5 minutes. 15 seconds per slide. 20 slides.
Concise. Succinct. Compelling.
Why not do my own version of an Ignite talk at Back to School Night next year? I get 10 minutes with parents and would love to change it up a little this coming year. Trust me, after surviving last year, I think the parents deserve a better, improved, and more reassuring version of Mr. Stadel. I'll explain that last sentence in some upcoming blog posts that I'll use to debrief about the 2012-2013 school year. If you're not sure what an Ignite talk is, let me introduce you to my man, Steve Leinwand.
If you like that, check out more Ignite talks by Annie Fetter, Dan Meyer, Max Ray, and Phil Daro. These are my go-to talks when I need a math pick-me-up. Do the math, that will be a little over 20 minutes well spent, being inspired by some key people in our math community. Seriously, check out those four talks.
I'm brainstorming in this space, so feel free to share some input please. At Back to School Night, I'll start by giving a brief 30-60 second introduction of what an Ignite talk is and how they work. I'll give an Ignite talk for 5 minutes, covering any of the following things:
- Standards Based Grading (SBG)
- Noticing and Wondering
- Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
- 8 Standards for Mathematical Practice (8 MPs)
- Problem Solving
- Homework (or No Homework)
- Find my Mistake
- High School Placement Tests
- Desmos
- A healthy balance of mathematical application with procedural and conceptual understanding
- Problems of the Week (PoWs)
- Quotes of the Week (QOTW)
- 3 Act lessons
- Reassessments
- Estimation (Number Sense)
- Tangram Tuesdays
- Whiteboarding
Who's with me? Does anyone else want to do a Back to School Ignite talk? There's already been some interest generated on Twitter and I started a Back to School Ignite list. Shout at me if you're in. Or is this a really foolish idea? Seth Leavitt, my new online colleague and EnCoMPASS Fellow asked if I'll post it online. I don't see why not. Maybe we can create a space for Back to School Ignite talks.
*UPDATE: Each item listed above does not correspond to its own slide. I simply listed ideas that could possibly work their way into the presentation. Some support each other. For example, when talking about the importance of problem solving, I would mention resources such as 3 Act lessons and The Math Forum's PoWs. Feel free to add to or subtract from the list.
Ignite,
930
I am so inspired! (But couldn't you have at least let me go brain dead until August?)
ReplyDeleteAll this lead me to The Creating Balance Conference, which I have marked on my calendar, because that's the point.
Great Post.
Sorry, I couldn't let your brain be on vacation Amy! My bad! Forgive me! :D
DeleteThanks for the reference of The Creating Balance Conference.
So an Ignite is just high-powered, "5 minutes. 15 seconds per slide. 20 slides.
ReplyDeleteConcise. Succinct. Compelling." ? If so, this would be great to share out. I won't use anyone else's because it won't be relevant to my students, but i would allow us to see the pep talk that we are giving as a way to collaborate and pull some of the best ideas. Thank you for the inspiration, once again.
I think sharing out would be great support for each other too. Watching the five Ignite talks I mentioned in the post have a surplus of ideas too. I recommend we start there.
DeleteSounds awesome. I've been to my share of middle/high school back to school nights from the parent perspective and anything that disseminates information effectively and concisely is valued. I notice you have 17 out of 20 slides. I wonder if the order matters? For the last few seconds: a math problem?
ReplyDeleteNow I have to go watch those other ignite talks...
Hi Laurel,
DeleteThe list is a rough sketch of ideas. See my comment below to Nathan. I would only cover a handful of key ideas from that list. Some would support the main ideas. For example, the art of problem solving would be supported by briefly mentioning resources such as PoWs and 3 Act lessons. Sorry about the confusion.
I'm in. BtSN is such a time crunch and this is a great way to keep it under control. I have never heard of Ignite, but I have heard of Pecha Kucha (20 slides/20 seconds). This may take a little rehearsal....
ReplyDeleteI'd expect rehearsal as well. Welcome to Ignite talks!
DeleteI'll be honest. I'm a bit scared for you. I think that some of these ideas are very foreign to parents and I worry that a quick brush-over will make it seem like you're hiding something...or maybe parents will have a hard time following along and become annoyed. I think your ignite talk would work with other math teachers to see what you're doing, but that's because we already understand most of those ideas. Parents...not so much.
ReplyDeleteI'd stick with one or two of the biggest/foreign ideas you have up there. My guess would be grading and the level of frustration students are likely to have with good problem solving. If those other ideas fit with little to no explanation, great. If not, boot them.
I need you to be honest. Thanks! I hear your concern and appreciate it. I just started listing things that might find their way into the Back to School presentation. It didn't mean that I'd cover them all. Some are related and can support each other, but for the most part I'd want to focus on a few: SBG, reassessments, CCSS, problem solving, and high school placement tests. I think I should update the post to reflect that it's just a list of potential ideas, and not inclusive. Thanks Nathan.
DeleteI do agree with Nathan that you should keep your audience in mind when choosing the topic(s) and selecting the format. I'm reminded of the saying, "Form follows function."
ReplyDeleteIf these are parents of 8th graders they’ll want to know about getting their child ready for high school. They are putting their trust in you to help their son or daughter be successful, so I would use the time to talk about your high expectations, learning for mastery, and what that entails—without the jargon.
They may also want to know a bit about yourself—hobbies outside of school, something unusual about yourself, etc.
Another thing to consider is how this presentation fits with the rest of the evening. Do parents rotate through classrooms or is this part of a team presentation in a large space? Maybe it’s best to move on to the next presenter, leaving more time for meet and greet. Or use the remaining time to have parents solve a problem you give in class. Let them experience what it’s like to be in your classroom. If they don’t finish, tell them their homework is to have their child explain it to them by X date.
For parents sometimes it boils down to: I want to meet my kid’s teacher and know my child is in good hands.
I agree with Nathan and with teacherleaders. Ignite talks are somewhat for people who know what they're about to experience. Your audience (parents) is not approaching the experience with the same kinds of expectations. So don't overwhelm them.
ReplyDeleteThe ignite format forces you to be very thoughtful about what you present and that's its strength. I've found that it's an occupational hazard - teachers talk too much. (It's not our fault - we have a whole lot to say.) So the ignite format forces your hand. Get it in and get it right.
So what to "get in"?
What would you like parents to be saying as they leave the room? Here are some things that I think would be great if parents noticed:
*My son (daughter) will really learn some math this year.
*I like the way Mr. Stadel thinks. This will be a good year.
*Concepts and procedures - that seems like a good way to go about it.
Thinking of the desired reaction, you can plan the action.
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Thanks for thinking out loud.
RE: "Ignite talks are somewhat for people who know what they're about to experience. Your audience (parents) is not approaching the experience with the same kinds of expectations. So don't overwhelm them."
DeleteSo true, Seth. So true! Thanks for reminding me of this.
Re:"The ignite format forces you to be very thoughtful about what you present and that's its strength"
This was one of my initial goals. With short slides, it would force me to be thoughtful about what I want to express and have my parents take away. I'd like them to especially focus on the improvements I've made from last year.
I agree, I'd like my parents to walk away with the 3 points you raised. You read my mind with your final statement:
"Thinking of the desired reaction, you can plan the action."
That's the plan!
Thanks for checking in!
This sounds like an awesome idea. Great points by the folks above about knowing the audience. Not sure how applicable this is to your school, but most of the parents in the Geometry class I student taught last year hadn't made it to that level of math or didn't remember much about it. So one thing might be talking about how parents can help support their students outside of content (things like how much homework they should expect, general strategies for math, resources/tutoring available to students). Again, that might be unique to the school I was at. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteHi Andrew,
ReplyDeleteI love the idea and think it will be a great success if planned and rehearsed very well. I think I'm up for the challenge and going to give it a shot! We also only have 10 minutes, and I always find myself speaking for 9 min 30 sec and then realizing the parents don't really have time for questions. If anything, this format will definitely provide enough time at the end. I definitely need to give it some more thought, but I would think I'll include an explanation of the types of activities we do/way the class functions and a brief overview of the math pathways and CCSS since I teach 3 freshmen classes. I also like to end my normal back to school talks with a list of ways parents can provide support. You've already added me to the Twitter list (@heather_kohn) so if I think of any other ideas I'll let you know!
If only for getting you to rehearse your words to parents, I think an Ignite talk is a fabulous idea. Definitely think about what your audience wants to hear from you because I agree with others that many of these brainstorms will NOT be what they're looking for.
ReplyDeleteI don't feel like you need to tell your audience in advance that they're in for an Ignite. If done right, it'll just come off as a well-rehearsed presentation. I would, however, hand out stickies as they walk in the door and invite parents to write questions on them as you speak. If you don't get time to address every single question after your Ignite, you can email the parents the next day with answers to their queries.
I agree with Nathan & teacherleaders. The Ignite talks that you linked to work for me because I bring my experience teaching math. I’ve already wrestled with the issues addressed by each.
ReplyDeleteI don’t necessarily see an Ignite talk as a fit here. The format challenges rather than reassures an audience. Many parents in attendance will likely be feeling somewhat anxious about their son/daughter’s transition to high school. Parents may have also brought their own baggage with respect to high school math with them.
Funny enough, if I were given just 20 minutes, I’d probably “borrow” one of your estimation activities: “Can’t Buy Me Love.” It’s accessible (see last sentence, previous paragraph) and allows for multiple strategies. I’d give them time to solve the problem. I’d ask them to explain their thinking. The message – at first implicit, later explicit – is that students’ (i.e., your child’s) different ways of making sense of mathematics will be honoured in this classroom. Those feelings of engagement, confidence, etc. are the same feelings I want for your child. This could be articulated through an Ignite talk, but I’m not sure if it would be as powerful as experiencing for themselves what students in Mr. Stadel’s class experience on a daily basis.
I can see why you’d want to explain your assessment practices. Again, I’d go the route of “Here’s what I believe about learning and here’s how keeping these principles in the foreground will benefit your child” route over the nuts and bolts of your SBG system. That can come later, if requested.
Having said all that, I know I’m interested in seeing what you come up with for a BtS Ignite talk. So… forget what I said.
Hi Chris,
DeleteThanks for commenting. Did you say 20 minutes? Yikes. I'm good with 10.
Re: "Many parents in attendance will likely be feeling somewhat anxious about their son/daughter’s transition to high school. Parents may have also brought their own baggage with respect to high school math with them."
You couldn't be more accurate. I've experienced this parent anxiety every year. That's one nice thing about knowing what to expect. I like your idea of challenging them with a task to emphasize the importance of problem-solving and keeping those principles in the foreground. You're right, the nuts and bolts of SBG can come later.
Thanks again. I need the honesty!
I appreciate all the feedback everyone gave me. It's wonderful to receive a good mixture of support and concerns, allowing me to reflect on specific parts of this potential Ignite format. I have to give this some serious thought and focus on a few key aspects to make this effective, successful, and pertinent.
ReplyDeleteteacherleaders says:
"I would use the time to talk about your high expectations, learning for mastery, and what that entails—without the jargon."
"For parents sometimes it boils down to: I want to meet my kid’s teacher and know my child is in good hands."
Great points. It's all about the first impression, right? I agree that eliminating any jargon is important and I definitely want to reassure the parents that their child is in good hands. I appreciate your ideas and wil keep them in mind.
Megan Hayes-Golding says:
"I would, however, hand out stickies as they walk in the door and invite parents to write questions on them as you speak."
Megan, this is a wonderful idea and so grateful you shared this. There's so much value in doing this, I have a feeling this will become a Back to School staple.
growingexponentially says:
"I also like to end my normal back to school talks with a list of ways parents can provide support."
This sounds like an imperative part of any Back to School night presentation.
Thanks everyone for the input. Keep it coming!
To piggyback off of Megan, you could also solicit questions in advance using a google form. Weave the most often asked questions into your presentation and respond to unanswered questions, as well as the additional ones from the stickies, in an email.
DeleteI LOVE this thinking out loud and getting ideas from others!
OMG! Andrew, immediately head over to Jo Boaler's How to Learn Math (s) and listen to this:
ReplyDeletehttps://class.stanford.edu/courses/Education/EDUC115N/How_to_Learn_Math/courseware/b5c2c03d98274010bdb655afa2eaed31/1e8b3bccf4c34f79b2e43ae64cd1f54c/
5 minutes and she shows you how the brain builds synapses with visuals and examples...the London Taxi drivers! The audience for your Ignite will go wild! Let me know if this gets you as revved up as it gets me!
Amy
Thanks for sharing the link, Amy. Great stuff.
Delete