R&L Education
Pages: 100
•
Trim: 6⅜ x 9¼
978-1-4758-0353-2 • Hardback • April 2013 • $59.00 • (£45.00)
978-1-4758-0354-9 • Paperback • April 2013 • $33.00 • (£25.00)
978-1-4758-0355-6 • eBook • April 2013 • $31.00 • (£25.00)
Nicholas J. Rinaldi has more than four decades of experience teaching mathematics at the high school level. He has also taught “Math Strategies in Secondary Education,” a university graduate course in education for students preparing to be math teachers at the secondary or middle school levels.
Introduction
Chapter 1:On Your Marks, Get Set…Establishing Expectations
- Course Description
- Getting off to a good start
Chapter 2: Put Me In Coach…Getting Students Actively Involved
Chapter 3:Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Engines…Opening of Class
Activities
- Problems to introduce the next lesson
- Problems to review a previous lesson
- ‘Real world’ math problems
- Holiday problems
- SAT prep questions
- Brain teasers
Chapter 4:And the Children Shall Lead…Rinaldi’s Routine: Creating a
Student-centered Classroom
- Procedures and Materials
- Rinaldi’s Routine--- Student survey
- Cooperative Learning---Student Survey
i
Chapter 5: Eureka…Inquiry Based /Discovery Lessons
- Properties of Exponents
- The Triangle Angle Sum Theorem
- Finding the Equation of a Parabola from Data
Chapter 6: “When Will I Ever Use This?”…Problems in the Student’s World
- Circle Graphs
- Scale Drawings and More
- Meanest Kid in School
Chapter 7: He Who Laughs, Lasts…Humor in the Classroom
- Math Riddles
- Humorous Story Problems
- Math Jokes
- Wacky Definitions
Chapter 8: Calculate This!...Using the Graphing Calculator
- The Open Box
- Shortest Path Problem
- Bones, Bones, Bones
ii
Chapter 9: The Pen Is Mightier Than the Calculator…Writing in a Math Class
- Overview
- Answer Completely
- Read Carefully
- Rapid Write
- From Top to Bottom
- Chalk Talk
- Exit Slips
Chapter 10: It’s Game Time…Classroom Competitions
- Tic-Tac-Toe
- Station-to-Station
- Bottleneck
- Who Am I?/What Am I?
- The Message Game
- Team Tournament
Chapter 11: All Good Things Must Come to an End…Closing Activities
Chapter 12: But Wait! There’s More…Odds and Ends
- Wait Time
- The Consultant
- Progress Report
- New Year’s Resolution
iii
- Assignment Sheets
- Self Esteem
- Monster Math
- Thumbs Up
- Test Time
Conclusion
Answers
Appendix
Nick Rinaldi shares the many strategies he has developed in his lifetime as an extra-ordinary and dedicated math teacher. His strategies are not only effective but supported by the most recent research on teaching and learning. His focus is totally student-centered with his goal being every student achieving success in the math classroom. The many and varied strategies he presents will enable teachers of math to engage their students in learning, understanding, and relating math concepts to the real world. A real treasure.
— Dr. Edmund C. Higgins, former principal at Branford High School, currently teaching full time at Quinnipiac University's School of Education, Hamden, Connecticut
Nick Rinaldi is not just an educator. He is an educator's educator. Whether his clientèle is high school students, prospective teachers or veteran teachers, his approaches to positive classroom management, student-centered learning environments and support for ALL learners are techniques that EVERY teacher should strive to model in their classroom. The Math Teacher's Toolbox should be required reading in any teacher preparation program and a resource for any math department.
— Thomas Webster, mathematics teacher and former math department chair, Branford High School
As a teacher-educator with extensive experience in public education, I found Mr. Rinaldi's book to be a practical down-to-earth approach to help new and veteran teachers bring a fresh and interesting perspective to teaching mathematics at all levels. A must read for all who want ways to engage students to be motivated in mathematics.
— John Ciochine, Mathematics Coordinator, Graduate Education, University of New Haven
Nick Rinaldi is a very experienced master teacher who has arranged an extensive collection of student-centered activities that are fun and instructive—for both the teacher and the students! The book is easy to use and inspiring to read. It should not be in every library, but rather in the classroom of every teacher of mathematics.
— Clayton R. Hall II, Ed. D., teacher of high school mathematics, Hopkins School, New Haven, CT
The Math Teacher’s Toolbox can best bedescribed as a referencefor the mathematicsteacher. In it, Rinaldishares the lessons hehas learned after morethan four decades ofteaching mathematics. Full of time-tested ideas for successfully managing a high school mathematics class, this book providesreaders with tips and suggestionsfor everything from grading homework toimplementing group work successfully. The Math Teacher’s Toolbox alsooffers readers many good strategies. Thispractical guide could be very helpful to anew mathematics teacher or to a veteranlooking for new ideas. . . .[T]his book contains enough solid information to make it a useful resource for any mathematics teacher.
— Mathematics Teacher