tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42040846872362971882024-03-13T10:56:56.302-07:00PBL Birdside ViewJourney of a math teacher implementing PBL.Telannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-60651151843005856722020-06-15T07:25:00.001-07:002020-06-15T07:25:55.692-07:00"Home"work ReimaginedDoes this story sound familiar?
You walk into the weekly math team meeting. Ideally, this is where teachers gather to talk about student learning. The conversation barely gets started when one person says, "the problem is these kids don't do their homework." Next thing you know, a 15 minute gripe session has transpired, with teachers concluding that "they [the students] don't know math because Telannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-46647705484016163622020-04-19T20:48:00.001-07:002020-04-19T20:51:13.049-07:00Census Distance ProjectLike many across the country, I am constantly learning about distance learning. The learning curve is steep when you weren't normally practicing distance learning. In my state, we are about to enter our third week. The first week was spent making contact with students. I had a poor start to this given I had a lot of pressing senior sponsor and department chair items. However, I was able to plan Telannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-62425475502903137852020-02-01T17:30:00.000-08:002020-02-01T17:30:18.866-08:00The Ultimate Design Challenge LaunchThis week, I started the ultimate design challenge project. It is a project I planned years ago (2016) as a way to have a meaningful look at polynomials. I didn't get to do it because I changed subjects. Last year, I returned to Algebra II but didn't get to do the project. This year, I am taking the plunge. I hope you join me as I share candidly my journey. In this post, I share some of the Telannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-22452798219603683642019-11-15T19:53:00.002-08:002019-11-15T21:01:54.438-08:00Parabolas for Profit Project-Week 1
This will be the second time I did the profit project. It is the first time I adapted a project rather than created it from scratch. It is a project on PBLWorks. It still takes planning to use a project someone else created. You have to wrap your brain around what will happen, collect the audience and think about what your students need. My first time doing this project was a fail. I did not Telannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-29780008365116392322019-09-08T20:29:00.001-07:002019-09-08T20:29:07.838-07:00Syllabus Project-Week 4This week, I worked to do the adjustment of the original plan. Two days out was a hit especially since we were going to have two weeks where we would have four days of school. However, I felt like we could recover well. As I reflected over the holiday weekend, I thought students would only need 2 days to do elimination and substitution instead of 3 as I planned. I will keep the deadline of FridayTelannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-20511327014396005332019-09-02T10:07:00.002-07:002019-09-02T10:07:46.687-07:00Syllabus Project-Week 3Robert Burns, To A Mouse, is often quoted: The best laid schemes o'mice an' men/Gang aft a-gley. This is so fitting for this week. We did not have school Tuesday or Wednesday due to a huge storm. Most of the city lost power including many of the schools in my district. I lost power for one day and internet for another day. It was a blessing and a curse to my week. Blessing in that I was able to Telannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-9726654099756522762019-09-02T09:00:00.002-07:002019-09-02T09:23:27.364-07:00Syllabus Project-Week 2I am still exhausted from the first week of school. At first, I thought it was just me but I was relieved when two of my coworkers shared the same feeling. We started to realize why schools start in the middle or end of the week. Going a full five days after having a long break is brutal. My second week of the project begins the messy middle of a project. It is the start of doing a dance between Telannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-74048995225231310722019-09-02T07:03:00.002-07:002019-09-02T07:03:17.891-07:00Syllabus Project-Week 1It is the first week of school and I was mixed with nervousness, dread and anticipation. It is common feelings. The nervousness and anticipation is because I over wonder what students I will have this year. The dread is from not resting enough in the summer but sometimes it is just a feeling that is there for no rhyme or reason. I start off this blog post with this honesty to help paint a pictureTelannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-13566889403136044762019-01-03T13:58:00.000-08:002019-09-01T20:12:46.345-07:00Culture & Coaching: Team Conflicts
"Mrs. Norfar! Mrs. Norfar!", yells Melissa as she waves her hand in the air to get my attention. I am across the room working with a group of students. I look up to see what she needs. Before I can say anything. Melissa says, "I can't work with him. I don't like him." As soon as she finishes, Mark says, "Yes, she doesn't like me."
Have you ever had this situation occur or something similar? Telannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-20358978982704093982018-12-30T20:31:00.000-08:002018-12-31T15:09:30.380-08:00Keeping A PBL On TrackIt is normal to have things go wrong in a class. I think as teachers we are used to having curve balls occur and adjusting. I find it interesting how the curve balls seem to magnify when I am doing a PBL. It is the realness that PBL brings that magnifies the situation. The most frustrating curve ball is absent students. I have developed a lot of strategies for how to keep a PBL on track even whenTelannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-62320659400638059942018-11-20T18:50:00.001-08:002018-11-20T18:50:38.958-08:00More than AcademicsI love the holiday season. Although it can be really hectic due to holiday parties and searching for the perfect gift, I try to focus on the reason for the season. It is a time for me to remember to appreciate everyone and everything around me. Today, I was really reminded of how much I appreciate my life and one of the fundamental purposes of school.
A few weeks ago, one of the special Telannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-70328628827259799912018-11-16T20:24:00.000-08:002018-11-16T20:24:05.207-08:00A Journey in ReflectionI love the 8 essential project design elements established by BIE. I love them because they are all familiar teaching practices that can stand alone in a classroom. However, when they come together, they become a powerful model for enduring learning.
There is one element that has always plagued me---Reflection. According to BIE's Gold Standard rubric, effective implementation of reflection is Telannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-14061327549001233432017-12-27T17:21:00.000-08:002017-12-31T22:52:27.754-08:00Communicating MathematicallyOne of my favorite activities I do in PBL 101 trainings for BIE is the ideal graduate. The activity involves participants writing the knowledge, skills and dispositions students would have when they graduate. I add a twist to the activity by having people to think about one student that they love and one student they wish were absent. They must think of traits that both students would Telannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-72260363361692161622017-09-16T19:35:00.002-07:002017-09-16T19:35:49.428-07:00Whirlwind of Strategies to Build the CultureThe last three weeks were crazy. In addition to so many things occurring in the school, there was a slight hiccup with me being out to complete trainings in Boston and Tulsa. My goal of posting once a week had to be put on hold. I am going to try to summarize some of the greatest aspects of the last three weeks that involve building a culture that is ripe for PBL. Build the Culture is an Telannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-18303229585146523322017-09-16T19:03:00.001-07:002017-09-16T19:03:35.319-07:00RecognitionI have always had a hard time accepting compliments. It is not that I don't appreciate it. Sometimes it makes me feel uncomfortable. I feel like everyone's eyes are on me and I fight to find words to say. Other times I can't identify with what they see. I see all my faults rather than my strengths.
However, I love giving people compliments and telling them how much I appreciate them. I try to Telannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-18891506047922670102017-08-27T05:49:00.001-07:002017-08-27T19:24:47.535-07:00Roles that Reflect the World & Maintains the ClassroomWhen I first started teaching, I wanted to model the working world I had worked in for over 10 years. I was always told that school helps prepare you to be a productive citizen and have a career. I thought what better way to run my classroom similar to the career world. It was in the first two years of teaching that I created Logic Inc (Click here for how I did it). It is a fictional consulting Telannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-73343887072991869702017-08-25T20:38:00.001-07:002017-08-25T20:38:21.286-07:00Getting To Know Each OtherI hate team builders, energizers, ice breakers or whatever you want to call games you play to get to know or connect with people. You wouldn't know I hate them if you ever play one with me. The competitive side of me takes over and I am immediately in it to win it. Sometimes it is not even a contest but I make it one.
Even though I hate it, I have not found a more powerful way for me to get to Telannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-60441106206521030522017-08-22T20:49:00.001-07:002017-08-22T20:49:20.052-07:00Need Your InputI can't believe it has been 12 years since I started teaching and working to implement PBL in my classroom. Time really does pass by fast when you are having fun. I am excited to finally take enough things off my plate where I can share my classroom on a regular basis.
It seems like yesterday when Suzie Boss and Jane Krauss convinced me to blog about my experience. I shared how I wish I Telannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-82011249258249415102017-03-15T15:54:00.000-07:002017-03-15T15:54:02.314-07:00Collaboration DynamicsWhen you think of a math classroom, you probably think of a teacher explaining how to do a problem in the front of the room. You may also think of students doing about 20 of the same problems. Rarely do you think of students discussing problem solving strategies in small groups or wrestling with a concept as an entire class.
However, students talking is the heart of doing PBL in a math classroomTelannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-29290525100802695882016-02-06T16:46:00.001-08:002016-02-06T16:50:43.757-08:005, 4, 3, 2, 1....And We Are Off!
Scott Haselwood has issued me a challenge. He knows I can't back down from a challenge. Below are my answers to his five questions. I hope you will join the challenge too.
What has been your ONE big struggle during this school year?
1. Saying yes to good things but not to the best things.
Share TWO accomplishments that you are proud of from this school Telannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-23579000251360485452015-12-21T14:59:00.000-08:002015-12-21T17:01:32.328-08:00Great Ideas for 2nd SemesterEvery 3rd Monday of the month, I host a math webinar for secondary math teachers in Oklahoma. It is a joint partnership by Oklahoma Council of Teachers of Mathematics and OK Math Teachers. Today, the webinar focused on great ideas for second semester. The ideas were focused on classroom routines, assessment and learning strategies. During the webinar, I shared some of my classroom resources. ThisTelannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-25511252312375569432013-09-18T05:50:00.002-07:002013-09-18T05:50:35.250-07:00Conceptual Understanding and Procedural FluencyI know I am supposed to share my first few years of PBL. I have it all in my head. I just got distracted with school. Things are starting to be "normal" for me so I am going to try and write weekly. Key word is try :). I want to share something that happened in class this week. It is not PBL but a key aspect of helping all kids learn math deeply which is the heart of PBL.
In my Algebra II Telannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-34972479278278971682013-07-18T13:42:00.003-07:002013-07-18T13:42:59.608-07:00My PBL Journey: Year 1Yesterday, I was tweeting with Harry (@hblyleven) and Al (@alfredbie) about challenges with implementing PBL with math educators. This conversation led to me agreeing to blog about my own PBL journey. I think I will not only blog about my past but I will try to share my journey this year with implementing PBL and the new Common Core State Standards.
My journey began in 2005 when I switched from Telannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-64029467895357839352013-01-04T13:32:00.000-08:002013-01-06T19:48:02.744-08:00Calculus: Derivative Project IdeasAP Calculus AB is typically the highest course for many high school students. Coming up with a possible Calculus project has been challenging. Not because the course is hard. It has been challenging because my desire to keep the project authentic and connected to the major concepts of the subject. Every time I create a project, I want it to be real-world work. I also want to have students Telannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4204084687236297188.post-53273568951653083312013-01-04T09:59:00.000-08:002013-01-04T09:59:03.244-08:00Please Join MeI have taken a semester off from school to work on creating projects for all grade levels. I ask that you join me in helping shape this work. Your help is really simple, you can do any of the following:
Share likes
Give a suggestion of how to improve
Try it out
Any and all comments are welcome. This is the biggest endeavor of my life. I hope you will join me in the adventure.
Telannia Norfarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13620519812425037870noreply@blogger.com0