So... school is a lot different now than it was a short decade ago.  I know fads come and go, but this seems to be particularly true in the classroom. Then again... maybe people will argue that it's the one institute in our country that has NOT changed.... and that all the old ways of teaching are still being incorporated today under different names.

Whatever the case, I know most of my classes did not have these things called "Word walls".  Does your teacher have one?  If so, is it helpful?  Can you describe some of the posters for us, or better yet, provide pictures?

I'm curious because after all this writing about teaching strategies, I think many are not being used in the right way.  For example, when I was teaching... I was told I had to put a word wall up in my room. And just like every other teacher... when my class learned new vocabulary, we'd put it up on the wall.

Little did I know that I was just wrong, wrong, wrong!  While my strategy allowed kids to see the words, it did not tell them much about the words.

As I was writing curriculum guides, I was instructed to list 'word walls' as one of the strategies, and I designed examples to place in the guides.  I know these will be math words, and some of you might not catch the significance of the images. However, I was a little proud of my little 'creative' moments. (I'm not artistic OR creative, btw)

For those of you who know what these words mean, maybe you can see how word walls are supposed to be used.  I'll also give a Viz reward to each person who can tell me why I designed each word the way I did.  You can only explain one however, so don't give all the answers away!














So yeah, I just thought I'd share the smallest part of what I've been working on over the past two months.  

I created ALL of these completely by myself, except the background of the 'root' poster. I wasn't brave enough to create my own tree.   So I took a clip art tree and worked with it to create the poster.

Singelli : I wholeheartedly agree with you. Word walls are not a good way of teaching. When I was in like 2nd and 3 rd grade, my teach used them, and they really did not help. I'm glad someone brought this to light.

I started reading your post and thought "Hey, no problem. I'll tell her why she did what she did and pick up some quick Viz.".

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I have no clue what I'm looking at. What happened to the good old days when Mrs. Wasinger would talk to me like I was stupid and then move my desk next to hers? (True story.)

I guess I need an explanation of how at least one of these examples works before I can give the rest a shot. Anyone care to help?

Well, I find that with this electronic device addicted/reliant generation, it is almost necessary. I have beginning level science classes. A huge majority of the kids have minds that work like this: as long as you have a phone to instantly look up information, nothing is going to get absorbed.
I am finding that kids cannot remember definitions to things that we go over every single day because they are no longer in a world where they have to memorize things to access them. As long as they have their phones, all they have to do is just look it up real quick. So nothing gets absorbed.
Aside from definitions, I have a physical science II class in which the only pre-requisite is that you are SUPPOSED to have passed algebra I. We have used the equation for calculating speed every week for almost 3 months. It is the most basic formula we have in the class. Speed = distance/time. That is it. Almost every time we are doing something and I ask how to calculate their speed first, I get blank stares. They can't remember a simple v=d/t. I remember when I was in school, we were NEVER given the formulas for equations on a test. Now, pretty much everyone would fail if they didn't have those formulas around the room because of reliance on looking something up on their phones.
So I feel that the word walls I have around my room actually do help. Now, there is a difference between thinking that the word walls help, and thinking that it is a good thing. I think it is ridiculous that if they don't have those word walls, they won't remember formulas or the most basic definitions on assignments or tests. I hate it. It is just catering to this trend of not memorizing anything because it is more convenient to have something on your finger tips than in your brain. But when all Washington and the ones higher up in the states care about are pure numbers, we are kind of forced to cater to this harmful trend.

rcarter2 :  You are my hero.  I can't agree with you more than I do.  Phenomenal, bravo, and standing ovation!

Oh my god, it has been a long time since I have seen word walls. The last time that I have seen them was during elementary school and I don't think that they really use as much as they used to especially with the education system throwing more exams, standards, and requirements to the students of public education. I like how you formatted some of these word walls.

I will try my best to answer your questions from the pictures despite of my rusty math skills.

Picture #2: Vertex has the dot on the bottom point on the v to show that part is the vertex. When two endpoints of two ray lines are connected and make a v-shape, the endpoint of both ray lines is the vertex.

ghostfishy :  Correct! There is one more little 'cue' in that picture. If you can find it and name it, I'll give you extra Viz.

The 'end behavior' is my favorite, but I don't to explain why so that someone else can earn Viz by interpreting it. I will say that I completely did that one all on my own, including the reflection effect.

Does the r look like an inverse v which can also indicate as a vertex despite of the way of how the v is flipped?

ghostfishy :  You're close enough! Great job!!!!  

I had to really play with the letters and text on this one. haha. What I TRIED to do is show that 'vertex' is a term that can be applied to both absolute value graphs (the V, with a sharp point), and parabolas (the r, with a curved maximum). I also wanted to show, as you stated, that vertices describe both minimums (the V) and maximums (the r).

Great job! I'm sending you 10k viz!

thephantombrain :
Since you wanted to see a correct interpretation.  

We briefly covered vertex just a couple of days ago in my blueprint reading class but I'm not sure I would've begun to understand the part about min and max. Also, the definition for vertex that I'm reading here doesn't really match the explanation that I was given. My instructor literally only talked about this for 30 seconds.

Out of the remaining examples there are only two that I'm tempted to try, root and ratios, but I think my elementary understanding of both would be quite inadequate.

Eh, what the heck, rat... is an example of being part of the whole - nope that's a fraction. STICK A FORK IN ME, I'm done!

ghostfishy : Thanks for the example.

thephantombrain : you are very welcome! I try my best to help anyone.

Singelli : thank you so much for the Viz and you didn't have to do that. I like how you set your word walls.

thephantombrain :  Well, vertext is a very versatile word that has lots of meanings. For example, it can also describe two overlapping endpoints (a 'corner', in laymen's terms). I imagine that's the definition you're referring to?  That's more of a geometric definition as opposed to the one I portrayed, which is algebraic.

As for the ratios... YES! Have more confidence in yourself.  That is PERFECT!  

Rat = part of the whole... RATIOS.  So the part is on the top, and the whole is on the bottom. Muy perfecto!
(A fraction is one way of portraying a ratio.    )

10k Viz on its way!

ghostfishy :  I know I don't have to, but it's not like I use it myself. I'm glad you like my words! Thank you! They took some time to design and create. haha.

I hope that your word walls are helping your students learn. They are very creative after all.

ghostfishy :  Well, I never created word walls in the appropriate way because I didn't know any better. Now that it (was) part of my job, I researched it and know what to do.  However, teachers all across the district... if they take the time to read my guides.... will see my examples.  I didn't talk about word walls in my last guides, so this will be the first time teachers see it.  I hope they like my examples (assuming they do read my stuff), and that they take inspiration from them.

Umm...we never had these "word walls". They look like ways to study, but, I've never seen them. I don't think I would want to get these in my classroom. They seem way too hard to make. I thought a word wall was just like you said. a vocabulary thing. But apparently, I was wrong. Or were my teachers wrong?

mario102 :  If you're teachers put vocabulary words up on walls, they're probably attempting to create a word wall.  However, they're also most likely getting the least benefits from them.  You probably think it looks difficult because the words I posted are for the 9th-12th grades.  Basically, word walls are supposed to show words in such a way that they help kids remember their meanings.

Since nobody really cared to try these words, I'll try giving you an example.  

A 'translation' occurs when a shape is moved somewhere but keeps the exact same size, dimensions, and directions.  So if you look at my demonstration, both t's are exactly the same, and the arrow shows that one of the t's has been moved into a new position.  Or at least... that's the idea.  By seeing the arrow and the identical t's, students will hopefully remember what 'translation' means.

Singelli : Okay, now I understand them more. I think we learned something similar to translation, congruent or similar. But I forgot about those two before you explained it! Thank you! Were you a math teacher? (Math is my favorite subject)

mario102 :  Yes. I taught high school math for six years, then got a new job this year in which I write guides for all the high school math teachers in our city.  It was only a one year job, however, so I'll be returning to teaching this August.