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Miss Buckleys Math Newsletter

September 2015

At a Glance:

IN THIS ISSUE:

Khan Academy

Khan Academy

and
Geometers Sketchpad

Video-based
online instruction
Mainly math, but
includes other
subjects
Material in grades
K-12, college, and
beyond

Geometers
Sketchpad

Interactive software
program
Mainly used to
supplement
Euclidian geometry,
algebra, and
calculus instruction

Welcome to the new school year!

Mathematics
is not about numbers,
equations,
computations, or
algorithms.
It is about

understanding.
-William Paul
Thurston

Allow me to begin by extending

sincere hello and welcome to all
returning and new students and
parents!
My name is Jenny Buckley and I am
the middle school math teacher at
St. Leos Elementary School.
I look forward to another fun year
exploring mathematics!

In this issue of the math newsletter,

I will discuss two mathematics
education programs, Khan
Academy and Geometers
Sketchpad, that could be useful
tools to supplement your childs
math education- as my student and
once he/she leaves my class.
I look forward to meeting you all!

Sincerely, Jenny Buckley

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Khan Academy

Issue | Date

based learning platform. As a

teacher, I firmly believe that
technology can never take the
Khan Academy is an online
personalized learning resource for place of face-to-face, interactive
students of all ages. It boasts over learning. I imagine students trying
3,000 videos in math and science, to learn on Khan Academy and
wonder, What happens when she
economics and finance,
doesnt understand how that
humanities, computing, and even
concept is explained? Instead of
test prep. Students log in, select
being able to ask a teacher or
the content they need to review,
classmate a quick question, she
and watch videos (an example of
which is pictured below) made by may have to spend more time
looking for a video to answer it,
Khan Academy coaches that
explain the material. Students can and if that does not clear it up,
what next? Watching a rewatching
also complete a number of
videos can only go so far, whereas
practice exercises in any given
topic. The site even provides tools a teacher may be able to provide
that allow parents and teachers to hints, reframe the question, or
present multiple ways of solving
monitor students progress.
one type of problem. Additionally,
a childs teacher would understand
Khan Academys education
approach is laudable in a number his or her particular learning
needs, strengths, and weaknesses
of respects. First, it is a free
program, making math instruction in ways that an online-based
program simply cannot.
available to anyone who has
access to a computer. Second, it
Overall, I think that Khan
allows students to work and learn
at their own paces, reviewing and Academy is a great resource for
reviewing or refreshing ones
revisiting topics as often as they
memory of a concept, but it should
feel necessary. Third, Khan
not be relied upon as the sole
Academy videos and practice
medium through which students
materials span all grade levels,
which, again, means that a student learn mathematics.
can review virtually any concept
with which he or she is struggling.
Fourth, the practice exercises on
Khan Academy give students
immediate feedback that allows
them to easily identify gaps in their
understanding and practice more
problems of that type.
With Khan Academys perks also
come some downfalls. In my
opinion, Khan Academys claim to
fame and biggest strength is also
its biggest weakness: its videoDolor Sit Amet

Khan
Academy:
A Closer
Look

(www.khanacademy.org)
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Issue | Date

Geometers Sketchpad
Geometers Sketchpad is an
interactive geometry software
program that allows students to
create and manipulate lines,
shapes, and more in Euclidean
geometry, algebra, calculus,
and other areas of mathematics.
The software allows students to
construct figures and then
transform them while
maintaining the properties of
the original figure (i.e., if the
lines in the original shape were
parallel, they will maintain this
property throughout the
manipulation of the shape).

Geometers
Sketchpad:
A Closer
Look
Dolor Sit Amet

I have used Geometers

Sketchpad as both a student
and teacher and would
recommend it in both cases.
The biggest reason the
sketchpad is such a fantastic
teaching and learning tool is
because it allows for the
creation of figures that could
not be drawn on paper with a
compass and straightedge.
Geometers Sketchpad does
allow the creation of these
simpler shapes, but it allows
teachers and students to go a
step further to create figures
that would be too
time consuming or
even impossible to
do on paper.
Another benefit
(for both teachers
and students) of
using Geometers
Sketchpad is that it
saves time.
Drawing and

manipulating figures on the

sketchpad is much quicker and
more precise than drawing the
same figures on paper which
allows for more and deeper
learning.
One drawback that people who
have used Geometers Sketchpad
notice is that it is difficult to get
used to using the program. One
must learn how to navigate it
successfully before reaping all of
its benefits. Once that learning
curve is over, though, the
program becomes invaluable.
Another smaller drawback is that,
it is computer-based and must be
purchased, Schools without the
proper technology or funds or
students without access to it at
home for either reason would not
be able to utilize it.
Overall, I think that Geometers
Sketchpad is a great teaching
and learning tool because its
ease of use (once you get it down
pat!) allows teachers and
students to easily and quickly
create and manipulate precise
mathematical figures in ways that
they could not on paper, which
deepens and increases learning.