Tag Archives: math

Teacher Alex Kajitani Uses Rap Music to Deliver Serious Message About Math

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Alex Kajitani

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Alex Kajitani’s self-described mission is to make math “cool” for his junior high students. To do so, he had to step well outside his own comfort zone. Combatting the glazed looks he saw on too many faces in his classroom meant trying to connect on an entirely different level.

He chose rap music, recognizing that his sixth- and seventh-graders consistently knew the words to new songs within days of their release, yet couldn’t remember concepts he’d been teaching for weeks.

Kajitani wrote a song called “The Itty Bitty Dot” to explain decimal points, put it to some music he found on the Internet and enlisted the help of some tech-savvy students at Mission Middle School in Escondido, north of San Diego, to produce the video.

He played the song – featuring Kajitani rapping the refrain, “Line up the dot and give it all you got” – one morning in his class. The students thought it was hilarious. He thought it was a complete flop.

But by lunchtime, something amazing had happened. As he walked through the cafeteria, many of his students – and many more who hadn’t been in his class – were rapping the lyrics. He had made a connection. The “Rappin’ Mathematician” had been born.

Kajitani – who was named California Teacher of the Year in 2009 — shared that experience and more Thursday morning with the teaching staff of the Denair Unified School District. It was part of a training day for the district’s 80 teachers from all grade levels.

“The true key to education is to stop taking our curriculum and forcing it into our students’ lives and, instead, take our students’ lives and fit it into the curriculum,” said Kajitani during his hour-long presentation.

Rap music simply is a way to convey ideas in a way students can relate to. Continue reading “Teacher Alex Kajitani Uses Rap Music to Deliver Serious Message About Math” »

DHS Teacher Uses Innovative Approach to Math

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RussHess

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Taking over six math classes a month into the school year isn’t the preferred way for a new teacher to join a staff. But Russ Hess didn’t have a choice. He didn’t become aware that Denair High School was looking for a teacher until well after classes began last August 12. And by the time he went through the interview process and was hired, a long-term substitute had been in place for four weeks. Hess may have gotten a late start, but he’s worked hard to make up for it.

“It was difficult because – no fault to the sub – (the classroom environment) was so loose and I’m very strict,” said Hess. “I didn’t have time to prep. I haven’t had time to get my room in shape.”

There was a bigger issue: Hess also didn’t have a California teaching credential, though he had spent the previous five years teaching math and science at Brethren Heritage School, a private campus in Salida. He worked with the Stanislaus County of Office of Education to gain recognition of his proficiency based on his classroom experience and a double math major from Central Washington University.

Despite those initial hurdles, Hess quickly made a positive impression.

“One of his strengths is that Mr. Hess expects mastery,” said Christine Skinner, Denair’s associate director of secondary education. “He gives frequent concept mastery quizzes that students have to pass or retake until they do.”

Hess teaches three periods each of algebra and geometry, classes filled mostly with freshmen and sophomores. He recognizes that making math’s abstract ideas seem relevant to them can be difficult.

“I dream about math sometimes and wake up with ideas,” he admitted.

One of those middle-of-the-night thoughts dealt with “nets,” which are two-dimensional paper diagrams with cuts and folds used to create three-dimensional figures such as cubes, cylinders, cones, prisms and pyramids. Hess came up with a team project for his geometry students that required them to build a three-dimensional town using a variety of shapes. Continue reading “DHS Teacher Uses Innovative Approach to Math” »

Robyn Hilton Joins Denair High School Staff

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Robyn Hilton

Submitted by Denair Unified School District

Mrs. Robyn Hilton, Denair High School’s new math teacher, graduated from DHS in 2008. She went on to Fresno State where she earned her degree in Mathematics. She got her teaching credential from CSU Stanislaus.

This year, Mrs. Hilton is teaching Algebra 2, Trigonometry/Calculus, AP Statistics, 8th Grade Math, and Leadership. Her teaching career began at Whitmore Charter in Ceres where she taught 7th and 8th grade math.

Mrs. Hilton’s math classes this year will focus on making math relevant to her students and useful in their lives. She is also working on creating a positive learning environment in her classroom.

“My favorite part of teaching is being able to build connections with my students,” Mrs. Hilton said. She added that she loves when she “can inspire students to continue their mathematics education after high school.”

Beyond math, Mrs. Hilton will be DHS’s Leadership Advisor and Activities Director this year. She will focus on helping Leadership students create more school and community spirit this year through overseeing such activities as dances, rallies, and Friday lunch activities.

Mrs. Hilton will also be providing after-school tutoring Thursdays from 3:00 – 4:00 pm first semester in Room 405. All subjects are welcome, and students will have access to a computer, the Internet, and printing during tutoring.