Monday 30 December 2019

Now Parenting: Dec 2019

Week 76
-With Alexandra to 2am, then sleep. With her in chair after 7am, she's still tired.
-Crash at 9:30am for an hour. Together time until snooze, when I put up Xmas lights.
-Also sweep, find advent calendars and do dishes. Then for walk at 4pm with A.
-Phone home & evening routine. A in crib from before 8pm to before 7am!
-Only needed soother until ~10:30pm, then managed fine until after I came in.
-Very clearly said "there's a bear!" when showing me one of her small books!
-Regular Mon, early daycare pickup by Mom, so home fast to do Santa photo at mall.
-Not happy about being alone with Santa. Happier picking up clothes in store.
-Rough getting to bed. Rough from 1-2am with both of us. Fall from bed 5:40am.
-Okay Tues, finished copying key work files. Wednesday was strike! 4hrs in morn.
-Lunch out, evening group with Alexandra, started Jughead review also.
-New game? Leaves bus shelter only to turn around and return. Likes "lumieres".
-Rough night. Thurs sucked; Windows10 and displaced anime and Gr12 survey issues.
-Eve: cut finger finishing dinner ~7:30pm. Alexandra 8:15-9pm, then to hospital.
-Medical tape, home 10:30pm, ate dinner. To bed 12am. Needed to assist at 4am.
-Friday self-directed PD, tidied desk, networked and graded papers. Then Xmas.
-From staff gathering to daycare for 5pm. More review work before bed at 11:30pm.
-Some morning time for catchup and grading, with playgroup. We napped for 2 hrs.
-Shopping, playing, and then queuing up posts finishes the week.
-Watching some AT4W, SFDebris, LostInAdaptation, Ellis (notably Hunchback).

===
Item counts to Saturday (Dec 7):
Step Count 2016: About 51,200
-Trying to finish “Girl + Algebra” while baffled by darkness.

Step Count 2017: Over 62,300 (14 stars)
-Home life seems busier than work, wondering about my serotonin, RRL end.

Step Count 2018: Over 68,650 (10 stars)
-Tears in the night became cold too, MDM surveys, last "Time Untied" words for yr.

STEP COUNT 2019: Over 75,850. 13 stars.
SCHOOL EMAIL 2019: 127 New (21 sent)
 We have completed DAY 68. 3 PD.
RH Stress Level: 5 (ACS Standby)

=======
Week 77
-Slept downstairs to get 6 hrs. With Alexandra for almost 4 hrs from 6:45am.
-Hour break, helped with lunch, did 3 hrs school over snooze (+Cappies research).
-Play, phoning, routine... trouble sleeping. Caught last 1/2 hr of NaNo party.
-Monday later work, then math social until 7pm. With little one 45 min after.
-Tues morn with Alexandra. Rough day again, trying to stay on top of things.
-Tues, cut on finger possibly from grabbing at oven. Bandaid caused tears.
-Still cold issues. Four hour stretch of sleep. School preps always busy now.
-20 min protest after school. Picked up car seat. In bed from 10pm, up 11:15pm.
-Thurs, still trying to catch up at school. More "Avenue Q" research for evening.
-On the go after school, after 6pm mentoring (not editor, narrowly), home 11pm.
-Up with little one 1:45-3:30am. Lousy sleep. Friday teaching and anime.
-Made Donna C's cranberry chicken recipe. Dishes. Hard crash downstairs.
-Almost 7 hrs sleep, with Alexandra for 90 min until had to prep to go out.
-Swimming with grandparents and cousins, then to Alyssa's. They go parade.
-Little one falls asleep on me. I do manage some work. All awake/back 2pm.
-Parents' flight cancelled with no notification. 4-5pm spinning wheels.
-Hour long drive back home, smoke alarm battery, I can't any more. Brave face.
-Crying when little one's in bath, long walk in rain once she's asleep.
-Lotus Prince board game & "Inside" Parts 1-4.

===
Item counts to Saturday (Dec 14):
Step Count 2016: About 58,600
-Groaned about holidays breaking routine, tried to get ahead.

Step Count 2017: Over 67,000 (14 stars)
-Too busy before the holidays, Cappies mentoring, tried new phone.

Step Count 2018: Over 76,000 (12 stars)
-6 hrs sleep decided as standard, Similac Stage 2 & solid food, laughter video.

STEP COUNT 2019: Over 71,700. 14 stars.
SCHOOL EMAIL 2019: 124 New (16 sent)
 We have completed DAY 73. 3 PDs
RH Stress Level: 8 (Starlight Breaker, Extension)

=======
Week 78
-Little one up for 75 min before 4am. Complete review work in morning.
-To craft show 10am. Many pictures, gifts bought. Nap at home before 1pm.
-Shovel driveway, tidy living room, put up Xmas tree and garland.
-Time with Alexandra outside after 3pm, some cold/headache issues before 5pm.
-Downstairs by 10pm, 7 hours interrupted sleep. Alexandra to Sue's daycare.
-Busy Monday, usual bus-stop trip after daycare, "arbre" on seeing tree.
-Downstairs again after 10pm. Almost 7 hrs uninterrupted. Morning okay.
-Busy Tuesday with duty and parent calls after school. Again no grading evening.
-Before 11pm, 45 min with little one, trade, then another 50 min. Aie.
-Wednesday has testing, lunch protest, shirts and shopping. Little one Xmas lunch.
-Pickup in car to go direct to in-laws due to delays. There 90 minutes.
-At home, find locket I didn't know was missing in her chair. Replace lights.
-Shovelling, cooking, rope repair, some school work, dishes. Bed 11:30pm.
-Ha ha, actual bed 12:45am. Thurs still busy with prep, calls, shopping.
-With Alexandra before 5pm to before 8pm (in crib). Unwrapped her own book!
-Still on point for 6 hrs broken sleep, rushed morning, eventual assembly.
-Songs seemed to go well? Got school files uploaded to Drive for CBook.
-Got daycare gift together and prepped for second family visit; arrival 5:30pm.
-Tears and departure after 7:15pm, I haven't even had a quiet lunch since Wed.
-Manage hour break by 8pm. But then on duty overnight AND in morning, to 9am.
-Brunch out. Alexandra pushes Mom to sit down, to keep walking with me.
-Home alone for 1pm. Start organizing photos. Can't sleep, feel sick, wrapping.
-Fix the Halloween ghosties with lemon juice and buy scale batteries. So spent.
-Pickup before 6pm (Alexandra really wants to leave). Home play. Big bath.
-Get help with dinner, talk to Anne-Lise and photos to 10pm. Downstairs after.
-Lotus Prince "Inside" parts 5 & 6, "Limbo" all (1-3). AT4W.

===
Item counts to Saturday (Dec 21):
Step Count 2016: About 46,500
-Was meeting deadlines amid chaos.

Step Count 2017: Over 70,900 (14 stars)
-Car repair issue, caught a cold, secret santa art sketches.

Step Count 2018: Over 79,800 (10 stars)
-Holiday gatherings, visited school, into size 2 diapers, Timeless movie.

STEP COUNT 2019: Over 77,100. 12 stars.
SCHOOL EMAIL 2019: 105 New (22 sent)
 We have completed DAY 78. 3 PDs.
RH Stress Level: 9 (Blaster Mode, Full Power)

=======
Week 79
-Awake from 5:30am after 6+ hrs sleep, nose still running. Start parody work.
-With Alexandra 90 minutes from 7am, then shared, then to bookstore.
-Home, I'm half hour in and out, not well. During snooze, finish parody & wrap.
-More in and out from 3pm. Walk outside, call parents, head to condo.
-I don't last. Home and passed out by about 8pm. Up 9:30pm to handle photos.
-No star day. Finish putting together photos at 1:30am. About 4 hours of sleep.*
-Full Alexandra day starts with trying to get calendar sent off. Success.
-After 9am, head to mall. Solo stroller walk, saw people, home by 11am.
-Reading, lunch, play, snooze of 1.5 hrs then to in-laws for pool time.
-More play upstairs almost 1.5 hrs, Anne-Lise arrives near 6pm. Home 7pm.
-10pm, attempt to remove old car seat and install the new one. Downstairs by 11pm.
-6 hours sleep. Finish wrapping, then tidy. Attempt tree trimming with Alexandra.
-Ball breaks, remove others, little one pulls stool down on herself, tears.
-Out for walk, back, lunch, eventually 2 hr 20 min snooze. Then need dishes done.
-Ten minute break, then everyone in 5pm. Juggling with little one. Gifts. Dinner.
-She doesn't sleep after 25 min with mom and an hour with me. Comes out 9pm.
-All drinks then dinner. Eventually put little one back to bed after 10pm.
-On to gifts later than that. Mental breakdown by midnight when champagne spilled.
-Downstairs. Find needed karaoke video. Sleep after 1am for five hours. Up 7am.
-Tradeoffs with little one for packing and dishes and more. Depart 11:15am.
-First rest stop 12:30pm for an hour. Second rest stop 3:30pm for an hour.
-Arrival 6pm. Kitty pets and ball play; shift to dinner. Downstairs after 7:30pm.
-Handle ChristMath Parody Post. Downstairs 9:30pm. Awake for an hour after 2am.
-With Alexandra from 7am, depart after 10am for family gathering.
-Munchies then stockings, snooze at 1pm for 1.75 hrs, presents, dinner, play.
-Depart after 7pm, get home 8pm, in crib 8:45pm. Fussy 9:45pm. Threw up 10:15pm.
-Throw up is all over crib and her, and then me round two. Then A-L round three.
-Hazmat bathroom. Research. Couldn't keep down water. To hospital 11:30pm.
-Done admissions by midnight, got Zofran. In medical room after 1am, with juice.
-Hourly checks (ambulance emergency had come in), doctor in after 4am.
-Home by 5am, told gastroenteritis. Notes to everyone. 3 hours sleep.
-Left them downstairs, came up 9:15am. They're up an hour later, all seems normal.
-Round of bath/showers. Naps 1pm. I crash for 2 1/4 hrs. Outside with her after 4pm.
-Dinner after 5:30pm. She's in crib by 6:30pm, we finish upstairs for an hour.
-I'm still sick. Crash before 8pm, delusional through 9pm. Sleep 11am-5am+.
-Little one goes 9pm-5am in crib. Seems feverish; throws up after morning milk.
-Alexandra has a mostly napping day. I meet Mark for lunch and shop (Xmas, gas).
-More fever for me after 3pm. No sleep. Grading after 5pm (woo). Dinner 6pm.
-Anne-Lise has also caught the gastro. Subdued evening, some videos, bath.
-We both crash downstairs with Alexandra after 8:30pm. Can't sleep, always thinking.
-Start needing to go up to washroom too. At 10:30pm drive self into emergency.
-Half hour of woozy standing (busy), then three aspirin and wait at 11:30.

===
Item counts to Saturday (Dec 28):
Step Count 2016: About 36,000
-Was sick, but pleased by my writing of 2016.

Step Count 2017: Over 55,400 (19 stars)
-Getting over being sick, did art and writing, busy but not stressed.

Step Count 2018: Over 56,400 (10 stars)
-Dealing with gifts, long drive on Boxing Day, musical sleeps, 10 subs on Tapas.

STEP COUNT 2019: Over 52,500. 7 stars.
SCHOOL EMAIL 2019: 2 New (1 sent)
 Holding at DAY 78. 3 PD.
RH Stress Level: 10 (Barrier Burst)

*****
CONSTANT TO-DO LIST:
 -2019 Banner for TPolys
 -Sketches for 2019 holiday parody
 -2020 Banner for TPolys
 -Write a TANDQ article on Polling and Bias
 -Write a post about types of praise/encouragement
 -Catching up with web serials/comics (from ~August 2018)
 -Read some of the books sitting at my desk

Saturday 30 November 2019

Now Parenting: Nov 2019

NOW INTO LEAP 10, the last Leap. Whatever it all means.

Week 71
-Oct 27: Wake with Alexandra, then to hotel pool in Kanata, then family breakfast.
-Home for hour nap then an hour of play; to AL as I pause, then do grading.
-Rejoin, early dinner, I do bed routine at 6:30pm. To bed myself after 10pm.
-Got 1+4 hrs sleep instead of 2+2+1. Alexandra more troubled by Mom's absence.
-I manage some time before bringing little one to daycare. Then busy day.
-Some leaves jumping and new toy play before dinner. Took an evening break.
-Little one awake 6 times between 10:30am and 2am. About 3 hours sleep for me.
-To daycare again. Managed stats review for 4C and updated bias lesson.
-Early pickup by AL at 2pm; home 4pm and end up going to park for a bit.
-Little one has a runny nose; humidifier's been constant in her room for weeks.
-Second degree burn through oven mitt! OW. Slowed down Oct31 decorating.
-AL able to take point for early evening, I managed sleep. Again did drop-off.
-Standard Wednesday. Tried on her costume, she walked lots and ate even more.
-Thurs morn I'm also on point, then photos and Shaggy to school. Snax.
-Thurs eve still rainy (car pickup), playing with me & Mommy to after 6pm.
-Managed pumpkin seed roasting, little else, to bed before 10pm. Up before 12am.
-Alexandra in crib from 12:45am to near 7am! (Restless, I didn't sleep great.)
-Friday I got prep done. Shopping then fun with Mom and Alexandra after work.
-Fri night re-read "Untied", in bed before 10pm. Awake grading by 5am.
-Alexandra in crib from ~8pm-6pm with only one visit for soother! With from 6am.
-Brunch morning, little one walks over 3 blocks herself. I leave at snooze.
-Cafe write-in 1-5pm. I talk to some other WriMos including Uni student, woo.
-Call home today given time change coming up. Little one bit her lip falling.
-Tidy up the writing and do more grading in evening. Then with little one at 12am.
-Lotus Prince, "Fragile Dreams" #8-16

Halloween: Very rainy. 13 people.
(From 2018, 33. From 2017, 8. From 2016, 29.)

===
Item counts to Saturday (Nov 2):
Step Count 2016: About 56,900
-Felt good about writing, perused NaNo forums, sent zero emails.

Step Count 2017: Over 54,800 (15 stars)
-On medical leave, SOAP reunion, poor Halloween showing.

Step Count 2018: Over 71,100 (12 stars)
-Long day before Halloween (33 visitors), tried bedtime 7:30pm, NaNo start.

STEP COUNT 2019: Over 71,250. 13 stars.
SCHOOL EMAIL 2019: 95 New (17 sent)
 We have completed DAY 43. 1 PD.
RH Stress Level: 6 (Break Shoot)

=======
Week 72
-Little one makes it to 6am (aka 7am). I make it to 8am, then find Mom.
-After 10am, do eavestroughs for an hour, then to park for an hour, then lunch.
-At 1pm, head out to Strike Info Meeting with detour for comic.
-Get to write-in at 4pm for half an hour; VP Canterbury there. Word sprint.
-Home after 5pm; they slept for 3 hrs? Play, dinner & bath take until after 7pm.
-Some grading and writing done. Usual 5 hrs interrupted sleep. More grading.
-Work, brief lunch meeting, haircut and manage to pack up hose before pickup.
-Make dinner, pre-Math Meeting online at 8pm. Downstairs after 9:30pm.
-Awake to cries before 4am, so did manage 5+ hrs of straight sleep. Did writing.
-Pockets of stress during the day. New daycare path found after staff meeting.
-Tidied up writing in evening, bed from 10pm. With little one 1am-2am, then mom.
-With us from 2:30am. Kinda slept later, awake by 6am, tidied kitchen.
-Wednesday, DAMN. Colleague passed from cancer and police break up school fight.
-To Dad group with little one 5:30-7:30pm (4 of us there), likes carrot sticks.
-Slept downstairs, got 6 straight hours(!). She had lengthy time in crib.
-Helped us load washer in the morning as addition to her cloth dusting.
-Flu shot had pickup at 3:45pm, quick home break then we all played for an hour.
-Aborted bath removing bandaid, tired evening, a few words and bed after 10pm.
-Dreamt about VIP show, having business cards with 'Beep' for advertising.
-Friday usual business, saw video of fight; I was in more danger than I thought.
-Friday evening OSSTF 100 yr celebration, little one saw reptiles and balloons.
-She stayed awake for 30 min trip home! In crib after 8am. I wrote a bit.
-Mom on point until I took over at 4am. With little one for 2+ hrs from 6:30am.
-To All Day Write In (10-4pm for me). Got 5k words, Poirot group won.
-With Alexandra from 4:45pm to 6pm, she's asleep on bottle. Back to grading.
-Caught up in two classes by 11pm, still need to do all comments, etc.
-Some "Baywatching" from last Jan and AT4W.

===
Item counts to Saturday (Nov 9):
Step Count 2016: About 52,000
-ALL the writing, including considerations for restored math comic.

Step Count 2017: Over 60,250 (15 stars)
-Board messed with me as I returned to work. Marking for reports.

Step Count 2018: Over 68,800 (10 stars)
-Grading in car with little one, sicknesses and mostly downstairs sleeping.

STEP COUNT 2019: Over 73,400. 16 stars.
SCHOOL EMAIL 2019: 103 New (14 sent)
 We have completed DAY 48. 1 PD.
RH Stress Level: 8 (Starlight Breaker, Extension)


=======
Week 73
-Try to do reports in morning, system's down, grade instead to 9am.
-Alexandra time, then shared, then her nap before 1pm and I head to funeral.
-Flu shot after, and to relative's, and then home, and CTP Discord that eve.
-Monday is shorter morning (and duty) for Nov 11. Shirts, lil' writing.
-Then math meeting & minutes. Home before 6:30pm for dinner. Grading.
-Report cards, except with Alexandra 11:45-12:15am & 1:10am-2:25am. Bad dreams?
-Tuesday snow, busses are off, slight shovelling, snowsuit, small classes.
-Able to complete reports & revamp 4C regression task plus Desmos intro.
-Shopping, shovelling, dishes, laundry, to Daycare, little one delayed sleep.
-Wed late wakeup, regular school, hoped to write - distracted & more delayed sleep.
-Thu late wakeup, school with anime, more shovelling and tidying. Minutes sent.
-Bed after 10pm. Friday up with Alexandra from 6-7am. Then PD Day on bias.
-Evening little one wanted Mom time from 5:45pm. Tried 3-Flow bottle for bed.
-Again couple hundred words before bed, my turn for sleep-in Sat morning.
-Group, then I brought Alexandra home, 2 hour long snooze(!) partially leaning.
-Some work downstairs, back up for 5pm, eventually dinner. Did dishes.
-She's also liking the free book from group, french vehicles with flaps.
-Left 7:30pm to find NaNo writers but bowling alley was full. Did shopping.
-Some writing before bed. With Alexandra just before midnight to 12:45am.
-Some SFDebris & WTFIWWY videos.

Item counts to Saturday (Nov 16):
Step Count 2016: About 57,300
-Went to a staff gathering. Started putting NaNo work on Wattpad.

Step Count 2017: Over 61,400 (14 stars)
-Full work week. NaNo at 23k, first TTNexus article, last fertility injection.

Step Count 2018: Over 72,000 (11 stars)
-Forgot food Nov 11, car alignment broke, lost mind, AllDayWriteIn.

STEP COUNT 2019: Over 66,800. 13 stars.
SCHOOL EMAIL 2019: 124 New (18 sent)
 We have completed DAY 53. 2 PD.
RH Stress Level: 5 (ACS Standby)

=======
Week 74
-3+ hrs with Alexandra from 6:30am. 75 min break to scan BTTF for column.
-Group play until nap before 1pm. Go to write-in, manage over 2k words.
-Phone home (looking behind computer), dinner/bed. I organize Nexus column.
-Update all photos since Nov 1st before bed. Alexandra in bed from 3am.
-Rough night, busy Monday, jacket broke, Mom home early (fall shenanigans).
-Out during bath, routine was ok, Kyra's concert went well.
-Another rough night due to teething. Tues afternoon, headlight fixed.
-Duty during day but did prep with no grading. Laundry video shenanigans.
-Bed before 10pm but up every 2-3 hrs. Lost my patience a bit in morning as
-Math Contest, Teaching, OnCall, Chrome Training, Teaching, lunch at 2:30pm.
-Leant sweatshirt to a curler. Standard evening. Little one joins after 12am.
-Thurs was parent emails, dishes, Write-In from 8pm, then shopping & dinner.
-Fri before 5pm little one took a fall over the edge on her little car. My bad.
-Fri had anime club and much grading in the evening to try and catch up.
-Sat got morning sleep*, tandem play, some marking during group, then home.
-Wouldn't snooze after lunch. Handed me back soother and ran merrily from room.
-Asleep on car ride immediately thereafter to get Mom and buy me a jacket.
-Played outside after 3pm, then did 80 mins of grading. Then play until dinner.
-Left for WriteIn, arrived 8pm. Thought it said 1 star, was what, 30 secs off?!
-Sharks at WriteIn (on Preston). Left to get home for midnight.
-AT4W, SFDebris & LostAdaptation.

Item counts to Saturday (Nov 23):
Step Count 2016: About 59,800
-Lamented my regular schedule of posts that no one seemed to notice.

Step Count 2017: Over 60,500 (14 stars)
-Resuming regular teaching and writing. Discovered Lotus Prince.

Step Count 2018: Over 69,000 (10 stars)
-Math contests, movie, put up outside lights and parents in w/ gifts.

STEP COUNT 2019: Over 67,100. 11 stars.
SCHOOL EMAIL 2019: 137 New (20 sent)
 We have completed DAY 58. 2 PD.
RH Stress Level: 5 (ACS Standby)

=======
Week 75
-Some chair time after 3am, then with Alexandra 3 hrs from 6:30am. Crash.
-Together time, WriteIn reaching 25k, shopping, together time; she tidies again.
-Takes each of us 40 min to soothe to sleep due to breathing issues from cold.
-After 5+ hours she's awake. Then I get an hour(+), soother then another hour(++).
-Regular Monday with duty. Grading in evening. Sleep, up 7am w/ Alexandra.
-Busy Tuesday. Felt off by evening, fortunately Mom home early. Slept downstairs.
-Wednesday little one went to stroller walk at mall. Definitely have a cold.
-Downstairs again. Thursday had lunch protest walk and food delivery 5:30pm.
-Alexandra knocked head into washer before delivery, looked at sheets after.
-Thurs eve, another write-in. Shopping problems. Again downstairs to sleep.
-Duty, anime, quick shopping, family basement play. Finished Lotus and did writing.
-Alexandra slept from 11am past 5am solo. Mom with her in morning, then brunch.
-Alexandra had two toast and some bacon and potatoes from her own meal.
-Let me clip nails on toes & fingers when home. Nap required sucking and music.
-Went out after 2.5 hr nap to park before it got dark. Then much play to 7pm.
-Trouble sleeping again; I leave for 9pm write-in until midnight. Get my 3k.
-Lotus Prince, "Fragile Dreams" #17-21 (final)

===
Item counts to Saturday (Nov 30):
Step Count 2016: About 55,230
-Had responses to my lament of posts that no one seemed to notice.

Step Count 2017: Over 67,400 (16 stars)
-WriteIns, musical rehearsal, procrastination on grading/review writing.

Step Count 2018: Over 72,000 (10 stars)
-Little one photo & protest, cut self cleaning dishes, first use of aspirator.

STEP COUNT 2019: Over 71,850. 14 stars.
SCHOOL EMAIL 2019: 102 New (24 sent)
 We have completed DAY 63. 2 PD.
RH Stress Level: 4 (Accel Shooter)


*****
CONSTANT TO-DO LIST:
 -2019 Banner for TPolys
 -Write a TANDQ article on Polling and Bias
 -Write a post about types of praise/encouragement
 -Catching up with web serials/comics (from ~August 2018)
 -Read some of the books sitting at my desk

Wednesday 30 October 2019

PD Social: O34ME

The Carleton-Ottawa Mathematics Association (COMA) has a social event every year in September. I have previously blogged about 2014 (Marian Small and "Our relationships with parents and the public"), about 2015 (Kyle Pearce and "Making Math Contextual, Visual and Concrete"), about 2016 (Chris Suurtam and "What makes math education in Ontario great?"), and about 2018 (Marian Small with "Building Thinkers"). In 2017 I was trying to deal with CS.

I won't be blogging about COMA socials any more, namely because the chapter is rebranding to the "Ottawa Zone For Mathematics Educators" (O34ME, where O3 is the O-Zone). This first social, on September 26th, 2019, had Marian Small speak briefly. First about OAME2019 (my conference recap is here), and then about our political climate.


Welcome to a new venue as well!

Here's the social recap, where any errors in transcription are mine.


OAME Conference


Marian mentioned this was a departure from her usual talks, less about math, more business and politics. The business was her having chaired the OAME Conference in Ottawa. "The best news is so much positive feedback. From around the province."

Having decided as a group not to have a keynote (as there's not one good person for everyone), Marian thinks it was a good decision, and positive things were heard about the Featured Speakers. Saturday was a Desmos day, Eli Luberoff came and not only spoke, but brought others. Many attended on Saturday. No evening sessions (figured people wanted to be with their friends) and mostly good response to that. Had an awards ceremony rather than a banquet. Cathy Hall (a winner) was given a shoutout (in attendance).


I helped with registration
It was a partnership with University of Ottawa, they did sponsor us; costs were slightly lower and things which do that is good. We offered back to them, that we agreed to promote French more than would be normal for OAME. Thus the French featured speaker, and French sessions. Not as many signups as had hoped for, but Marian says it was the right move to make. The lunch lines went smoothly and there were great committee chairs and volunteers.

There's always complaints, but there weren't as many as normal. The best news of all is we made money, and our chapter gets half of it. "So whatever we're called now, we have more money." (Sidebar: And we're not for profit, so it goes back to members one way or another.)

Being in the political climate we are where, and some people weren't allowed to come, we did well. "I think we were happy." And with that, Marian addressed the political side of things.

For those not in Ontario, Doug Ford became the Conservative premier in 2018 (and I blogged about that insane process here).


The Politics



Marian said something along the lines of "I believe that it would be a bad world if everyone thought the same thoughts". We should have many opinions... but it would be nice if they were informed and enlightened opinions.

We as educators have a responsibility to stay clear and focused as well as polite and enlightened. We [Ontario] are a little better off than Alberta. Not a lot, but their education advisory board has no educators on it.

We have to try stuff. Marian had a CBC interview lately, remarking how we have many who talk, but who don't pay attention to the facts. Our government says math will "go back to basics" when their own EQAO report said the basics weren't the problem, it's problem solving that's the problem.

If you say this, they'll either ignore you or not ignore you, but that's all you can actually do.

The basics of Marian's OAME 2019 presentation was having a focus on understanding and thinking, not knowledge. If you have kids who don't understand, they'll forget after 3 weeks, and you have to teach it again. Whereas if they understand, then they retain it.

Problem solving is a basic kind of thing. We no longer live in an assembly line world, employers actually say they want people who can figure stuff out. So we have to teach that stuff. We're not doing it because we're into "discovery math" (which isn't even a thing), but rather, we're doing it because the world needs people who can think.

Regarding standardized testing, EQAO data can't be ignored, it's real, but you have the right -- in a polite and focused way -- to ask if they're measuring the right stuff. It measures grade level stuff that's appropriate in the curriculum. Is this the stuff that matters? That's a different question.


During EQAO, teachers can't translate the questions into regular English. "I understand why, but if [as a student] you can't ask, then we're not testing math any more. We're testing something else." And if there's a societal focus on collaboration, why do you sit by yourself to test when no one ever does that. In Quebec, part of their testing is collaborative, they talk and then go back and finish by themselves. Which is how the real world works.

We have the right and responsibility to do that. And EQAO results aren't from "discovery learning" (which isn't really happening), the issue here is they aren't talking about how the culture has changed. It matters a lot.

Marian starts wrapping things up with the comment "I have zero patience in the culture in which we live." If she was in one line, when another one was moving, she'd move. When she was growing up, if you were bored, you just sucked it up, and now parents support children in doing something.

There are very few teachers who can go out there and take all this on by themselves. It's emotionally draining. "I've done it, so I can tell you that." But if we do it together, Marian thinks it can work. As a collaborative effort. Part of our mission is making that happen. No change in any government, or textbook that anyone writes -- including her -- makes a difference.

Marian concluded her talk with some math to clarify the idea of focussing on understanding versus knowledge.

Knowledge would be "what is 4 times 8". She DOES want kids to know this. But for the understanding question, we'd want to have no numbers. For instance "how do you know 4 times 8 is more than 3 times 9?"

If you're more in grade 7 or 8, consider fractions. The difference between "add 5/8 and 3/4" versus "estimate 5/8 plus 3/4"... and if you just tell me the answer, I won't listen to you. There are also thinking questions, if you saw her OAME talk itself.

Conclusion: "We're not going to pretend things are great, because they aren't. We'll hope the ministry eventually sees, that unless they support teachers, nothing happens."


Summary



The Ottawa chapter change introduction plus Marian's talk took less than half an hour, but there was also social time, including me chatting with another teacher who brought up Caribou Math. There are actually money prizes, for a fee of only $15 per student for all contests of the year... I'm hoping I get a chance to research this more, which is partly why I'm putting it in this post. (Do you know more about it?)


Then there was a guess the items in the jar contest and door prizes; I headed out before 6pm because I have the little one at home. As to the talk itself, I felt it was relevant and possibly something educators need to hear in times like this. Would you agree?

Thanks for reading this post! I hope you were able to get something out of it; if so, or if you have any further thoughts, do drop a comment below.

Monday 28 October 2019

Now Parenting: Oct 2019

Week 67
-Sunday with little one for 1+hrs until 2am. Traded 2.5 hr shifts in the morning.
-Managed to finish grading 3U tests. Also went shopping, did some windows.
-Bumpy night, needed to suck snot early. With us by midnight, had an odd dream*.
-Monday morn she let me trim her fingernails of the hand I couldn't access Sun nap.
-Mon daycare she went on slide all by herself! Also runny nose, disliked chewing.
-Busy Monday on my end but standard. Turned on heat. Unproductive evening.
-Tuesday 3.5 hrs sleep (1.5 before 1:30am, 2 hrs after 3:30am) and back pain.
-Tuesday afternoon Cappies Training (bypassing staff mtg), finished by 2:15pm.
-Crashed, Daycare was rough but she's happier by bedtime. I did work to 10:45pm.
-Very rough from 11-12am but then she managed okay. Except my health deteriorated.**
-Managed Wed, including doctor's apt for chicken pox vaccine. She signs duck.
-Downstairs by 10pm, over 6 hours sleep straight; even upstairs okay. Signs bus.
-Some play after dinner Thurs. Then forced self to do some work before sleep.
-Friday caught up except grading, completed ALP, shopping then busy at home.
-Sat overnight kept waking every half hour until she joined us after 2am.
-When I wasn't with Alexandra this day I was completing the "Summer's End" post.
-Was with her at brunch, over lunch, back at mall shopping, then before dinner.
-Managed to cut the lawn starting during her snooze in car, finishing after 4pm.
-Lotus Prince, "Asura's Wrath" #10,11 & its "DLC" #1-5

===
Item counts to Saturday (Oct 5):
Step Count 2016: About 55,800
-Writing motivation stalled, car broke down, went to AFEMO french math conference.

Step Count 2017: Over 60,000 (16 stars)
-School ratcheted my stress to 8, in Ink & Insights Top 10, took a plane home.

Step Count 2018: Over 62,250 (11 stars)
-Passport photo, Cappies stuff, on train with Alexandra for Thanksgiving.

STEP COUNT 2019: Over 76,000. 15 stars.
SCHOOL EMAIL 2019: 163 New (14 sent)
 We have completed DAY 24.
RH Stress Level: 5 (ACS Standby)

=======
Week 68
-With little one Sunday morning to 9am+, grading at library from 12:30-2:30pm.
-Lunch together. She snoozed almost 2.5 hrs. Clothes basically worked out.
-All night in crib but with some disruptions (10:45, 2). At work, set test for MAP.
-Monday weirdly well, including meeting for minutes and arriving home by story.
-Tuesday morn many disruptions. Day was okay but too tired in the evening to work.
-Managed to finalize 3U test and MAP new trig task with no time to spare.
-Wednesday equally tiring but not physically. Stayed up past 12am to grade.
-Little one's coming into bed with us by 3am then sleeping until closer to 7am.
-Thurs morn walk-in. Caught up tests along with anime club and pep rally.
-Thurs did dishes and crashed before pickup. Again too tired for much work in eve.
-She let me cut her toes in bath, and then fingers in towel. Just did the worst.
-Slept 10-1am, little one wouldn't settle, slept 3:30am on with headboard wakeup.
-PD Day had streaming issues, did manage to finish task grading by ~3pm.
-Mom home early to pack, managed myself after, not a productive evening.
-Sat: She woke late (>7:15), we were already up doing final packings.
-Caught flight (w/ another baby 6 months) with carseat & stroller gate checked.
-Straight to sister's, played, stroll, Thanksgiving dinner, left 7pm.
-Rush to set things up, in bed before 10pm, she didn't sleep well after 11pm.
-Lotus Prince, "Have No Mouth/Must Scream" #1-7

===
Item counts to Saturday (Oct 12):
Step Count 2016: About 59,600
-Bought cheap calculators, in-laws in town, lacked clear direction.

Step Count 2017: Over 63,300 (14 stars)
-Pregnancy news, but school had made me dead inside plus no blog buffer.

Step Count 2018: Over 67,100 (10 stars)
-Read Alexandra first story, first Thursday group, progress reports & CanCon.

STEP COUNT 2019: Over 65,450. 16 stars.
SCHOOL EMAIL 2019: 161 New (20 sent)
 We have completed DAY 29. 1 PD.
RH Stress Level: 7 (Starlight Breaker)

=======
Week 69
-Sun morn and late afternoon, I needed a break. Wrote political column.
-All went out for breakfast, then played, then after nap went to the park.
-Birthday dinner, sad bath, chatting then graded from 9pm to midnight.
-With Alexandra in morning, to airport before 10:30am (mini nap in car??).
-Strap for bag broke and trouble paying for parking, but home by 2pm.
-Lunch, then little one sleeps for almost two hours. I grade.
-Later dinner for her and us. Multi-task with grading from 8pm to 10:30pm.
-Busy Monday* to finish grading, get progress reports into system, shopping.
-Tuesday more prep on 4C stats. Overnight, up 12:15-1:30am then mom takes over.
-Wednesday much like Tues but rain and solo Alexandra to bed. Read comics.
-Thursday rain on AL birthday. She's home early, much play then I cook/bake.
-Takes almost an hour EACH to get little one to bed... after 9pm.
-She's up 1+ hr in the night (I relive AL), then late waking in morn.+
-Friday's okay, but I need to do bath/bed when Mom gets near a migraine.
-I update my queued files a bit more. New Nexus column went out today too.
-No CanCon, they capped attendance. Brunch with many after not lots of sleep.
-Afternoon at park, also writing "Time Train" comic review (1900 words).
-Videos: Caught up with Atop the 4th Wall again.

===
Item counts to Saturday (Oct 19):
Step Count 2016: About 53,450
-Dealt with figuring out benefits, and found my writing groove. Simpler times.

Step Count 2017: Over 61,600 (15 stars)
-Implosion from teaching CS, everything is off, there is no joy.

Step Count 2018: Over 79,000 (8 stars)
-AL birthday, interviews extend normal half day, some passing out downstairs.

STEP COUNT 2019: Over 70,300. 13 stars.
SCHOOL EMAIL 2019: 90 New (9 sent)
 We have completed DAY 33. 1 PD.
RH Stress Level: 4 (Axel Shooter)

=======
Week 70
-Managed 6+ hrs sleep. With Alexandra for 3+ hrs. Brief crash, shopping.
-Some work, met in park to go to Works, first video call to home.
-She wants crib time during day? After sleep, watched local candidates video.
-Sleep was okay, she slept only against me after 3am. Until 7am.
-Dance rehearsal after school. Met family en route after 5pm to go voting.
-Watched results until near 11pm. With Alexandra from 12am-1:45am (after mom @.@)
-She doesn't want to be left in crib any more, with us to 6am. On call at work.
-Tired Tues night, both in bed by 10pm. Smoke alarm went off 5am (?!).
-Wednesday drew up new stats lessons for 4C AND 4U. Attempted video conversion.
-Need to Handbrake the file to mp4, to open in MPEG stream clip, to crop. Huh.
-Wed Oct 23rd Alexandra decided it was time to walk! At Daycare + later at home.
-Small bruise on forehead from door. Reasonable sleep but AL not feeling well.
-Long Thursday with P/T Interviews. Shopped on way home, arrived after 8pm.
-Friday, car in to get tires switched over. Also duty and anime club.
-Managed to finish new line song parody on Thurs/Fri. Put ppt together.
-Sat fell asleep in chair with Alexandra to 4am. Mom took point until before 9am.
-Group. Managed to complete 4U tests then and during snooze. Then to Carp.
-Family time and dinner out went well; she likes veggie spring rolls?
-Took 2.5 hours for little one to sleep after waking in carseat. AL cough sick.
-Lotus Prince, "Fragile Dreams" #1-7

===
Item counts to Saturday (Oct 26):
Step Count 2016: About 48,300
-Finished T&T mostly. Put away hose, etc. outside.

Step Count 2017: Over 61,600 (14 stars)
-Went on anti-anxiety/depression pills, reading book doctor recommended.

Step Count 2018: Over 69,750 (10 stars)
-Saline runs for cold, level 2 flow bottle, sleep troubles all around.

STEP COUNT 2019: Over 72,700. 12 stars.
SCHOOL EMAIL 2019: 99 New (11 sent)
 We have completed DAY 38. 1 PD.
RH Stress Level: 5 (ACS Standby)

*****
CONSTANT TO-DO LIST:
 -2019 Banner for TPolys
 -Write a TANDQ article on Polling and Bias
 -Write a post about types of praise/encouragement
 -Catching up with web serials/comics (from ~August 2018)
 -Read some of the books sitting at my desk

Sunday 27 October 2019

OAME 2019 Summary

Continuing the tradition of OAME 2013, OAME 2014, OAME 2015, OAME 2016, and OAME 2018, we have this post. OAME 2019 (the annual conference for the Ontario Association for Mathematics Education) took place starting Thursday, May 16th... and it was local to Ottawa, so I was helping out behind the scenes with registration. (I dropped by OttawaU's campus briefly on Wednesday night, not longer due to a Cappies conflict, always something.)

This means I only went to five sessions, so they should fit in this post. One on Thursday (last slot), two on Friday and two on Saturday.


T5. "Find the fraud! Using Benford's law in the classroom."


Presented by Tim Sibbald, Nippissing. (Also Gazette editor, asked me about a cartoon. It's so rare anyone asks anymore... regrettably, personified math has become a low priority item compared to the rest of my life.)

To start, Tim had us guess at $100 with 16.6% interest. Actual: $100, $116.60, $135.96... at 15 years, it reaches $1000, so good to use as a demonstration. (Graph shown. We see at year 2 we're over a tenth of the way, but amount still starts with "1".)


Benford in 1930s noticed early log tables were really worn in the beginning pages. He determined 30% of numbers start with "1". What is the pattern? Consider 0 to 15 years (DOMAIN) gives 1 to 10 (RANGE). Then starting at 10 again.

So how long are we 1 <= y < 2? For 0 <= x < 4.51. And 4.5/15 = 9/30, about 30%. If $ comes out sooner, recall that's a MINIMUM percentage. The funny thing is, this also works with areas of rivers, which isn't exponential. Now "2" at 16.7%, so half of data starts with a 1 or 2.

Explanation: MSD (Most Significant Digit, or leftmost digit). Formally do Inverse: x = log_(1.166)_y

Imperfection: National Debt doesn't work, it's inconsistent. Inflation and 30% rates of mortgage. (Inflation rate is historically 2%.) Debate: Good enough for evidence? Over 30% is possible, is UNDER possible? (Changing the initial investment?)

Tim went further: What about OTHER DIGITS? The 2nd (not MSD)?
-Are we looking at 30% of 30%? Moves graph up so no change in ratio?
-If eg. a "2", we sum the intervals 1.2 to 1.299999... then 2.2 to 2.29999... etc.
-Law of Large Numbers. Eventually Gaussian distribution.
-The percentages for second digit are about EQUAL now! Note that ZERO does come into this now. Zero is about 11.97%, One is 11.39%, down to Nine at 8.50%.

What about OTHER STUFF?
-Baseball stats are exponential? (Following Benfords Law)
-What if interest was quadratic instead? ("If you're slightly baffled, the students will feel like they can engage.") What about root function? (Also 30%+ for ZERO, ignoring a zero before the decimal, so 0.###...)

-Two Statistics Branches: Inferential Stats (90% of a school text) and Modelling Stats (the other 10%). Test Benford when the parameters change. Structure when you do an inverse, if reciprocal interest, self-inverse.

So how to create bogus data? 
y = (1.05)^(t+random/10) in a spreadsheet?
-Effect still applies to things like quadratics. Envelope function. (Shows sketch of MSD1 between 100% and 30% over time.) 100% from 1 to 2, and 30% as minimum (horizontal asymptote).
-The longer the fraud, the more evidence you have.

After that session wrapped up there was the OAME AWARDS WITH WINE & CHEESESaw TMC Twitter folks there, we talked outside afterwards for a bit.


F3. "Moving Beyond Basics in Data Management to Reach Every Student"


Presented by Chris Papalia. This is the one I really wanted to get to, since I end up teaching Data every year, and want to get better at it.



-Chris has tried to change context (podcasts like freakonomics radio, news like 538), excerpts, spiralling and tech. Emphasizes projects over tests.
-"Thinking Classroom" in data? (Tell me a story.)
-Mystery Data: graph shows lots of data at a high number. Turns out each dot is a day. Distance on y-axis, number of steps on x-axis.

-Starts his course with the 1-var and 2-var data. Normal Distribution, still a challenge; NOT counting (perhaps too challenging to start).
-Google form for that first day of class, use that data (handedness, etc) later on. Have a question "try to make option B the 2nd most popular here".
-"The Canon" by Natalie Angier. Chapter 2. Faking heads/tails.
-Hans Rosling. Alan Smith TED talk.
-"Compound Probability Applets".
-Test alternatives.

There was much more at the bit.ly link provided, and I downloaded a number of things. This past September, I tried starting with an overview and one variable data. (Is it going better? Maybe?)


F5. "Project Based Learning" (+ bonus)


I was a late signup on this, because not much was happening with registration any more. Presented by Marieta Angjeli. She noted it was "not based on research", but was a natural extension of things she did. Student feedback asking for something more engaging/inclusive.

You have to commit. J-Curve. It will go worse before it gets better. We then got given a cylinder with strings sticking out of it. "orange toy". RULE #1: You have to come up with the problem.

"Before you start solving it, I want you to suggest what the problem is." ... Length of string, weight, what interior looks like?
-Realization comes: "they're not all the same, different boxes". Light rattle? Can trap object?
-Marieta admits she can't say "you're right, you're not right"... when she built them, she forget to mark which box had which design.
KEY POINTS: Process is more important than Product. Messy learning is what sticks.


-MDM 4U looked at "Mathematics of Mental Health". (If you feel grades is the only way to a good life, we have a problem.) First issues, what IS mental health?
-http://vroc.ca  "Virtual Researchers On Call"
-They thought Grade 12s would be more stressed, turned out to be Grade 9s. (bias of study, etc); looked at 10% of school, every class.
-Every Friday was PBL (Project Based Learning) time.
-http://view.wirewax.com/8078587

-To Grade 9s, a project for every unit (done Fridays). Still do tests. One project each, as it's hard to cross strands. Mural of Algebra Tiles for mental well being (find cost of tiles?). Needed Word Problem that connects to a problem in the community. For Measurement, cars project. She went through the various units.
-In 3U, for Desmos, image for Student Identity. Cultural Heritage.

(I had to pop off to see someone about a bookshelf and transporting it. When I returned they were looking at samples of the work. After a bit I went to catch the end of Marian Small's address:)

BONUS Marian:
Marian was looking at Application questions versus Thinking questions, and how Communication is packaged with Thinking. And difference between Thinking and Knowledge/Understanding? (Thinking has finite solutions, Knowledge is simply 'neg times pos is neg'.) -"In the end, it's our beliefs about what math is."

(Incidentally, bit.ly/oame_slowmath was written on the board.)

That wrapped up Friday (had to get home to the little one, with the bookshelf on the busses), and on to Saturday. When Alexandra turned 11 months old. Huzzah!


S1. "Talk! Talk! And More Math Talk!"


MATH TALK! was put on by Connie Hamilton, from Corwin Press. They had "Visible Learning" books for math (#VLMath) and a handout package.

-First: Differentiate between Prompt (mirror) versus Cue (microscope). One looks inside, nudge out while the other looks carefully at information in front of you.
-One cue: "A sound or visual that isn't your voice to cue students to give their attention."
-When we pose "What was", we don't notice turns, and talk could be dominated by one voice.
-Paraphrasing is good for listener and speaker. (We did an exercise talking to a person near to us.)

For a successful paraphrase? Helps to know it's coming. "A conversation involves both listening and speaking." It's typically the listening component that's absent.
-To be an effective speaker, be an effective listener.
-How does listening fit into the Ontario Math Processes?
-Shoulders should be squared to speaker. Have students communicate what someone ELSE said? (You listen with a different purpose, to communicate later, versus wondering what I'll say next in response.)

Professor Hattie, statistician, "a study of studies". Quantified as effect size.
-The average is 0.40, the "hinge point". Defined as "a year's worth of learning in a year". Dialogic instruction has an effect size of 0.82. A year's worth in half the time.
-Turns out just giving a hint isn't more effective in the end. Consider ACCOUNTABLE talk. Begin with a paraphrase and add. (eg. "I agree with, another way to look at, I used to think...")
-We thought of more talk stems ("This reminds me of") then shared them around the room. Shifted to just writing on the handout.

-What is your role during conversations? When you interrupt students, you change the dynamic, it becomes guided instruction. Only do it with purpose.
-Students can find misconceptions on their own, given time.
-Bring a chair, model learning. Look at group, not speaker, so they don't only talk to you.
-Something inanimate to break the silence (not your voice), easier to talk then. Also "It's the timer shutting down talk, not me."
-We lined up by birthdays to be grouped.

-Triad Protocol, can be done in as little as five minutes.
-Three roles: Questioner, Respondent and Summarizer (who does NOT speak). Three rounds, each shifting who takes on each role. If there's a chatty person, perhaps give them summarizer as first role.
-After questioner and respondent go, the summarizer has exactly HALF of talk time to sum up. (Eg. If given 90 seconds, have 45 sec)
-My summarizer notes were based on "how to use today to support", and there was some back and forth. (Do kids really want to talk math? Not really.) It segued into immersion schooling and oral traditions (we had an indigenous teacher in our triad).
-Possibly relevant, what language are we speaking in such talks? Someone's second language?
-Books were given out randomly. (Furthest trip to get here, etc.)

I'd kept the second slot free on this day. Went back to see about helping with packing up registration, and to catch up on grading papers.


S3. "Debates in Math Class? I object!" (AGAIN)


I'd signed up for this session before the April PD Day in 2019. So this was a repeat of the previous month. But I figured I'd still look at it with the lens of the other participants. Introduction was much the same, noting students "like junk mail more than the textbook" and debates idea coming from the dual characteristics of light.

-Credit card activity. Remarked on that "pre-approved rate" means this is the rate before we approve you... could go UP after approval. (Yikes.)
-Thought of comparing cards versus comparing a card and no card. (Who would a certain card be better for.) For instance, don't worry about low interest rates if you're always going to pay it off, look for other offers (eg. cash back).
-There's also comparing credit versus debit. Credit card purchases ARE refundable, while debit comes right out of the bank account.
-There is cancelling at 9 months before the bad interest rates kick in (after initial offer) and they bet on us forgetting to do that.
-Put Post-Its onto papers in this iteration. (I think that does work better.)


-Cars activity. Done faster than in April, less fine print. Depreciation was mentioned. Also, to challenge yourself, consider reasons for the other side.
-Rules for testing fuel economy have changed! This is why a newer car looks worse than the listing for an older one. (If the older were checked under the new standards, it wouldn't be as good.)
-Quadratic/Exponential graph activity was mentioned.
-Had time to look more in depth through the landlords activity this time. What they want/need versus the residents. Noted that (in Ontario) a landlord can't ask for a security deposit any more!
-"Those not engaged have a chance to talk." (don't recall the context)
-Mention also of classroom design/redesign problem, square or not.

When that finished, I went back to registration to see if any help was needed for teardown. Got a red "?" shirt, was told everything was in hand, so went to join up with my wife and daughter at the tulip festival (after their meeting for a tea picnic).

And that concludes another (belated) look at the Annual OAME Conference. Not sure how this will work next year, when it won't be local, but I will still have my daughter at home.

Did you learn anything interesting? See a possible extension? Or have any thoughts about related mathematics? Do feel free to drop a comment below. As always, thanks for reading.

Saturday 26 October 2019

Feb PD in Apr: 2019

Our board has a day in February devoted to Professional Development delivered by teachers; it tends to be subject specific. Except the last few years that day has been in April, go figure. I blogged about it in 2013-14, then again in 2015-16 and in 2016-17. In Apr 2018 it was on my birthday, and I don't seem to have a post, but probably have notes somewhere. This brings us to 2018-2019.

The Math PD was April 12th, in the east end. I attended three sessions, not including the brief introduction, the snack, or the draw at the end.

Session A: "Debates in Math Class? I Object!"


Presented by Andrea Bortnowski & Evelyn Desforges. Four of us there, so we split into two groups of two. The debate thought originated with how physics teachers debate light as particle or wave (there's also a debate for electrons). One of the presenters got a credit card offer, used it in MAP 4C.

Should we "Get Card" or "No", arguing from perspective of Sell Many or Financial Advisor. Could assign or ask. I was part of the group of "sell many", so here's some arguments we came up with:
-5% cash back, no annual fee (up to $100).
-Can cancel card after 3 month rate expires
-High interest is fine if you know where you spend and manage that way. Just pay it off.
-Who writes stuff down or has cash, good record provided here.
-Better credit score.
-Extended warranty, purchase protection.
-25% off car rentals (need card to rent anyway, usually, just use this one).
-It's not "borrowing" money, you have to spend regardless ("don't avoid, use this tool").
-Teaches financial responsibility.
-The presentation? That's why we're here.
-The minimum payment? (compound interest) How long it takes to pay things off? ("'Til Debt Do Us Part" series)

Remarked that seeing the other side can give you a better idea of your own position. Moved on to new car (new lemon?) or used car. Specific data was provided for two cars (one each). I was in the used car group:
-Higher financing (TVM) but lower costs so less $ and less time too.
-Same down payment? Save money towards next car.
-Will drive a car for six years anyway?
-New car must go back to dealer. Old car scratches won't be obvious anyway.
-Saves money, like hidden costs - winter tires, insurance.
-Counterpoint: Seven years for the 7 year old car vs a 10 year old car?
-Options of Leasing, Walking. Safety features in new.
-Fuel economy?

Third topic: Are hybrid cars good? Given graph implies exponential but includes prior years.
-Shown calculations of sales 2010-2013.
-Two sides: Company vs Investors
-Quadratic regression is actually best, even though it looks exponential.

It was noted that the debates hasn't been done as an evaluation, only observationally. We then quickly looked at some other topics as we were running out of time:
-Statistics and Statements Made (also 3Cs). BBC Article
-Fitness of Canadians. Ask "How would you conduct your research?" in advance. Look for things not mentioned or things not done.
-Landlords vs Tenants debate. (Protect property and max profits, vs, living conditions and affordability.) See "The Ontario Tenancy Act".
-Related: Consider conditions (no zip lines). In Toronto, landlords cannot evict unless major renovations are being done. So they do this, and then raise the rates to come back.

More topics:
-Outdoor classroom design: Square or rectangle best? (Note could be against building. Argument is often for OPTIMAL, not BEST. Consider cereal boxes, not "optimal".)
-Quadratic Revenue Graphs. How accurate? (Not yes/no, but to what degree are they.)
-External variables here too, like marketing and demand.
-Other ideas are possible. Presented a quartic graph crop, looking sinusoidal for MHF debate. Apartment Buddies.
-Doesn't need to be yes/no - debate fastest way to prove something? Efficiency idea. (eg. a parallelogram is a rhombus)

Session B: "Social Justice, Indigenous Issues, Cultural Perspectives and Curriculum"


This wasn't a presentation slot, the idea was for teachers to come together and discuss a topic in various rooms. I'd originally considered staying here for a while then moving on, but ended up there for the duration. There were five of us initially, with some talking points on the board, then another person came. We began with one of the teachers arranging desks in a circle, to facilitate there not being a "presenter".

One participant mentioned "I don't know what I don't know".
Can we cover curriculum but in an interesting way, getting at why we have to learn things. Integers in context of carbon footprint? Play between independent/dependent variables - what does slope REALLY mean?
-Gapminder mentioned for data. Also numberless graphs.
-Chemical containments in water: sequences/series? (Models. Throwing cubes into a box?)
-Optimizations has plastic wrap.

-Spend time focussing on SUCCESS to improve, leaning on the positive (not the EQAO fails).
-Student ill-informed opinions is why we need - broader perspectives?
-As teachers are we uncomfortable with conflict? Everything isn't a debate. (History does look at sides or gun debates, not so much in math.)
-How RANDOM are RANDOM CHECKS?
-Some are not ready so we trend to majority?
-Where in curriculum does it fit? 2D? Grade 9 scatterplots and C-level data?
-"Math that Matters". Stocker but more like worksheets (potential).

Truth & Reconciliation was brought up. Report: 4th part/volume has numbers (like deaths). (Someone had taught in the North.)
-Treaty Day is in June (the 21st). The $5 has not been increased since first agreed upon (no inflation).
-Treaty land vs Unceded land.
-Agoke Post: Boil Water Advisory for 11 years.
-Fuel for planes to remote locations
-Remove context to force a talk?
-Have students make infographics? Demographics of college level vs. U-level

When that session wrapped up, there was a snack with placemats that had puzzles on them. A number were available at the end, so I have a number of unique ones that I haven't really made the time for yet. (My math puzzle of the month has not been a thing in 2019-2020...)

Session C: "Summative project technology best practices AND using Desmos instead of Fathom for stats."


Presented by Alison Lane. I wanted this one to have the time to play with the new features, as well as see what other teachers were doing with it. Supposedly Desmos can do box plots and histograms, paste a list of data, call it D then boxplot(D)... it is case sensitive. But turns out it never worked for me because I pulled from a spreadsheet? (Worked from Google Sheets only. Google keeps updating functionality?)

Shared more about the project. Presenter had requirement of "at least 30 data points" (or for sports, 60, easier to get) and one student had 30 Scooby-Doo seasons and voice actors. Gave two box plots to compare.
-Project could be pick name, you sign up to a slot.
-Google slides gives a random order after everyone handed it in?

More tips:
-Google Sheets for continuous graphs: Histogram is under "OTHER". Box plot works as "Candlestick Graph", highlights the quartiles (though no median cut).
-Was mentioned there's two StdDev spreadsheet calculation formulas (one for population).
-A google sheet could allow evaluation of ALL presenters between setups for next person, give all students access to one. (Critiques)
-What's used in project referencing? Considered APA referencing (more for science) versus MLA referencing (literature).
-Jane Fry is a data specialist at Carleton. Has spoken to Longfields class. (Lab assignment?)

And that was the OCDSB PD Day for 2018-19. Thanks for reading this far, hope you found something of use (or interest) in there. Any thoughts or future ideas, do drop a comment!