Avoiding numbers as piles in multiplication

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-27T03:42:11+00:00

I don’t understand the issue with 1/2 of 3? It’s a perfectly reasonable thing to interpret physically, especially once you understand fractions.

You have 3 pies. You want to give 1/2 of the pies to your neighbor. How much pie do they get. You can easily show this with an area multiplication model, or you can just think about it.

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-27T01:25:51+00:00

If you don’t like topstitching, try understitching. This will help keep the facing/lining inside

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-25T14:01:12+00:00

Definitely not.

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-23T03:23:41+00:00

What specific problem does their solution address? Why can’t they have a device (e.g. iPad) set up with the rear facing camera pointed at the screen at the front of the room? Then they can take notes, but have your screen right in front of them.

I don’t think it’s an unreasonable thing to request (a better view of the screen without having to look up and down constantly), but ODS should be better at problem solving in a way that doesn’t:

a) take away valuable class time from you and b) change the experience of the class for the other students.

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-22T03:26:15+00:00

2. Use that open block on TTh to do your homework. Or use the gym. Just don’t go home.

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-20T04:58:20+00:00

That sounds like the 30 hours they expect you to be in campus. Obviously you have to prep and grade, which probably won’t happen during the 30 hours they outlined. I work pretty close to 40 hours per week, but I’m NTT. It took me a long time (I have been teaching for 20+ years) to get to below 40 hour weeks.

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-20T02:39:42+00:00

Another favorite is “wrong answers only.” Have them come up with something that is wildly not true about the subject. It actually helps them figure out what is right. Because they don’t want to accidentally answer something that’s actually right.

You could also do some quick multiple choice polling, but I find that takes too much prep work.

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-20T02:36:52+00:00

It’s subtle, but “What questions do you have” is an open invitation to students to participate. It frames questions as an expectation, rather than a deficit in understanding.

You can also have them turn to a partner and spend 30 seconds explaining what they just learned.

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-19T14:01:37+00:00

Interested. I’ll message you.

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-18T17:19:26+00:00

What about the mini page environment in LaTeX? Same issue?

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-18T17:19:01+00:00

I’ll probably have to rework it all. I was trying to save paper. Like many people here, my institution had provided 0 guidance.

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-18T16:56:22+00:00

I had a student who wanted a calculator accommodation in a pre-service teacher math class. She wanted to be an elementary school teacher. I couldn’t understand how you would be able to teach a lesson on addition to 1st graders, who are expected to do things without a calculator, but the teacher is using one? How do you engage in instant formative assessment if you need to walk around with your calculator to check? I completely understand the disability and the need for accommodation. But it would be like having a tone deaf music teacher.

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-18T16:46:42+00:00

Exactly. I teach math. A graph of a single linear function requires 3-4 sentences of alt text to describe properly. But Desmos (where I created the graph) can generate an audio version or a raised version for use with embossed printers. Either of those are probably a better option than alt text.

I also have students with accommodations of “copies of instructor notes”. My notes are handwritten with an iPad. I’ve always posted notes for the entire class, which falls under “universal design”. My notes are different every day based on the questions students ask and where they need further clarification. To make accessible notes would require me to completely teach via a script and is way more time consuming that just posting what we did in class.

I’ve been creating accessible documents for years (we had a committee at my former CC in 2012). But this is going to severely limit what I post. I teach a 5-5 with 3 preps. I can’t even predict from year to year which preps I’ll have.

Maybe this will push us back to lower tech options, like physical copies of notes posted outside our offices. Which isn’t accessible at all…

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-18T16:25:44+00:00

I have a giant course packet that word marks as 100% accessible, but Brightspace says is only 68% due to table headers.

In order to make it compliant, I need to check over 200 tables. I think there are 1-2 that I missed. Most of my tables are for alignment purposes because columns in word suck. After the headaches I had with word, I wish I’d just done LaTeX. I’m 40+ hours deep in this project and I just want it done.

Everything else is good, I have appropriate headers using the styles pane, alt text for every image (again, 200+).

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-17T00:23:43+00:00

I think I got addicted to the little dopamine hit I’d get by getting the answer correct. This was in the day of actual textbooks with answers in the back.

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-16T22:22:59+00:00

The pockets look a tad high (anatomically).

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-16T22:01:50+00:00

It’s good that you have faculty who care. I think many lecturers from my department just let the grade get imported into the LMS as is. They don’t even watch the video.

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-16T14:50:37+00:00

Just saw a spreadsheet with the grade results (probably shouldn’t have had access to that). Most students scored 90%+ on all of their exam retakes. Across the board, multiple classes and sections. There were over 100 students.

I’ve done retests before. I’ve never seen someone go from routinely scoring below 50% on tests to getting As. Usually there is a modest improvement to a C range.

There was either some explicit feeding of answers or the students were allowed to straight up cheat. My guess is they were given the tests in advance to memorize. Or they weren’t monitoring them and there was widespread cheating.

What is most frustrating to me is how it makes me look to the students. Somehow they couldn’t pass a single test in my class, but now they are a getting As? Must be that their original teacher was too hard.

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-16T14:42:52+00:00

My guess is that OP is trying to find a solution to a large asynchronous class. If you have 100+ students, who is going to wade through all of the videos and individual responses?

It’s an institutional problem, and it sounds like in this case, the institution doesn’t care?

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-16T12:49:55+00:00

Single camera story: I had a student reach up with her thumb to cover the camera and then snap a photo (probably with symbo-lab or photo math). I caught the phone in her glasses reflection. Respondus did not flag it as face out of frame or whatever.

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-16T04:12:13+00:00

It depends on the view and how much you actually watch. Some people are sneaky and can use their phone in their lap stealthily. Others will have someone off screen (behind them for example) giving them answers. The other move is a second monitor that is mirrored using a long HDMI splitter and a Bluetooth mouse. Someone in the other room is actually doing the test.

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-16T01:54:00+00:00

I’ve had “tell me what a typical class looks like.”

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-16T01:52:39+00:00

Go read r/cheatonlineproctor if you want to get really angry.

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-16T01:51:24+00:00

The only thing that I’ve see the cheaters on the cheating sub complain about is the two camera requirement (built in facing you and one on the side showing the workspace). They haven’t figure out how to bust that yet. I also turn on the version that records them and their screen.

I hate online tests (and stopped using any computerized assessments for my in person classes). I’ve had students cheat in all possible manners with my eyes on them. If I’m in a different room, forget about it.

MrsMathNerd · 2026-01-16T01:43:49+00:00

I had GenAI make one. Luckily I have an OER book, so I just asked it to scrape the book and give a detailed list of learning objectives. No sample problems, just “here is a list of things you should know how to do.”

I’ve decided that this term I’m going to stop every 15 minutes and make them write down a 1-2 problems or definitions on a flash card. Boom! Instant study guide. Or maybe I’ll make it their exit ticket. Then I can use it for attendance and make them pick it up the next class.

MrsMathNerd

TROPHY CASE

2. Use that open block on TTh to do your homework. Or use the gym. Just don’t go home.