Freshly Minted New Math Bloggers Week 1

Hi everyone! Courtesy of Sam Shah's New Blogger Initiation, here are 15 freshly minted blog posts by new math teacher bloggers. Please take some time, check them out, and comment! As those of you who blog know, those comments sometimes really help keep you going - they let you know that you're not alone in this great Math Twitterblogosphere and they also encourage you to keep blogging! So take a few moments and help these new bloggers out. Thanks!

David Price (@compactspaces) - Compact Spaces
The first post for the Blogging Initiation is titled "First NBI (and ever!) post" and the author sums it up as follows: Since teachers have offices but no fixed rooms at my school, a major concern of my mine is how to build a strong classroom culture (and smoothly running classroom) without the use of four walls. Thus one of my goals is to figure out some portable ways of incorporating things like rules/norms, student work, and supplies into the structure of my classes. A memorable quotation from the post is: Goal: Start to figure out what “mobile solutions” I can use to make my classes run more smoothly and create the classroom culture I want.
My reactions: I take for granted that I have a room of my own. I appreciated the concerns he shared because they are concerns that I could relate to, even though I have just one classroom. 

Sarah Educating (@saraheducating) - Sarah Educating
The first post for the Blogging Initiation is titled "Old habits die hard?" and the author sums it up as follows: In this post, I talk about how one of my goals this year is to do better at providing students with useful, timely feedback about their learning, despite my issues with procrastination. One of the ways I want to do this is to lead students through self-assessment of tests (and maybe other projects?) more often. Why? I've done this a bit in the past and I think it can be a really powerful tool. A memorable quotation from the post is: Why yes, Parent Trap was my favorite childhood movie!
My reactions: Some interesting ideas. I really appreciated that she put a disclaimer before she described what happened in her classroom. There are a lot of times I read blog posts and I think it's a good idea, then when I step back and think about how it would work in my classroom, I realize it's not possible. Then I wonder under what circumstances the author did it. Those of you who do SBG may want to read this post and think about what she does with her classes.

Mathaholic - Confessions of a Mathaholic
The first post for the Blogging Initiation is titled "Analytical, Numerical, or Graphical?" and the author sums it up as follows: The post is about my adopting graphing calculators into the precalculus curriculum and embracing solving problems using multiple methods. A memorable quotation from the post is: But while I used to look at the graphing calculators as a crutch to critical thinking skills, I now see it as a useful tool in allowing the student to use numerical and graphical methods to solve problems.
My reactions: Interesting thoughts. I have taught for 20 years and I have used a graphing calculator most of the time in my Algebra 2 classes. My emphasis has always been on the analytical and knowing how to graph/do the process by hand, However, the author brings up some very valid points - ones I had not thought about before. S/He has given me something to think about.

Kristin Elix (@mathchica) - 7th Grade Math Mania
The first post for the Blogging Initiation is titled "My Most Prized Possession From My First Year" and the author sums it up as follows: Last year was my first year of teaching and I prided myself in my ability to form lasting relationships with my students. This post is an example of a result of forming a positive relationship with one of my students who was very quiet at the beginning of the year. I formed a relationship with her that I feel is lasting and I know I've made a difference in her life, simply because I took the time to smile at her and show her I care! A memorable quotation from the post is: While I want to teach my kids math, I also want to teach them how to be kind, caring, respectful young adults and I want to show my students that they are wanted, loved, and appreciated, and that I will always be there for them.
My reactions: I keep a "smile file" of letters and notes like this. I can see why it's so special to her.

Emily Steinmetz - Crazy in Math
The first post for the Blogging Initiation is titled "Try, try, and try again..." and the author sums it up as follows: Two ideas that I am trying to work through without annoying my students. A memorable quotation from the post is: I hope I am better at these two ideas than most people are at their New Year's Resolutions....
My reactions: She is using math buddies in a different fashion than I have heard of before. It's an intriguing concept to me and I hope that she blogs more about it later in the year.

Jill Gorneau - Prepared To Be Wrong
The first post for the Blogging Initiation is titled "Focusing on what comes first" and the author sums it up as follows: I decided to post about a new focus for my lessons for the year. I attended a Dan Meyer workshop over the summer and I've been mulling over how relevant the Three Act Lessons are for my adult students. I picked up so many tidbits from Dan, and this post is my conclusion on how I can best use his insights for my students. A memorable quotation from the post is:  Ask Dan how his wife’s knitting is coming along from that trip.
My reactions: It's always good to see someone else's reactions to someone or something you have seen before. I think it will be interesting to see if she gets a similar or different reaction to the 3 Act Lessons than teachers of teenagers have.

Joe B (@forumjoe) - lim joe→∞  
The first post for the Blogging Initiation is titled "New Beginnings" and the author sums it up as follows: It's about my blog, my objectives and why I've created it. A memorable quotation from the post is: It was Mathsy, it was nerdy and it was appropriate for me. It signified growth, it showed that I’m getting older, do I get wiser at the same time? As my age approaches infinity, does my wisdom? I loved the sort of questions this title signified.
My reactions: It's neat to read how people chose the title of their blogs. If I could change the title of mine (which at this point I can't), I think I'd choose something shorter. Regardless, the title fits me. :-)

Katrina Hamilton (@klwarsin) - Lady Leibniz and the Galileo Girls
The first post for the Blogging Initiation is titled "Experimentation" and the author sums it up as follows: I'm switching to standards based grading. This post focuses on why I wanted to change from what I did and how I'm going to introduce my new policy to my administration, my students and the parents.  A memorable quotation from the post is: In the end, for my students (and most parents), it was about the final grade, NOT the fascinating, mysterious, totally awesome math (or physics) we'd been studying.
My reactions: I was in the spot she is now 3 years ago when starting Standards Based Grading. It sounds like she has thought this through and I hope she does well with it.

Kate (@fourkatie) - Axis of Reflection
The first post for the Blogging Initiation is titled "What's in a name?" and the author sums it up as follows: A blog was born, it was named, and then it languished. In response the new blogger initiative I shared how I picked the name for my blog and why I decided to blog over a year ago and what got me actually blogging. A memorable quotation from the post is: I felt that I had been lurking and reading and benefiting from the marvelous mathtwitterblogosphere and that perhaps it was time to contribute something back to that community.
My reactions: I have "known" Kate for quite a while on Twitter. I'm glad to see she's reviving her blog. Thanks for sharing why you named it what you did.

Leslie Billings (@leslie_su76) - mslcbillings
The first post for the Blogging Initiation is titled "Begin as you mean to go on" and the author sums it up as follows: This post is about first day/week goals. I look at specifics for my two classes, then summarize with a generalization. A memorable quotation from the post is: The only way to make sure it happens is to start with it right away, first week and don’t let up.
My reactions: I like her thought about how she doesn't want to begin with administratia because that would imply that's what the year will be about. It's a great thought and makes complete sense to me. Now if I can only figure out what I'm going to do with my kids day one...

Bruno Reddy (@mrreddymaths) -  Mr Reddy Maths
The first post for the Blogging Initiation is titled "My First-Week-Back Goal: Hook, Line and Sinker" and the author sums it up as follows: It's the happy-ending story I tell pupils on their first day of secondary school to help them believe they can realise their potential. A memorable quotation from the post is: I get all Michelle-Pfeiffer on them and sell them something they never thought they could afford…to dream huge.
My reactions: This is a neat visualization process. Very nicely done.

Mary Watson (@mkwatson) - Reality Squared
The first post for the Blogging Initiation is titled "Excited Exhaustion" and the author sums it up as follows: This post is a summary of my feeling about my first week so that in the future I can look back and remember all the great things that happened this week and help me focus on what needs to happen to help next week go a bit better. A memorable quotation from the post is: One day, I hope I can pay that forward for another new teacher.
My reactions: I am SO right there with her right now. I am probably the least prepared at this point in my 20 years. It usually takes me 3-4 weeks to find my school groove.

Brendan K (@tinmousetrap) - TinMousetrap
The first post for the Blogging Initiation is titled "A Goal for The First Week of School" and the author sums it up as follows: I have a goal this year to avoid rushing through course expectations, policies, and procedures as a 'file-it-away' formality. I would love to have different outlines for different class that carefully reflect my expectations for them. No more 'cookie-cutter' handouts! A memorable quotation from the post is: As for my other classes during the first week, my goal is to provide a more authentic vision of my expectations.
My reactions: Another newbie to SBG. He has some solid goals for the start of his year.

Dorrie Bright (@hwalksintoabar) - h walks into a bar
The first post for the Blogging Initiation is titled "Within these walls" and the author sums it up as follows: Anticipation and creating space (creating space and anticipation?) A memorable quotation from the post is: Gratitude for process.
My reactions: Dorrie is teaching Physics in a new space to her that needs transformed for her needs. Looks like she has some neat stuff and I hope she'll post some pictures.

Bernt Jolicoeur (@brentjolicoeur) - Reflections & Transformations
The first post for the Blogging Initiation is titled "(NBI) Improvements to Make This Year" and the author sums it up as follows: I've tried to summarize my personal goals for improvement this year. I have also touched on some of the other week 1 prompts in my initial blog posts I think. A memorable quotation from the post is: My primary foci of change for this year revolves around this key theme. (I have no idea??)
My reactions: Brent sets three goals for himself this year. They sound very similar to goals I set for myself every year.