Clip 1/20: Multiplying and Factoring Polynomial Expressions Pre-Lesson Part 1
Overview
In the beginning of their pre-lesson conversation, Melissa Nix and SVMI coach Pam Brousseau discuss the focus of the lesson: working with the area of polynomials, and deriving dimensions from the area. Melissa describes her rationale for starting the class with a number talk because it is an early period class, and students “come in somewhat sleepy.”
Teacher Commentary
Teacher Commentary
Melissa Nix
I have a lot of passion for the content itself, and because I was taught very algorithmically — I grew up in that generation where you learned a formula and did problems — and I’ve made more connections with the mathematics as I've gotten older and more practiced in my own field, and I'm like, "Wow, I totally now see how it's all connected." I'm excited about that, and I want to share that with students. But, ultimately, they're my motivator. I challenge them every day and they're like, "Oh, I finally get it."