Shira Helft

My talk at @NCTM Annual was a dream come true. I have posted my resources on my brand new Substack! (storytables.substack.com).

“If you can, use a knife” — powerful tools make a difference @MsHelft on her beliefs about mathematics. “Simple, versatile, hard to forget how to use, power is in how you use it.” #NCTMCHI24 #NCTM @KnowlesTeachers

“Story tables help me teach the things I believe in, use them if they help you teach the things you believe in too” @MsHelft #NCTMCHI24 #NCTM

A story table is a table where we tell the whole story. You can start at the beginning, middle or end. @MsHelft #NCTMCHI24 #NCTM

Working on my slides about story tables for 9:45 tomorrow (Friday). N231 (by the Connie’s pizza). Excited to do math together. @NCTM @KnowlesTeachers @ExploreMTBoS @desmosclassroom

Starting to get excited (and nervous) for @NCTM 's Annual Meeting and my first public talk on Story Tables in 6 years! Come find me at McCormick Place on Friday morning at 9:45!

Why do we teach math at all? To see the world through someone else’s eyes @MandyMathEd #NCTMDC23 #ignite

Ignite talk: why do we teach math? To see the world through someone else’s eyes.

What a fun application of LCM! tiktok.com/t/ZTREMAGhR/

@Camboyano Oooo the dilations connection is interesting.

@MsHelft Ways four and five (still thinking about this 🙂): A means for undoing multiplication. Topic: Dilations/scale factor. Can undo a scale factor of 3/5 by using a scale factor of 5/3. Topic: Solving for x. 3/4×=12. Rather than divide by 3/4, multiply by 4/3 to arrive at 1x.

How many ways do you understand why dividing a number by a/b is the same as multiplying the number by b/a? I ❤️ trying to help students make sense of dividing a number by a/b, but it is HARD work. There's so much beauty in this idea, but this concept may need years to marinate.

I am so grateful for all that this human has given me. She deserves to be shouted from the rooftops. @AyannaPerry2

Controversial opinions here. @Idil_A_ @Trianglemancsd alt: cook’s illustrated talking about savory oatmeal.

@Mrs_NailCook That is what I've done!

@MsHelft I used to then I stopped because I started using the area model. Also this ways factoring is always the same not one rule for a=1 and then something else otherwise

Math Internet. Do you teach students to factor with a=1 first and then a>1? For the last several years I have invited students to just use the area model and puzzle it out without diatinguishing the cases. Now I'm finding out that that was unusual. #MTBoS what say you?

@Martyclarke14 Hi! Whoa. That is a fascinating strategy. I just find that if I don't do a=1 as special then I don't have the problem where all of students' rules break down!

@MsHelft Usually yes! One crazy year we also turned a>1 things into something where a=1 so 8x^2 + 2x - 15 all times 8 became 64x^2 + 16x - 120 which became X^2 + 2X - 120 that we could factor then replace X with 8x and then divide out an 8 at the end. Also hi!!!

@MrCorleyMath Love algebra tiles here! I just always did that with things like 2x^2+5x+3 at the same time.

@MsHelft Yes, also start with Algebra tiles before using the box to factor.

@v00121 Yes! I’ll dig some up later and post here. Anything specific you are curious about?

I am thinking of working with story tables in an upcoming math teachers circle. @MsHelft or others, do you have any ideas or resources to inspire our discussion? #mtbos