Next message: Michael Paul Goldenberg: "Re: [Channel-talkmathhs] mnemonics"
I've never believed in mnemonics as a sound tool for teach math. If one
should develop naturally from students attempting to describe events, I
certainly would acknowledge it, but on principal, tricks and gadgets
should never replace authentic learning. memorizing these tricks can
also interfere with the flexibility of thinking necessary for students
to conceptualize math. SOHCAHTOA doesn't help anyone see tan as a
height/distance ratio, a slope, a direction, or a secant line. It's
more important for students to experience the tangent of an angle and
how it's measure is affected by the height distance ratio. To recognize
that a Trig ratio is the signature of a unique angle. Really, the only
thing students should memorize are benchmarks that will help them solve
or reason about other problems; benchmarks such as the tan of 27 or 63,
and 45 that help them gauge to magnitude of other angles; relationships
that they should reason about the tan of 90 and why m tan 91 is
negative.
Mnemonics never hurt me. I learned SOHCAHTOA. But that did nothing to
help me, and more importantly, nothing to help my students understand
these relationships any better. The mnemonic in fat was a crutch my
kids would desperately try to squeeze answers from on exams. Since I
changed my pedagogy to a more active learning approach, my students'
performance and understanding has soared.
-----Original Message-----
From: channel-talkmathhs-bounces@learner.org
[mailto:channel-talkmathhs-bounces@learner.org] On Behalf Of teresa75
Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2004 5:07 PM
To: conniemarie@cox.net; Discussion list for TEACHING MATH,
GRADES 9-12
Subject: Re: [Channel-talkmathhs] mnemonics
Yes Constance, Ssme can but for others the mnemonics help.
Different learning styles.
----- Original Message -----
From: Constance Hughes <mailto:conniemarie@cox.net>
To: 'Discussion list for TEACHING MATH, GRADES 9-12'
<mailto:channel-talkmathhs@learner.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2004 8:06 PM
Subject: RE: [Channel-talkmathhs] mnemonics
What's so hard to understand 3 major relationships? Sin,
cos, tan? I myself can never remember all the mnemonics-what if they
can't either? These kids can play computer games that'll knock your sock
off-can't they recognize a few ratios?
_____
From: channel-talkmathhs-bounces@learner.org
[mailto:channel-talkmathhs-bounces@learner.org] On Behalf Of Jennifer
Gwilt
Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2004 5:04 AM
To: channel-talkmathhs@learner.org
Subject: Re: [Channel-talkmathhs] mnemonics
A friend told me that they used Sohcahtoa which you
pronounce Sock-ah-toe-ah
----- Original Message -----
From: Don Flynn
<mailto:flynnster@bacavalley.com>
To: channel-talkmathhs@learner.org
Sent: Monday, March 15, 2004 10:22 PM
Subject: Re: [Channel-talkmathhs] mnemonics
I had learned "Oscar Had A Heap Of Apples" for
trig functions sine, cosine and tangent as opposite side, adjacent side
and hypotenuse, myself in high school.
Then one student offered "Some Old Hippy Caught
Another Hippie Tripping On Acid", which while contrary to our drug use
policy at school is very catchy for students.
I tried "Some Obese Heifer Cow Always Had Taken
Others Alfalfa" but it wasn't nearly as effective.
----- Original Message -----
From: teresa75
<mailto:teresa75@ftc-i.net>
To: channel-talkmathhs@learner.org
Sent: Friday, March 12, 2004 4:32 AM
Subject: [Channel-talkmathhs] mnemonics
What are some mnemonics or memory
devices that you use in you math classroom? One I came up with for my
students is that you have to use the Law of Cosines in SASSy triangles
to help them remember SAS and SSS is when the LOC is necessary.
_____
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