I just got back from the Dallas Regional NCTM conference. Amazing. I've only ever been to the national one in April, but we haven't been able to go for the last 3 years since it's right around state-wide-testing time. Now I actually think I enjoyed this Fall conference just as much. It was less headache to get to (other than the scrambling at the last minute to do lesson plans). It still had great talks. And it was in the beginning of the year, so I feel I could implement stuff I learned.
We went to great talks on brain research and precal projects and transformations in geometry. I bought some terrific books on formative assessment and other things. More later when I have time to process.
BUT.
One seemingly little thing that is BIG ... but maybe people already know it ... is regarding the TI-84-ish calculators. I've always done the VARS, Y-vars, bla bla bla to get to the Y1, Y2, etc. functions when I need them. Oh. No. There are shortcut menus. Who's been hiding the shortcut menus from me? I want names!
Apparently, when you enter: Alpha F4, then you get a whole range of shortcuts and can just chose Y1 or Y2 at your whim's desire. Here's a video, too.
What else have you been keeping from me?
Ohmygosh, I just tried the Alpha-F4 thing and it totally worked! That's so cool. Wish I'd known that shortcut last week when we were doing our quadratic regressions.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip!! (I'll definitely be watching that video later.)
Kristen
Have you looked at f1, f2, f3 as well? f1 has various fractions. f2 has pretty absolute value and log of other bases and summation and..., f3 makes matrices.
ReplyDeleteCool! I've never used those features either. Thanks!
ReplyDelete