About a week ago I assigned my precalculus students the following homework: teach your parents something about either polar graphing or complex numbers, and have them send me e-mail explaining the experience. I've started getting e-mail back, and while some of them are simply, "yes, my son taught me," others are more elaborate and even funny "I was a willing student", "hope there's not a quiz", "thanks for this experience", "I didn't know there were such things as imaginary numbers", "I remembered how to FOIL", etc.
I'm glad I did it, and I'll add it to my notes to do next year.
What a great idea, Ms. Cookie! I love it. Going through the experience of teaching a concept makes them think so deeply about it - it makes them answer questions they didn't even know they had. And what a great way to get parents involved!
ReplyDeleteThank you. It was fun to read the parent comments. I'm glad I did it, and would recommend it to you.
ReplyDeleteMs. Cookie
I assign homework for parents at the beginning of the year to tell me what their child's strengths and weaknesses are mathematically and otherwise. It gives them a good oppertunity for me to get to know the kids a different way as well. Most parents really like that I care what they think.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to assign this mid year though--I can see the calc kids really getting into it.
Thats a great idea! It's a great way to help keep the parents envolved with their students. Along with keep the communication open for you and the parents.
ReplyDelete