Thursday 4 July 2013

Summer 2013 Projects

Afternoon All,
 
Today I have a day at home toddler free so I thought I would revive my very sporadic blog. Every summer I like to set myself a few projects to feel like I have achieved something with the generous holiday I am granted by the UK education system. I have done this for years starting with the summer I taught myself to touch type on my electronic typewriter with a book from the library aged 14. My summer holiday starts this Friday, we finish earlier than schools in Further Education (FE). So here are this summer's projects:

Take the Jo Boaler Education Course
 
How to Learn Math starts on the 15th July and I'm very excited about it. There are a lot of reluctant maths learners in FE and I'm hoping this course will give me some clues on how to win them round. I really enjoyed The Elephant in the Classroom.
 
Learn to code in Python
I took a Java course at university and hated it. I had to use SPSS as part of my job as an analyst and found it very frustrating. I saw a Maths lecturer use Python for looking into proof at a talk at the University of London we took our A level students too and felt compelled to look into it further. I started a codecademy course on Python and am enjoying it so far. Anything with Monty Python references has got to be good.
 
Learn to run
 
Last week I downloaded the Zombies run 5k training app. It is an app that tells you a story about zombies whilst encouraging you to run. I've quite enjoyed it so far though it intersperses the story with your music and I would prefer more story.
 
Learn to draw
 
Whilst reading the excellent Mindset by Carol S. Dweck she recommended a book on teaching terrible artists how to draw Drawing on the right side of the brain by Betty Edwards. I have bought the workbook and am currently learning how to see things properly to draw. I have always said I am terrible at drawing but I really haven't practised it very much. It annoys me when people boast about their terribleness at Maths but I have been the same about drawing so I'm going to try and change that.
 
I am also going to:
  • stay up to date with my personal learning network on Twitter using #mathchat #ukedchat #UMFac.
  • try and solve at least one dailydesmos.
  • catch up on my reading for the Goodreads 2013 reading challenge (currently 8 books behind to reach my target of 50).
  • teach my toddler a few more words (currently has cheers, ready, steady, go, up, bye and daddy) and read to him more.
  • blog again at least once before September.
Enjoy your summer readers,
Vx

2 comments:

  1. Have you seen http://bit.ly/gqTTvU?

    As a non-runner it was great! :D

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  2. Thank you. I've downloaded the first one. Have to admit not been running much as we've been having a heatwave but looking cloudy today so may venture out.

    ReplyDelete