In my Foundations class, we just finished a chapter on statistics, not from a math point of view, but from a real life point of view. We look at studies, analyzed how they were conducted, looked at data and how it was presented and saw what a crock of doo doo most statistics were. The kids liked the unit and asked about conducting their own survey about overcrowding at Packemin.
This is a class with no regents and no uniform exams so I decided to let them take a go at it. I turned the class over to one boy who appointed two secretaries--one for the board and one for paper and the class proceeded to come up with a study. They had a goal, a population, and a sample population. Then they came up with questions. They realized they needed something that would not be too difficult to compile answers from. Everyone came up with suggestions that were all written down and then discussed. The kids were able to get rid of leading questions and vague questions. They were able to rephrase questions so they would reflect both sides of the issue. In other words, they took the lessons of the past week and brought them to life.
A small group will visit the principal and get his permission to carry out the study. Once all the data is compiled, they will figure out applicable statistics, margin of error and draw conclusions. They plan on writing this up as a major news story.
Too bad so much of our school time must be devoted to test preparation and in a regular class there is no time left to devote to activities like this, activities that really assess learning and put the learning to use. One day, people will realize that this is education at its finest and real learning will return to the schools.
This is a class with no regents and no uniform exams so I decided to let them take a go at it. I turned the class over to one boy who appointed two secretaries--one for the board and one for paper and the class proceeded to come up with a study. They had a goal, a population, and a sample population. Then they came up with questions. They realized they needed something that would not be too difficult to compile answers from. Everyone came up with suggestions that were all written down and then discussed. The kids were able to get rid of leading questions and vague questions. They were able to rephrase questions so they would reflect both sides of the issue. In other words, they took the lessons of the past week and brought them to life.
A small group will visit the principal and get his permission to carry out the study. Once all the data is compiled, they will figure out applicable statistics, margin of error and draw conclusions. They plan on writing this up as a major news story.
Too bad so much of our school time must be devoted to test preparation and in a regular class there is no time left to devote to activities like this, activities that really assess learning and put the learning to use. One day, people will realize that this is education at its finest and real learning will return to the schools.
7 comments:
Sounds great! You might want to talk to the school newspaper about "picking up" their story!
Makes me wish I could do more of this.... Aha!! I get to, I remember now!
this is great! this is what it should be, student led, student centered learning, derived from topics that are decided by students to be motivating! can you videotape this project for posterity?
The only posterity I care about at the moment is my own. Everything, except the kids is making me ill.
Now you should be no longer questioning your pedagogical abilities. Some things are out of our control to be optimally successful. Here's a new word coined by one of my students to explain multiplicative inverse : fliprocity.
I love the word--thanks!
"Too bad so much of our school time must be devoted to test preparation and in a regular class there is no time left to devote to activities like this, activities that really assess learning and put the learning to use."
You are a danger to the status quo.
The USA elite class WILL attain their lusted-for oligarchy.
If you truly imposed a barrier to the desires of the privileged ones I would fear for your safety.
It would be best to obey our leaders.
You may be worthy of a visit by the jack-booted thug class who often come disguised in the suits and impressive credentials.
That badge embossed with FBI can fill the meekest American with dread and fear, leaving them a quivering hulk that never quite rids themselves of a marrow-deep dread of authority... and that is what the elite class desires.
Now, go forth and obey.
It is your American duty.
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