.  He makes a motion picture come to life.

Can you explain what you do for a living? 

I work for a full-service design firm and lead a team of video specialists. We are a small team, so we all do a lot of different jobs. I direct live action video shoots and handle post production and visual effects for short films, motion graphic projects and all sorts of other multimedia.

When do you use basic math in your job?

When I use Adobe After Effects (a motion graphics and visual effects program) to design and animate graphics using the old-skool cartesian coordinate system. I put design elements at a specific place using X and Y coordinates, and when I work in “3D”, I use Z space, too. Animation is just changing numbers around from their location on a graph to transparency, rotation on all 3 axes and scale. Sometimes, I write very simple mathematical code that calculates where something should be based on simple variables. It’s not calculus, but it does get a little tricky. It’s all very cool though.

Do you use any technology (like calculators or computers) to help with this math?

In my line of work, the computer does all of the number crunching. I just push and pull things around. Sometimes, I have to look carefully at the numbers to make sure that two graphics line up perfectly to each other. Other times I need an animation to look smooth, so I look at the graph that tells me how the numbers change over time. I see the results of math much more often than I worry about the actual number crunching going on.

How do you think math helps you do your job better?

Understanding the basics of plotting points on a graph is just the beginning of understanding 3D graphics, but it’s a foundation that you totally have to have. It’s especially cool for me to use these tools because when a video looks really spectacular, people don’t tend to think that you came at it from a mathematical point of view. Things just end up looking “right”.

How comfortable with math do you feel? 

When you’re working with graphics, all the math is “under the hood” which means that no one will ever see any numbers. When you come out with something that looks good, people don’t understand or care how long it took you to make two things line up perfectly, look realistic and move in proportion to each other in 3D space. All of the hard work that I do with numbers is gone, and people just say “that looks real”.

What kind of math did you take in high school?

Yep, I was decent at math. I was bad at memorizing formulas, but I really understood principles well, and I was especially awesome at using a graphing calculator. (Do students still use those?) If I remember right, I made it to Algebra 2 before graduating high school. I wish I had taken a trig class. I think that’s some really cool stuff, and hardcore programmers can make some crazy things happen on screen if they know some of that stuff.

Did you have to learn new skills in order to do the math you use in your job?

I never learned more math after graduating. I only learned how to apply simple math in a way that made sense to me. I move graphics around for a living. Having an understanding of what makes motion look real is definitely due to an understanding of basic math.

Anything else you want to mention?

If you’re interested in seeing some of the motion graphics I develop, check out our latest showreel at https://vimeo.com/60230695 (password: realreel)

Check out Andy’s motion graphics he developed.  This time you will be thinking more about how math is involved in what you are watching on the screen.  If you have any questions for Andy, I can send them his way.  Feel free to check out more of his work at nickad.com.

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Math at Work Monday: Tiffany the Choir Director

Music adds such a level on enjoyment and creativity to life.  As the Choir Director at Mad River Middle School, Tiffany Hesselbart sees this firsthand.  In this field, it is essential for Tiffany and her students to understand basic math.  Although math skills cannot give you a better singing voice, it may help those who already sound beautiful when they sing!

Can you explain what you do for a living? 

I teach seventh-grade choir. I have approximately 140 students split between 4 classes.

When do you use basic math in your job?

Math is very important in music so we use it every day. We talk about the number of beats in each measure. We talk about the values of different types of notes and rests. For example, I may ask the class what the value of a quarter note is, and when they say one beat, I ask them what happens to the note if it has a dot on it.  They have to know that a dot equals half of the value of the no, and that it would then equal one and one half beats. In addition, we talk about how two eighth notes equal one quarter note, two quarter notes equal one half note, and two half notes equal one whole note.

Do you use any technology (like calculators or computers) to help with this math?

Our math is basic fractional math that does not require a calculator.

How do you think math helps you do your job better?

Math and music go hand in hand. I explain to students every day that they need to understand fractions in order to understand music. If I could not explain that to students, then they would not understand many aspects of music. So it not only helps me do my job better, it is absolutely essential.

How comfortable with math do you feel? 

I am comfortable with math that I use every day, but math is not my strong suit.

What kind of math did you take in high school?

I took algebra 1 and 2 in high school.  Also, I took geometry. I think that I was good at it them because I was in accelerated math. However, when I took math in college, I realized I was not as good at it as I had originally thought.

Did you have to learn new skills in order to do the math you use in your job?

No, the math I use daily is basic math that middle schoolers can understand so that I can meet my teaching and learning goals with them.

So, when Tiffany’s students utilize their basic math skills in choir, I bet it is music to her ears.  If you have questions for Tiffany, send them my way, and I will be happy to send them to her!

Photo Credit: Brandon Giesbrecht via Compfight cc