Your second wind--

Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they've got a second. Give your dreams all you've got and you'll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you. --William James

I wonder, would this apply to calculus too?

From ZZZZZ's to A's

The bottom line: Teens need 9.25 hours of sleep per night

from Do Teens Get Enough Sleep?

In experiments done at Harvard Medical School and Trent University in Canada, students go through a battery of tests and then sleep various lengths of time to determine how sleep affects learning. What these tests show is that the brain consolidates and practices what is learned during the day after the students (or adults, for that matter) go to sleep. Parents always intuitively knew that sleep helped learning, but few knew that learning actually continues to take place while a person is asleep. That means sleep after a lesson is learned is as important as getting a good night's rest before a test or exam.

from Adolescents and Sleep

At the risk of sounding "mom-ish", have you taken this into consideration in your preparation for your upcoming test? I saw in a scribe that Mr. K had mentioned it!

Asking only because, when I was sleep deprived, I know I wasn't fully aware of how much more difficult problem solving and remembering was. I never fully realized how sleep deprivation changed my abilities and me until after I started getting adequate sleep.

Another factor in your preparation to be your very best for your test??

Your self portrait!

How is your self portrait coming?

Visualizing excellence in calculus!

"Almost all of the world-class athletes and other peak performers are visualizers. They see it; they feel it; they experience it before they actually do it. They began with the end in mind. You can do it in every area of your life. Before performance, a sales presentation, a difficult confrontation, or the daily challenge of meeting a goal, see it clearly, vividly, relentlessly, over and over again. Create an internal "comfort zone." Then, when you get into the situation, it isn't foreign." --Steven Covey

Are you an athlete? Do you visualize already? Maybe you've already thought about this before--

I wanted to share because I think that with your success on your mini exam (saw that in one of Sarah's comments! Congratulations to you all!) and all that you are sharing, and reading, and problem solving on this blog, you really can visualize excellence for May 3! You are doing everything the quote from Stephen Covey suggests! Now with visualization for May 3, you'll be in your comfort zone and on your way to a peak performance.

I had mentioned earlier in an earlier post that I had been faced with a major 3 hour assessment. I sense that I prepped in some of the same ways that you are. I "relentlessly" researched and reviewed all I could find that could help me with the six test questions. The organization provided generic test questions and scoring guides for each question. I practiced answering the question within the half hour framework. I practiced with the software that I would be using in the testing center. I visualized how each question might be phrased and how I would respond. I can't honestly say I was in a comfort zone when I entered the testing center, but I know that when I took a deep breath and began, all that I had visualized and practiced seemed to flow from my brain, through my fingers and into the testing software.

Do you think visualizing could be helpful to you too?

The Da Vinci Code Quest Sunday

It started last week. Google releases one puzzle each day for 24 days until the movie "The Da Vinci Code" is released in May. So far 7 puzzles have been released. You have to solve the puzzle to reveal a clue. Then you have to answer the clue question(s) to advance to the next puzzle. You can win a prize for solving all 24 puzzles. Now I realize this is all about marketing and they're really just trying to get as many of us as possible to go see the movie but the puzzles are really cool! Google searching often helps to find the answers. One of the puzzle questions can be answered using The Fundamental Principle of Counting and the very first (sudoku-like) puzzle uses a couple of mathematical symbols.

Challenge 1: What is the question that can be solved using The Fundamental Principle of Counting and how do you use the counting principle to find the answer?

Challenge 2: What mathematical symbol is used in the very first puzzle and what number does it represent? (Not the "delta," in a later puzzle it has a different meaning.)

You have to sign up for a Google Homepage in order to play, but that's a free and very useful service. After that you can begin the game. Click on the US button to start 24 days of fun! (Actually, 17 because you could work through the first eight today.) Don't forget to also find the answers to the Challenge Questions above!. ;-)

The Main Thing

Spring has sprung in Chardon, Ohio! Yes! We get lots of snow and winter seems so long that when the daffies bloom and the forsythia bursts forth with yellow, I'm estatic. (Last year this time, a late storm dumped 15 inches of snow on us) Is Winnipeg the same?

With spring, I'm finding that it is more difficult to stay with the course I'm designing for superintendents and principals now. I'd much rather be walking in the park, or out in the garden-- And so I've been using the thought above to help keep me focused.

What about you? What helps keep you focused?

endings-- beginnings--

Ara's post really hit a spot with me. This entire notion of an end to something or not---
Do you think this quote applies as you work toward to your graduation?

A New Feed Window

There is another Winnipeg AP Calculus class sharing their learning on a blog. You can peek in on what they're learning by checking out the new feed window way down there at the bottom of the side bar underneath the del.icio.us box. Take a look at their blog. Are they publishing anything that you find helpful? If so share it with us in the comments to this post.

I'll bet you like getting comments on our blog. Be a good netizen; drop in on them and leave them a positive comment too. ;-)

Four Colour Sunday

You may have heard that any map can be coloured with four colours in such a way that neighbouring countries receive different colours. That it can be always done is one thing. How to do it is another. Are you ready to start colouring?

(Thanks again to Think Again!)

Roboclaw Sunday!

Move the robot arm to pick up the ball. Clean, simple design. I got to level 19. I died. It's a doozy!

Synergize? in calculus??

I really liked Ara’s quotes and intro in her scribe! And wonder if there is any relationship between our willingness to embrace the “pain of a new idea” (step outside our comfort zone), and the habits we develop? Do you think these last four habits (that round out the 7 habits from Sean Covey’s book) have anything to do with willingness to embrace something new?

Habit 4: Think Win Win
How might this attitude help Goldilocks and/or affect your life?
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood.
Does Covey sum it all up with? “You Have Two Ears and One Mouth… Hello!
Habit 6: Synergize
I mentioned the lesson from the geese in a comment on Sarah’s blog. If I bring it here, does this suggest a strategy for success?
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
Subtitle—“It’s me time!” I’m the first to admit I’m not good at this. How can taking time for you really be important??

Of these 4, I have two favorites. What do you think? Are these habits of value? And if they are not new to you, then which of these helps you the most and how? Is it time for some synergy here?
Best,
Lani