Visual Algebra

Time and Place

I will offer this workshop twice, as part of summer institutes.

• • June 25-27, 2019: at Synapse School in Silicon Valley

  • August 7-9, 2019: at Atrium School near Boston

Content

In this three-day workshop, I will present a wealth of visual approaches to the teaching of algebra in grades 6-9, including:

• • Lab Gear manipulatives for basic symbol manipulation

  • geoboard lattices for slope

  • a powerful parallel axes representation for functions

  • intelligent use of technology

Participants will learn techniques that will allow them to better serve the whole range of students by offering:

• • greater access, because of addressing multiple intelligences

  • greater challenge, because of expecting multi-dimensional understanding

  • greater variety, because of using manipulative and electronic tools

The content of the workshop will be slightly different at the two locations. Atrium's schedule will give me a little less time than Synapse did, and will require me to divide my workshop into a major strand (most of the hands-on activities) and two workshops (everything else.)

At Synapse, Shira Helft was a guest speaker on Story Tables (see her worksheets in the Synapse "binder" handout. I will include story tables as part of some work on "reading algebra" in one of the Atrium workshops. For more specifics, see the Atrium schedule (link on the left, or below.)

Also: I will lead one of three Math Teachers' Circle sessions at the Atrium institute, and share a version of my "Reaching the Full Range" presentation as a keynote address.

E-mail me if you need to know more.

(I am available to offer this workshop or part of it for your school or district -- please get in touch with me.

I can also present a four- or five-day version including Algebra 2 and teacher-level material.)