The intense engagement on the faces of these teens is not excitement in solving math problems , or is it ? I have often spend time listening to my students talk about video games and wished we could harness that engagement and energy an channel that for the good of math. There is no question that we have a serious math education problem in the United States and even right here in Napa Valley Unified School District. I have been teaching these struggling Math students for years in the past I was charged with helping students pass the high school exit exam which was so defeating for so many students. Today I am working to help students who are very bright pass the first high school level math class they have ever past in their high school career many are 11th graders. I have a very brilliant girl in my class who joined my class 7 weeks ago and she has picked up the coding so quickly and she has completed all of my assignments. I gave an "End User" type survey last week and one thing she said was that she is excited to be passing her first math class ! She is very bright we have a system that is not meeting the needs of our students and we can't change quick enough in my opinion.
Gamification is definitely part of the change that needs to occur ! I have explored some really exciting games and apps that I want to incorporate into my class. I am very excited to restructure my class, my practice, and make a new experience for my math students. The addition of Google Classroom I think is perfect timing for me to make this change. Here is the list of math related sites/apps I am planning on using Desmos, Youcubed, Teaching math with Google Apps, Quizizz, Quizlet. I most say I left this search feeling that something is missing for us upper grade math teachers. I looked at Prodigy and it is so awesome it is like a real video game and THAT is what we need for high school. I just haven't found something like that for teaching Algebra or higher. I found a site for something called Math Trip which is coming but it doesn't look as cool. I think we need something with the look of Class Craft for teaching Math. There is a movement happening but it is behind the need we have I think. Our high school students play complex realistic looking video games if we want to reach them where they are we need to build something like that. I have never been a video game player but I watch my husband play and I am always asking questions it is crazy how real it looks. I WANT TO FIGURE THIS OUT ! Who can we ask ? Who would fund or work on this ? Is there something out there that I can't find ? It is just another example of how behind education is with what our students are experiencing. I feel we are just at the tip of the full potential that Gamifying our classrooms could truly have on Education. I do see that game -based- learning will totally support students mastery and I also like how gaming supports the model of personalized learning as well. I feel like these are all such exciting tools in our teacher tool box and it is our charge to find the right balance/combination of how best to organize our classes and present this exciting technology. Game - based - learning is an excellent example of technology being used for a new and innovative purpose. This movement is also demonstrating that education is trying to meet our students where they are to really become more aware of their needs, interests, and culture. True Innovative Teaching Playing is the work of childhood ! Read this in a Tweet this morning and it really is so true our big high school boys are still kids and they do need to play more life is so serious most of the time. After watching the gaming videos it opened my mind to why video games are popular and I think I might play a game for change so I can become more immersed into this culture of gaming.
6 Comments
Caitlin Mitchell
4/28/2019 11:03:25 am
Hi Julie!
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Julie Lovie
4/28/2019 11:19:18 am
Caitlin I totally agree we have to keep up better in Education
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Scott Marsden
4/28/2019 04:58:41 pm
Julie,
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Monica Knecht
4/29/2019 06:33:13 pm
Julie, this was by far my most favorite week of Scott's class. It really made it real on how much more effort we need to put in to connect and know what is going on in our student's minds in order to teach them and relate. I am going to attend the civic gaming festival in NY, NY on June 17th and I couldn't be more excited. I too want to do a gaming theme next year to see what a difference it makes in the classroom climate & culture.
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4/29/2019 11:23:48 pm
Hi Julie
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Rafael Garcia Avila
4/30/2019 06:36:42 pm
Julie,
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Julie LovieJulie Lovie Is a Math and Science teacher at Valley Oak High School with 25 years experience in teaching at a continuation high school. Julie Also teaches at Napa valley Adult School in the High School Diploma Program. She is passionate about the environment, loves gardening, and learning. Archives
June 2019
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