Starting my first full-time teaching job September in China, and got what I thought was a bit of an odd request (but maybe not). The principal asked me what textbooks the school should order to best support my teaching. I'll be teaching math to 10th and 11th graders. I know there are a lot of experienced teachers on this board, so I thought I would ask you all for some input. Here is some info I have that may or may not be helpful:
-I asked what the students' math background was, and what their most recent math course was. I didn't get a very specific answer on this and was told that it will vary, and was just told that they don't necessarily get the highest achieving students from the city overall, and that their English is also not always at the highest level (but again this varies).
-I'll be teaching three 40-minute periods a week for each grade level (6 total).
-They've been using the "Mathematics in Action" books for grades 7-9.
I'm not sure why they wouldn't just continue using the Mathematics in Action series for 10-11 if that's what they use for 7-9? Then again this is their first year implementing a math program at grades 10-11 (yikes)...so maybe they're just trying to involve me in the process and make me aware of everything. He even sent me a quick video of the table of contents and paging through some of the chapters.
So am I overthinking this and should I just tell them to order the subsequent books in the Mathematics in Action series?
Interesting (?) message from principal (attn: math teachers)
-
IntHopeful
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2019 2:28 pm
Response
Six 40 minute periods and 2 preps is a very lite teaching load.
Nothing odd about it, your leader is giving you the opportunity to use a text your familiar with.
The Mathematics in Action series supports the Common Core meds/peds curriculum, its aligned with the US NC scope and sequence and tends to focus more on organic numeracy, students are less frustrated with the program development so your less likely to lose students along the way. Its okay for students taking AP but they need a substantial amount of supplemental help outside of algebra for AP exams. For IGCSE/A* its not an appropriate program or text. For DIP it would be fine for students going into MAA:SL, it would be okay for MAA:HL (you could make it work), but for MAI:SL youd have to do significant supplemental work, and its not appropriate for MAI:HL.
Since they are only year 11, are they going to do SLL in the next 5 years, and are they aligned with the Chinese NC in Peking? Whats their goal for student success? A student moving into a Chinese SLL program from a Mathematics in Action supported classroom is going to be at a major disadvantage, you stated they arent the highest achieving, and if your relying on Mathematics in Action they wont be high achieving coming out of the program either. They arent going to do well on the Gaokao if staying in Chinese Unis is the outcome. If their future plan is going to go the IGCSE route and a local diploma (which is pretty common for Chinese ISs without an IE curriculum SLL), Mathematics in Action is going to end up being a text you issue at the beginning of the AY and then you dont see it again until you collect them at the end of the AY for students in IGCSE, unless your not feeling like teaching on a particular day and you just want to give students busy work. If they are going to go A*/AP/DIP in the near future (5 years or so) there are better texts but if you dont know any and dont have any familiarity with it, then you might as well use Mathematics in Action and just plan that with only 6 periods of instruction and two preps your going to be spending a not insignificant amount of time using Mathematics in Action as a framework or starting point for designing your own curriculum, which is really want this IS wants. Whatever you do is eventually going to become the math program for the IS.
This is a two and done appointment, you arent going to be there long enough for SLL to matter or make much of a difference, go with what ever text you used in the past whether in DE or during your field experience. Whatever is going to mean the least amount of work is going to be whatever text has the lowest learning curve for you. If you have some time find a text that fits your meds/peds/asst background (US, UK, etc.) and one that has a well developed online teacher resource, you want premade lessons you can follow like a recipe complete with worksheets, activities, and an asst component or exam/quiz bank. You want to login select a unit and a lesson, then select printables with some clicks and send it to the printer/copier, while you download or ready preferably some video introduction. You show the video, demo a problem, have students work a couple proofs together, ask if anyone has any questions and then give them the independent work assignment, walk around a bit. End of the week comes up you go in the morning, login to the resource select the chapter or unit quis/exam, select the number of items and print the exam and the key, make copies. In addition you want (if you can) a text publisher that will send you a tub or pack of activity pieces (basically games) pre-made so you dont have to put it all together. At the very least you want a textbook publisher that has a teacher edition and a supplements activity book you can copy worksheets and activities out of, so you dont have to make your own or go hunting on the internet for someone elses.
Nothing odd about it, your leader is giving you the opportunity to use a text your familiar with.
The Mathematics in Action series supports the Common Core meds/peds curriculum, its aligned with the US NC scope and sequence and tends to focus more on organic numeracy, students are less frustrated with the program development so your less likely to lose students along the way. Its okay for students taking AP but they need a substantial amount of supplemental help outside of algebra for AP exams. For IGCSE/A* its not an appropriate program or text. For DIP it would be fine for students going into MAA:SL, it would be okay for MAA:HL (you could make it work), but for MAI:SL youd have to do significant supplemental work, and its not appropriate for MAI:HL.
Since they are only year 11, are they going to do SLL in the next 5 years, and are they aligned with the Chinese NC in Peking? Whats their goal for student success? A student moving into a Chinese SLL program from a Mathematics in Action supported classroom is going to be at a major disadvantage, you stated they arent the highest achieving, and if your relying on Mathematics in Action they wont be high achieving coming out of the program either. They arent going to do well on the Gaokao if staying in Chinese Unis is the outcome. If their future plan is going to go the IGCSE route and a local diploma (which is pretty common for Chinese ISs without an IE curriculum SLL), Mathematics in Action is going to end up being a text you issue at the beginning of the AY and then you dont see it again until you collect them at the end of the AY for students in IGCSE, unless your not feeling like teaching on a particular day and you just want to give students busy work. If they are going to go A*/AP/DIP in the near future (5 years or so) there are better texts but if you dont know any and dont have any familiarity with it, then you might as well use Mathematics in Action and just plan that with only 6 periods of instruction and two preps your going to be spending a not insignificant amount of time using Mathematics in Action as a framework or starting point for designing your own curriculum, which is really want this IS wants. Whatever you do is eventually going to become the math program for the IS.
This is a two and done appointment, you arent going to be there long enough for SLL to matter or make much of a difference, go with what ever text you used in the past whether in DE or during your field experience. Whatever is going to mean the least amount of work is going to be whatever text has the lowest learning curve for you. If you have some time find a text that fits your meds/peds/asst background (US, UK, etc.) and one that has a well developed online teacher resource, you want premade lessons you can follow like a recipe complete with worksheets, activities, and an asst component or exam/quiz bank. You want to login select a unit and a lesson, then select printables with some clicks and send it to the printer/copier, while you download or ready preferably some video introduction. You show the video, demo a problem, have students work a couple proofs together, ask if anyone has any questions and then give them the independent work assignment, walk around a bit. End of the week comes up you go in the morning, login to the resource select the chapter or unit quis/exam, select the number of items and print the exam and the key, make copies. In addition you want (if you can) a text publisher that will send you a tub or pack of activity pieces (basically games) pre-made so you dont have to put it all together. At the very least you want a textbook publisher that has a teacher edition and a supplements activity book you can copy worksheets and activities out of, so you dont have to make your own or go hunting on the internet for someone elses.
-
IntHopeful
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2019 2:28 pm
Re: Interesting (?) message from principal (attn: math teach
Hey PsyGuy, very late here but thanks for the informative response as always. I decided to just go with Math in Action since I figured they would be familiar with the format.
However, there is a new and exciting twist. Today the principal got back to me and told me the board decided not to approve math textbooks since math is not a core subject in their program...Yikes. So the principal asked me if I could buy the textbook and send it to China so he can make copies of them, and I will get reimbursed later. So, that seems not great...
However, there is a new and exciting twist. Today the principal got back to me and told me the board decided not to approve math textbooks since math is not a core subject in their program...Yikes. So the principal asked me if I could buy the textbook and send it to China so he can make copies of them, and I will get reimbursed later. So, that seems not great...
Last edited by IntHopeful on Tue Jul 02, 2019 9:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
IntHopeful
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2019 2:28 pm
Re: Response
PsyGuy wrote:
> This is a two and done appointment,
Actually only a 1-year contract.
> This is a two and done appointment,
Actually only a 1-year contract.
Reply
@IntHopeful
Maths isnt a core subject in their program? What are the core subjects in their program?
Whats exciting about this twist?
First, What do they specifically want you to do? Do they want you to buy one book for your grade level and send it to them, or are they asking you to buy multiple books to cover the whole IS (outside of 7-9, which they already have) and send it to them?
Second, doesnt your leadership know how to use Amazon, because thats what you would be doing?
Third, your leadership can then pay for shipping and costs just like they would be paying you, without you being the middle man.
Fourth, if ownership didnt approve funds for texts how is the leader going to reimburse you?
I suppose I can see a scenario where this is kind of on the level. Your leaders didnt get funds for texts, but knows you need something. They probably wanted your recommendation not because they cared but because the leaders wanted to use it to convince the board the textbooks were needed. So that didnt happen and they have no budget for textbooks so the leaders cant have a PO or invoice on the ledger for textbooks but they maybe can disguise it under PD or recruitment going through you.
I guess it depends how much the cost is and what the political currency of doing this for leadership is worth to you. If its a minimal cost, or you can contact the publisher and get them to send you a preview/desk copy for evaluation and then all youve got to do is put a couple books in a box you might be getting some major political currency, your leader would owe you. Of course your leader could also take the books and forget to reimburse you and its only a 1 year contract and they will be rid of you soon enough. However, if you decline thats going to cost you some political currency you dont even have yet.
Whats it worth to you? If its one copy of the 10th and one copy of the 11th year textbook with shipping it will cost you less than USD$100. See if your leader will send you the coin in advance, call it visa fees or authentication services or something if they need too. Otherwise if you end up holding the bag its USD$100. If its more than that, for a one year contract at this IS Id start looking for another appointment.
Personally, and I rarely do this, I would just decline and pass, a Math IT that can teach upper secondary being asked to do these shenanigans for a one year contract at a third tier IS in China, just dosnt know what theyre doing.
Maths isnt a core subject in their program? What are the core subjects in their program?
Whats exciting about this twist?
First, What do they specifically want you to do? Do they want you to buy one book for your grade level and send it to them, or are they asking you to buy multiple books to cover the whole IS (outside of 7-9, which they already have) and send it to them?
Second, doesnt your leadership know how to use Amazon, because thats what you would be doing?
Third, your leadership can then pay for shipping and costs just like they would be paying you, without you being the middle man.
Fourth, if ownership didnt approve funds for texts how is the leader going to reimburse you?
I suppose I can see a scenario where this is kind of on the level. Your leaders didnt get funds for texts, but knows you need something. They probably wanted your recommendation not because they cared but because the leaders wanted to use it to convince the board the textbooks were needed. So that didnt happen and they have no budget for textbooks so the leaders cant have a PO or invoice on the ledger for textbooks but they maybe can disguise it under PD or recruitment going through you.
I guess it depends how much the cost is and what the political currency of doing this for leadership is worth to you. If its a minimal cost, or you can contact the publisher and get them to send you a preview/desk copy for evaluation and then all youve got to do is put a couple books in a box you might be getting some major political currency, your leader would owe you. Of course your leader could also take the books and forget to reimburse you and its only a 1 year contract and they will be rid of you soon enough. However, if you decline thats going to cost you some political currency you dont even have yet.
Whats it worth to you? If its one copy of the 10th and one copy of the 11th year textbook with shipping it will cost you less than USD$100. See if your leader will send you the coin in advance, call it visa fees or authentication services or something if they need too. Otherwise if you end up holding the bag its USD$100. If its more than that, for a one year contract at this IS Id start looking for another appointment.
Personally, and I rarely do this, I would just decline and pass, a Math IT that can teach upper secondary being asked to do these shenanigans for a one year contract at a third tier IS in China, just dosnt know what theyre doing.