1. Click here for the correct dates for
meets and meetings. The February middle school meet at Newport may be changed
from Feb. 13 to Feb. 6.
2. Joan Reinthaler, citing transportation issues, asked if upper school math
meet starting times could be changed from 4 to 4:15. We would like your input.
Email Paul Penniman at mathteachingtoday@compuserve.com with your opinion.
Coaches will be canvassed at the first meet at Madeira, whose starting time
remains unchanged.
3. Penni Ross is no longer involved with middle school meets. Karen Dee
Michalowicz is the sole contact person at Langley: 703-356-1920x833.
4. Math meet coaches: Call the contact person 1-2 days beforehand with your
tentative attendance figure.
5. Nancy Wright needs a teacher immediately to teach fifth grade, 8:30-9:30
AM most days, at Washington Episcopal. Nancy's number is at 301-652-7878 or
nwright@wes.org
6. The treasury report was distributed. The opening balance, approximately
$700, is a little less than last year. Fees have increased, however: $50 for
dues, $40 for upper school meets for the year, and $20 for middle school meets.
Schools who host meets have their dues waived. Click here for more details.
7. Topics for future discussion were laid out. In capsule, they will
be
(A) The pre-panel discussion meeting regarding the needless push to
accelerate almost all our children (Tues. 10/17 at WES, Reinthaler moderating).
Click here for details.
(B) What you do
as department heads (Thurs. 12/7 at NCS, Knight moderating). How do you decide
who teaches which course? How do you support new faculty? How do you decide
which textbooks to use? What are the duties of department heads? what is the
compensation?
(C) Alternate assessment and resources (Tues. 2/27 at JDS,
Adams moderating). What assessment projects have worked that have not taken a
tremedous amount of time? Have you used computer-aided instruction; the
internet; oral presentations? Waht kind of software out there is effective? Have
you successfully incorporated writing in the classroom? How do you assess honors
students differently from others? How do you explain assessment to
parents?
(D) Using the internet as a teaching tool, including a look at our
own web pages (Thurs. 4/19 at St. Stephen's St. Agnes upper school--the former
St. Stephen's campus, Anderson-Nielsen moderating). Bring your favorite web
addresses and CAI, or perhaps the moderator will ask for them ahead of time.
This last meeting will also be administrative: to elect officers for next year
and to set dates for meets.
8. The moderators of this year's meetings will do so in the stead of a
president, the office of which nobody volunteered. The moderators will join with
treasurer Nancy Wright and secretary Paul Penniman to nominate officers for next
year.
9. Geri Anderson-Nielsen of the GDS upper school distributed details about an
on-line conference on various math teaching issues, to take place between
October 30 and November 17. There is a $20 fee. Contact Geri at 274-3271 or at
gerirose@gds.org for details. Geri also notified us that the International Math
Olympiad is to take place here in Washington next year, from July 1-10. Karen
Dee Michalowicz of the Langley School is recruiting volunteers. Karen is at
703-356-1920x833 or karendm@aol.com. Put me down, Karen! Finally, Geri also
distributed information about figurethis.org, an on-line resource for any adult
to work with children solving fun math problems of a pre- and pre-pre algebra
nature.
10. Syamala Chenulu of Capitol Hill Day School invites anyone interested for
a short presentation regarding Visual Math, to take place at CHDS on 12/7 when
we have the meeting on your job as department chair. There can be a workshop
sometime if there is enough interest.
Feel free to make any corrections or after-the-fact additons to these
minutes.
--Paul Penniman