“Writing organizes and clarifies our thoughts. Writing is how we think our way into a subject and make it our own. Writing enables us to find out what we know—and what we don’t know—about whatever we’re trying to learn.” – William Zinsser (2013)

I have never considered myself a writer.  I am a mathematician.  Or so I thought.  These first few months in the ADL program have shown me that I am a learner.  I love mathematics, science, and technology.  I want to know more about each of those subjects.  At one point in my life, I felt the only way to extend my knowledge was to go to college and get a degree.  This is no longer necessary.  We have all the tools we need to learn and make those meaningful connections that transfer to the acquisition of more knowledge and skills.  It is a never-ending cycle of learning.  All aided by the digital age.  

I know that the ability to communicate one’s understanding of concepts and skills is the ultimate display of mastery.  Communication in written form is paramount.  This is a goal my team has every year with our learners.  We want to get them to write about the math they are learning.  This gives us a more accurate assessment of the level they are currently at.  If you cannot write about it, do you have a complete comprehension of any particular concept?  

This brings me back to my fixed mindset about my abilities to write.  I am a writer.  Dweck (2007) suggests that, with the power of yet, we all can learn and accomplish anything we put our minds to.  With my ePortfolio, I can display my growth as a writer and a learner.  With the posts I have read on Dr. Harapnuik’s ePortfolio, I am embracing my weakness in writing and know that with these experiences with my own learning portfolio I will be a better writer.  How do I transfer this to my learners in a math classroom?

My experiences with pushing my learners to write about the math they are learning have been challenging.  They do not see the value in it.  Even after I explain why I want them to do it, their resistance remains.  Even as my entire school community has set forth this common goal of writing across the curriculum, the students put forth minimal effort in their writing.  I will get incomplete sentences, text-like responses, and writing that is not truly reflective of their level.  How do we motivate the unmotivated?  How do I help them see that writing is important, even in a math class?

My idea is to get my students to discuss in a less formal way than a writing prompt that results in a 3 paragraph paper.  I want to give them a platform that is safe and that they can drive the conversations.  I will monitor and maybe nudge them with the occasional extension (or intervention) opportunity.  My plan is to utilize Microsoft Teams.  I have the ability to create a class group.  This will give them access to a chat feature and the ability to share files with one another. 

My “sales pitch” is this will be a way to get help (tutoring) from a peer or myself outside of the class period.  I am still in the planning phase but hope to roll out the idea in the coming week or so with my Honors Geometry classes.  I am optimistic.  I also plan to integrate this idea as part of my Innovation Project.  I am looking into research and articles on the use of discussion boards in the secondary classroom.  I will expand my collaborative community at work to include some teachers from other subject areas, like ELA and Social Studies.  I feel they can provide some feedforward for me.  I want to set myself up for success before presenting it to my learners   We will see what will come of this idea.       

Dweck, C. S. (2007). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success (Updated Edition). Ballantine Books.

Zinsser, W. (2013, April 30). Writing to Learn: How to Write – and Think – Clearly About Any Subject at All. Harper Paperbacks.