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Breakthrough

Sometimes, the most effective ideas are ones that seem like they should be completely obvious.

Even by the time they get to algebra, some kids never quite get the hang of graphing. Forget understanding, they can’t even get a hold of the mechanics.

Finally, I managed to get a breakthrough so that even the most recalcitrant students were saying “Duh, this is easy, Mr. K”

Before:

After:

Posted by Mr. K on Thursday, November 13, 2008, at 12:30 pm. -

{ 9 } Comments

  1. Sarah | November 13, 2008 at 9:09 pm | Permalink

    I like it. And see how it becomes a d’uh moment once you make the breakthrough.

  2. Mindy | November 14, 2008 at 4:38 am | Permalink

    Very cool. Would you share your slides?

  3. Mr. K | November 14, 2008 at 6:04 am | Permalink

    share your slides?

    Unfortunately, that’s pretty much it, right there. The original slides were fancy, and animated. The Etch-A-Sketch I just stuck in there before all the others. But it provided enough of a cognitive hook for everything else to stick.

  4. Per | November 14, 2008 at 11:43 am | Permalink

    One small comment…

    Many colour blind can’t tell red from green. I didn’t think of this before this semester when one student actually mention that he was colour blind a few days ago (after being in the class for several months).

    Can’t help but think of all the students I had who didn’t say they couldn’t see the difference when I colorcoded with red and green.

    I also think it’s great that you spend time on how to do graphs, if my students had a basic understanding of graphs when they started high school then my job would be so much easier…

    /Per

  5. Mr. K | November 14, 2008 at 12:12 pm | Permalink

    red from green

    Too true. I generally use more of an glowing orange and electric fuschia as highlight colors these days – they contrast in blue, which is not nearly as common a cone deficiency.

  6. N.D | November 14, 2008 at 4:19 pm | Permalink

    Nice relation to them, there, great job!

  7. Certain Absurdity | November 15, 2008 at 5:10 pm | Permalink

    This is a great idea! I’m so glad I clicked over.

  8. Mr. Follett | November 21, 2008 at 4:22 pm | Permalink

    I caught a student with an etch-a-sketch last year outside of class. If slope is rise divided by run and a negative divided by a negative is a positive then what sort of line would be made if we move both dials counter-clockwise? If we move one clockwise and one counter-clockwise what sort of line will we get? If we move the x knob faster than the y knob will the slope be steep or shallow? etc…

  9. Jay Taylor | September 26, 2013 at 1:56 pm | Permalink

    Whoaaa, this post and the comment by Mr. Follett make me want to buy a class set of Etch-a-Sketches!