Additional assignment #5

Just Teach Them to Solve for X
In this post Mr. Spencer allows his students to use metaphors to understand the meaning of the variable "x" in mathematics. I think the students will be very confused but in the end I hope they will appreciate their teachers efforts to make them understand how "x" can relate to real world problems not just an symbol in math that has no true meaning. The students were also given a better way to learn math before they get to just the memorization of that skill to solve for "x".

Sketchy Portraits: 8th Grade Identity and Pencils
In this post he uses a pencil to describe a fourteen year old's life. I never would have made the connection but after reading the post best a pencil is the best description for a fourteen year old student. Mr. Spencer describes the student life at that age is always changing and is temporary. At that age the student want to be treated as an adult as well as viewed as a child. This is like the gray shade of a pencil. The student's life is like the pencil because a pencil mark can be temporary, changed, textured, and smudged. Mr. Spencer co-worker view the students creative ways of thinking as being rude and having attitude. While, Mr. Spencer view it as an opportunity to self reflect.

He Just Likes the Class for the Pencils
Mr. Spencer is also viewed as the "nice guy teacher" but he is just an effective teacher. He is strict just when he need to be.All he want is for his students to have fun while taking learning serious at the same time.So if his students need more freedom to accomplish that then he allow it. In a meeting with a parent the other teachers were saying that the student was good in his class just because of the technological resources available to the students. But in the end, the student liked his class the best for his willingness to care for him instead of blaming him for their failure to teach. I applauded Mr. Spencer for being that teacher that make an impact in a child's life. I hope I can became an effective teacher and make a difference in a student's life.


The Medium Shapes the Learningg
In this post I was a little confused. But, I think he is saying that just because there is some new hot technology device out that doesn't mean it would be useful to a lesson for students.