Nathan Vaillancourt

I prefer a projector. When it's not projecting, that space can be used for other things (like a whiteboard), but a TV is always just there. #BFC530

BREAKING: Ontario

One cup of coffee in the morning with breakfast. Rarely 2. Can't drink it during the day or I'd be in the washroom between every class and it's a long trek from my classroom. #BFC530

I'm a HS teacher in Ontario Canada. Teacher of math and curriculum chair of my school's math dept. I really just fell into it b/c I didn't know what else to do, but now I couldn't imagine doing anything else. I am in year 15, but the first 10 yrs was doing supply work. #BFC530

Time to drop our #Bfc530 prompt.

We have been doing this chat for over a month and we haven’t done introductions …

Who are you? What do you do in Education? Where are you from? Why did you get into Education? How long have you been in Education?

Be sure to use #Bfc530 in your response.

If it works for you, great, but I think it reaches Ss that everything they do needs to be rewarded. Of course grades do the same thing so I think we have to get rid of those too. I think we'd be better off teaching them how to have internal motivation for learning. Easier said than done #BFC530

First-timers Ichiro, CC and elite closer Wagner elected to Hall A leadoff hitter, an ace starter and a lockdown closer walk into a Hall … It’s no joke. The National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 is complete after Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner...

Congrats to all 3 of them, but how in the world was Ichiro not unanimous?

www.mlb.com/news/2025-ba...

Penmanship runs the gamut. I have students at both ends of the spectrum.

I teach math, so not a lot of formal writing, but do notice that spelling is pretty bad. Many can't use context clues (eg. misspelling a word that's in the question). Even sending me messages online has many errors #BFC530

Disney+ Cancels Superhero Show With 100% RT Score After Cliffhanger Ending Audiences also love the show, giving it 92%.

Aw man. This stinks. Extraordinary was a great show! Even though it's been cancelled, you should still check it out if you haven't yet.

screenrant.com/extraordinar...

I loved math but didn't know what to do with that.

My mom was a teacher, so with no alternative I just sort of slipped into it.

Wouldn't trade it for anything now, though. #BFC530

Audiobook listeners: how often does the narrator make or break it for you, like independent of the prose itself?

Eg. I recently finished listening to Ready Player One and enjoyed it because I'm a fan of Wil Wheaton, but I tried another book that seemed interesting but the narration put me off

Watching the #NYE show from Nashville and a couple noticings:

With how many songs he's sung already, it's basically a Kane Brown concert

It's a party, people; sing something up-tempo!

As much as I like him, Keith Urban and his partner are not great hosts

I feel you on this. And it's not just this topic either. The amount of time I've spent drawing their attention to common mistakes so that they don't make them, only for them to make them anyways is mind-boggling

I am sick this week for the second year in a row and the 4th time this school year. I think that about says it all 😂 #BFC530

My daughter felt the same way. We're now just waiting for the sing-along to come out.

When I taught physics, I used lots of videos. Not so much in math class.

In HS I don't run into a lack of reading ability too often but I do see a lack of vocabulary (lots of kids didn't know what the axle of a wheel was). They don't need to read to get that, they just need more experiences #BFC530

Does anyone use Amazon music? Is it any good? Spotify jacking up the prices when they can't get "shuffling" right and considering a switch

I saw a post the other day about someone's reflection questions for students that had something to do with how they learned from another person in the class that I liked the wording of.

I thought I had saved it but clearly not. Does this ring a bell for anyone? #ITeachMath #EduSky

Shows two copper-colored napkin rings, and a Desmos 3d graph of a ring.

The "napkin ring" problem: A hole of radius I is drilled out of a sphere of radius R to form a ring. What is the volume of the ring? #iTeachMath #MathsToday

Screen shot of the Amazon app. Title says "Gifts for Teens" with the page indicating there are no results.

Amazon, you are no help. Clearly they have as much trouble shopping for Teens as the rest of us.

Watched "That Christmas" on Netflix with the family this weekend. I dismissed it at first, but after watching it I was pleasantly surprised.

I don't think it's Christmas classic caliber, but it was a cute watch and I would recommend it.

At this point I am really just consuming anything that comes across my feed with no clear goal. I haven't quite decided what I'm hoping to get out of it.

I will say that I feel like I've been posting more here than I ever did at the old place for some reason #BFC530

I don't think so.

Although now that I think about it, even though computers haven't really changed what teaching is, they have changed our focus. With so much info at their finger tips, we've had to shift from answer getting/recall to problem solving and critical thinking #BFC530

a cartoon drawing of a futuristic city with a large building in the middle of the sky Alt: a cartoon drawing of a futuristic city with a large building in the middle of the sky

One can dream!

A4 This is one I don't have an answer for, but has been something I've been thinking about for a while. I'm interested in seeing other people's answers #UngradingChat

Revolutionized is a strong word. I'm not sure that they have fundamentally changed what teaching is, but they have allowed us to do a lot of new things with students. #BFC530

I've done a bit of reading on the subject, but if you could recommend one piece that gets to the heart of why traditional grades are harmful for students, what would it be?

It's definitely a lot of work up front, but it always is to do something new. That scares a lot of veteran Ts who have found something that works for them. As you said, the hard part is trying to show them a better way without telling them they are wrong.

A3 This is something I need to get better at, especially as the chair of our math dept. I feel like I have a good handle on my own thoughts and goals, but struggle explaining it to others. Part of it is I don't think the others in my dept are as open to the idea as I am. #UngradingChat

We have a shortage of substitute teachers around here. Many of them are either retired teachers or teachers right out of school. In HS I don't usually leave new material for them to learn bc it's rare the T you get can teach it. So if kids don't do it, it's primarily on them. #BFC530