News (Blog)

Early registration for the KCTM Fall Conference has been extended until Monday October 31.  After that you may register at the door for the higher cost. Go to http://www.kctm.org/page-951198 to register.  We hope to see you there.

KCTM would like to invite all members to vote for the following board positions:

High school vice president

Middle school vice president

Secretary

Please go to the link below to cast your vote.

The new board members will be announced at the business meeting of the KCTM conference in November.

http://www.kctm.org/ballot

Greetings KCTM Membership,

 My name is Ruth Knop and I am the Missouri Council of Teachers of Mathematics Past President and the Volunteer Chair for the NCTM INNOV8 Conference held November 16-18, 2016 at the America's Center in downtown St. Louis. 

 INNOV8 will be a new and exciting professional development opportunity for you to attend!  All presentations will address "Engaging the Struggling Learner."  View a video and learn more about this conference by clicking here.  Early bird registration ends October 14!

 In addition, we will need volunteers to make this a successful event.  We are seeking anyone willing to give 3-4 hours of their time on Thursday or Friday of the conference.  Pre-service and student teachers can attend a half day for free if they volunteer for a half day.  So essentially, they could attend for free if they volunteer for 2 shifts of the conference.  The volunteer form is short and easy to fill out.  Click here to volunteer.

Ruth M. Knop

Past President, Missouri Council of Teachers of Mathematics

CALL FOR REVIEWERS

Mathematics Achievement Fund (MAF)

 

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is seeking qualified individuals to review Mathematics Achievement Fund (MAF) applications. Public schools with primary grade levels (K-3) are eligible to apply for funds to design and implement effective mathematics intervention programs that improve student achievement.     

 

Reviewer Qualifications

For this review, we seek persons with a deep understanding of effective, mathematics intervention services, experience implementing mathematics intervention programs, and/or grant review experience. We desire representation from educators with teaching, administrative or higher education background as well as qualified people from the community who have experience reviewing grant applications. Preference will be given to reviewers who have experience with mathematics intervention services/programs.

 

Reviewer Requirements

In addition to the specified experience and background, reviewers must be available to attend the reviewer training and on-site evaluation to be held in Frankfort, October 25-27, 2016 at the Capital Plaza Hotel in Frankfort, KY.   

 

Reviewer Compensation

Persons selected for this review will receive $200 per day (up to three-days) for the training and evaluation process. Reviewers will also receive travel reimbursement to include mileage, accommodations and meals.

 

These reviewers are neither employees nor contractors of KDE, and as such, cannot be paid through the payroll system. The KDE will continue to inform all reviewers that if they are KTRS retired members, then they have the responsibility to seek an exemption from the KTRS for return to work and to report earnings appropriately to the KTRS. The KDE will communicate with the KTRS to organize the exemption process and form.

 

If required, KDE can reimburse a district for the cost of a substitute for teachers participating in the review. In this situation, the cost of the substitute reimbursement will be deducted from the per day stipend of $200 (for example, if the per day substitute rate is $75, the individual will receive $125 per day and the district will be reimbursed for the substitute).    

 

 

Pamela L. Pickens
Mathematics Intervention Consultant Division of Learning Services Office of Teaching and Learning
Kentucky Department of Education 300 Sower Blvd, 5th Floor Frankfort, KY 40601 (502) 564-4970, ext. 4158 | Fax (502) 564-6470 Email: pamela.pickens@education.ky.gov

The KCTM Fall Conference will be held on Saturday November 5th at Fern Creek High School in Louisville, Kentucky. Registration details are coming soon.  We hope to see you there!

 

Hello KCTM Members!  Please check out the Math Specific content in this month's Kentucky Teacher!  Special thanks to KCTM Vice-President, Kelly Lindsay.  Also, you can use this space to amplify your own teacher voice across the state! 

 

Feature articles for July:

 

It’s all about the ‘C’ in MDC by Leslie Texas

 

Expanding opportunities for Kentucky students by Kelly Lindsay, Boone County Public Schools

 

Also, the KDE mathematics team would like to include Kentucky educator voices in the newsletter each month. If you have incorporated formative assessment strategies in your classroom, please send your response to the following question to kdemath@education.ky.gov.

“How do you incorporate formative assessment strategies to improve student achievement and what guidance do you have for your colleagues regarding effective use of the formative assessment strategies?”

Dear Members of the 2016 Senate Standing Committee on Education,

I’m Jana Bryant, the advocacy chair the Kentucky Council of Teachers of Mathematics. I know that the Senate Education Committee is considering changes to the current academic standards, and I and my colleagues encourage you to reconsider those changes.  

Attached, you’ll find a resolution in which we declare that we support the current math standards and their ability to ensure that Kentucky’s students are ready for college and career. I hope you take the time to read it and let me know if you have any questions. I would love to talk with you more about maintaining high standards for all students.

Resolution of Ky Academic Standards_031416.pdf

Jana Bryant, NBCT Mathematics

2013‐2015 Hope Street Group KY Teaching Fellow,  2015‐2016 KEA Fellow, KCTM Advocacy Chair

The popularity of Sudoku puzzles is evident across the US.  Also gaining momentum is the logic puzzle, KenKen®, invented in 2004 by Japanese mathematics teacher Tetsuya Miyamoto.  Derived from the Japanese word for cleverness, KenKen combines logical, simple arithmetic with combinatorial skills.  The puzzle was first published in the London Times in March 2008 and now appears in more than 40 newspapers including the New York Times. In 2016, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) launched a free App to encourage the use of KenKen in grades 1-12.

Overview & Objective of KenKen:

The objective of KenKen is to fill in a grid with the digits 1 through n, where n is the number of rows or columns (# of rows = # of columns), such that:

• Each row contains exactly one of each digit
• Each column contains exactly one of each digit
• Each bold-outlined group of cells is called a cage containing digits which achieve the specified result using the specified mathematical operation: addition (+), subtraction (−), multiplication (×), division (/ or ÷), and equal (=).
• A digit can be repeated in a cage as long as it is not in the same row or column.

Note: KenKen puzzles are commonly generated from square grid with dimensions 3x3 to 9x9. A KenKen puzzle of size 2x2 is of little value (why?).  Extension of the puzzle beyond 9x9 is certainly acceptable, presenting only the “difficulty” of calculating larger numbers and the potential need to record possible values to avoid confusion.  When introducing KenKen to students, it is often helpful to start with a 3x3 puzzle. (Sample 3x3 and 4x4 puzzles are located in the attached PDF.)

Adaptations for KenKen in the Classroom

Whether you are working with middle schoolers or college students, there are many ways to adapt the KenKen puzzles for a variety of ability levels. One such adaptation is called “No-Operations” (see puzzle #3 in the PDF). The “normal” KenKen rules apply to this puzzle, but the operation symbols next to the target numbers are omitted. Therefore, one must determine the mathematical operations for each cage in addition to solving the puzzle. 

Another adaptation involves changing the puzzle digits.  For this variation, the puzzle digits change from the traditional digits (1 to n based on the size of grid). Otherwise, the normal KenKen rules apply to the puzzle. See puzzle #4 in the attached PDF for an example.

The most challenging adapation includes a combination of two variations listed above; mathematical operations are not included in the puzzle, and the parameters of the acceptable digits are changed. This type of puzzle is especially interesting for advanced students and those at the collegiate level. Puzzle #5 is an example of such a variation.

Additional Resources for KenKen

http://www.kenken.com/

http://www.nytimes.com/ref/crosswords/kenken.html

http://www.mlsite.net/kenken/

http://www.geometer.org/mathcircles/kenken.pdf

KenKen in the Classroom:

KenKen Classroom Program Sign-Up

http://kenken.com/signup/teacher.php

KenKen App (free) from NCTM

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/kenken/id1056750870?mt=8

KenKen Puzzle Apps (free):

iTunes

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/kenken-classic/id485694706?mt=8

Google Play   

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=kenkenclassic.com&hl=en

KenKen Puzzles March 2016.pdf