assorted thoughts from my notes app (pt. 6)

Notes from cotton candy tasting/choices for the wedding reception (https://www.spinningwylde.com/)
- Final Picks:
  - French Toast
  - Grape Sour
  - Sweet Corn with Salt
  - Peach mango
  - Pineapple Habanero
  - Strawberry Shortcake
  - Sparkling Pear
- Honorable Mentions:
  - Blackberry Basil
  - Lemon Drop
  - Jasmine
  - Honey Rose
“Time Blocks: Grading geo, knitting, gaming, cooking, dogs, chores/cleaning, stretching, planning the week” *
“1234” *
Predictions/notes for the show The Mole (season 5)
“Lists
- Wedding
- Structure
- Data tracking docs
- Structure of student materials”*
“Another List of Lists:
- Reflections on 2022
- Goals for 2023
- Projects
- Plan for” *
“Assorted thoughts from my notes app:” (*, Created 10-22-2022)
“Morning Reminders:
- Wear tattoo friendly clothes
- Bring car snack
- Bring knitting
- Bring Bike!!!”
“Directions: Infographic
- It should be informative
- It should should be graphics
- Information you MUST include: Radians” *
“24.7.365 24x7x365 24*7*365 24-7-365 24/7/365”
Visual proofs of a trapezoid theorem: www.geogebra.org/m/N5jzuvfj and www.geogebra.org/m/AVpGt5HC
“Defining the problem precisely” *
“I have 7 evenings and 2 mornings and 2 afternoons
- 11 slots of time
- to fit
- Firends
- Movement
- Art
- Date night
- Relaxation
- Habbies
- Home projects
- Adventures”*
“How do I do less so I can do more in each of the less. I just want more time and more energy”
“I need a system for organizing the systems”

*This is the entire contents of the note

beginning my masters in teaching

Things I am thinking about
- Healing math trauma
- Habits of mind
- Math anxiety
- Creativity and joy in math
- Community
- Curiosity
- Access
- Honors/standard/fundamentals (the levels of math offered at my school… we are trying to reimagine this)
- Portfolios
  - Assessment
- Communication
- Identity
  - Disability
  - Gender
- Art
  - Geometry of clothing/fashion
  - crocheting/knitting
  - Clay
  - 3D printing
- Technology
- Journaling/Reflections
- Productive struggle
- Math literacy
- Games
Questions
- Why do we teach proof in geometry to ensure all students have access to and understanding of proof?
- How can we foster an environment of collaboration and curiosity in mathematics?
- How can we use proofs to teach students literacy skills in mathematics?
- How can we use proofs to help teach students how to productively struggle?
- What does a healthy mathematics community look like and how can we use community to heal math trauma and foster resilience in problem solving?
- How do we decenter white male mathematicians in teaching geometry?
- How can we use portfolios in mathematics to assess student growth and help students to see their own growth?
- How can we disrupt students’ internal narratives of fixed mathematics ability?
- How can geometry be used to help students rediscover the power of play and creativity in problem solving?
- How can teaching proofs be used to improve mathematical communication between students?
- How can we use technology tools in teaching geometry and proof?
- How can we incorporate art in teaching geometry? (Needs to be more focused)
- How can we use journals in mathematics to help students understand themselves as mathematicians, and their mathematical process?
- How can mathematics be used to help students explore and understand identity and their place in the world?
- How can we use games to foster creativity and collaboration in mathematics?
- How can we reimagine the divide of students between varying levels of math courses?
Possible project ideas
- Workbook of selected proofs/puzzles that build on each other
- Outline/Example of a portfolio based assessment system
- Website/blog: Community Mathematics —> daily/weekly puzzles
  - Series of collaborative puzzles?
- Unit/Lesson Plans
- Something else??????
- Design a project for students to do

Chosen Research Question (As it stands right now): What does a healthy mathematics community look like and how can we use community to heal math trauma and foster resilience and curiosity?

converse

Alternatively titled: tattoo #7

i wore white converse to my high school graduation. this was against the dress code, which banned sneakers. But my high tops were clean and white, they matched the school mandated cap and gown, and i liked them.

normally, I would not be allowed to walk at graduation unless I changed my scandalous footwear. But I was giving a speech and it would have caused more disruption to prevent me from participating, and so I wore my converse.

a full body photograph of me, from my graduation cap to my sneakers made the front page of the local newspaper. school administrators were upset that I had tarnished their image. I was happy that this image actually showed an authentic version of me.

I kept and wore these same shoes again for my college graduation. They now sit on a shelf, near my diplomas, much less white and with many more rips than they did for their debut. But I will wear them again when I graduate with my masters, and any other degrees that may come after that.

and so as i wrap up year 1 of teaching, and it feels simultaneously like I am ending my own freshman and senior year of high school. I am in this place of transition out while still settling in. I am feeling rebellious, excited, frustrated, tired, and proud.

And when, this past weekend, I saw a local tattoo artist post a set of flash tattoos (drawings that they will tattoo all in one day, on a first come first serve basis), my rebellious impulsiveness took over. I submitted my interest in about 8 of the designs, and the next day found out that I would be getting this one.

this high top converse sneaker. the perfect way to wrap up a year of academic and personal accomplishment. A symbol of being here, despite the rules, and staying here to change the rules.

lost in the numbers

18 children

And one teacher

were killed today

by an 18 year old school shooter.

(And maybe more will not make it)

The second major incident of gun violence to make it to my news radar this month.

And there were over 200 that never made it to me.

We have drills

We have trainings

We have debriefs

But we will never have peace of mind

And in hearing about this tragedy,

This unthinkable catastrophic normality,

I think first about where in my classroom would we go.

Where are the locks and the curtains and the heavy objects to use to barricade the door.

I think about where are the books for throwing in self defense

And where are the sharp objects I could use to break the window.

And then I think about how the news would reach my person.

And my people

And I think about how i would recover if this happened here

how this is community would recover

And I think about how would the situation change depending which class i was with,

and their dynamics, and their needs,

And how I would best protect them,

And how could we get through this together,

And
I think of of each and every one of them.

The 58 on my class rosters.

And the many more who are not.

I think of their faces

(Or half visible faces)

And I think of the goodness I see in them all.

And I can’t think of the world without them.

And
I try to think of anything else

anything besides the idea, the possibility, of this happening.

19 children were killed.

And 2 adults.

27th school shooting

212th mass shooting

1984 people killed by guns

In the United States of America

in 2022

so far.

And I have to say so far

Because there will be more.

For these irreplaceable,
individual, incredible human beings

who have taught me how to be a teacher,

i want more for them.

more than this never-ending barrage of preventable and catastrophic violence.

I want more accountability and action and shelter and healing and care for them.

and
i want more for me.

Sources: https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/, https://www.npr.org/2022/05/24/1101050970/2022-school-shootings-so-far

wrapping up year 1 of teaching

things that have been on my mind lately
- i want to crochet something for students in some way but it either needs to be a very small (like 5 minutes each) type thing, or i don’t give one to everyone. perhaps only my advisees.
- how to send off the seniors? I don’t teach any, but i know a handful from clubs and the play and such, and i would like to celebrate them
- this department is really shifting. there is so much possibility here.
- how are there so few weeks left. one month from now i will be done with my first full year. beginning to end with the same students.
- grades are meant to be simple, transparent communications but also convey so much information and i dont know how to do that accurately/meaningfully (yet?)
- there are so many things i wish i could do to wrap things up and reflect and preplan for next year because im already excited to try this dice project again. its going pretty well but there are a lot of things i would do differently the second time around and i am excited to try again!
- a middle school art teacher in florida was fired for allowing discussion of sexuality and identity in class. i am tired. i am sad. i am anxious.
  - every week it feels like my humanity is questioned anew.

assorted thoughts from my notes app (pt. 5)

predictions watching Netflix show, The Ultimatum
how do you not feel guilty for being happy?
Notes from physical therapy appointment: 3 exercises, 30 reps
1. Updated note: 5 exercises, 30 reps, add weight? PT said I did good!!!
“i love hearing his laugh downstairs”
headache/migraine log
“i can let these circles overlap”
Brainstorm for my end of year letter to my students. I had a teacher who wrote a 12 page “journal entry” from 30 years in the future where she goes to see all of us spread around the world and what we’re up to. I want to give that to my students too.
“there’s comfort in not being special sometimes”
“fish oil 2/18”
Generative art
in class i give away the answer too quick…im too excited. i gotta let them have that excitement and glorious moment of discovery and clarity
Speed run times for rows of my old crochet project: 5:07, 4:23, 4:53, 4:28
a menu of potential birthday celebration ideas for my ❤
“i don’t often keep promises to myself. i need to rebuild that trust”
“I am not parallel lines”
to think about (make peace with) when there is time (even though there never is):
1. how to exist in capitalism
2. creating waste, minimizing waste
Quote from C: “Friends? I like them as a concept. Execution varies.”

Focuses of the week

School/Work
1. Finalize plan for 3D print project guidelines
  1. begin trial run of it
2. Area Unit arc + collect puzzles
3. Brainstorm probability idea
Crochet
1. Get to yellow section of the sweater I am pattern testing
2. finish back of sweater
Self Care
1. journal 1 sentence every day
2. designate time to care for friendships/relationships
Chores
1. Plan yard cleanup
1. New dog training schedule
2. make appointments
3. clean carpets
Walking Practice: walking training season* is in full swing, and my dogs and I are working on gaining some confidence in stressful/overly exciting situations (ie. there are any bikes, other dogs, amazon delivery trucks, cars that are too loud or are going too fast, roller skates, squirrels, strollers, all the smells, etc.)
1. Remember to STRETCH
2. Try running a bit
3. Coordinate 5k team for https://www.laughingatmynightmare.com/

Looking forward to:

Play games/do puzzles
cook yummy food
romp around outside with the dogs
snuggle
watch good tv/listen to good podcasts
friends who make me laugh
being back with students who make me laugh
feeling rested (pls)
roller blade season can start soon hopefully
doctors appointments to help my joints not hurt

things my crackly joints make me think about

Subtitle: the story of how everything in my life is a metaphor for something else in my life

stretching joints = practicing stretching out and taking up space
feeling for the boundaries of safety and feeling good, listening to what my body tells me
you need to ease into this
breathing gets you through the hard part, or at least, it helps

long and short term goals and dreams

But who’s to say which is which

Create a math elective
Decorate/organize classrooms and office
write a play
create knit/crochet clothing
create a gender retreat or pen pal network or mentoring network or something related to giving the trans youths a place to explore gender
write pretty math puzzles
make cool escape room puzzles
crochet cool things
knit cool things/learn to knit
- One of the knitting projects designed by Tom Daley (https://bytomdaley.com/)
Research the crossover of fiber art and math
journal/post updates more consistantly
write poetry
Create art with trash
Learn more about 3d printing
Write a letter to students thanking them for being my first group I’ve thought for a full year
Do a workshop on gender/trans competency for faculty
Learn to roller skate more
Find a way to get back into dance