Featured in EdWeek: “Graphs Are Hard for Students to Digest. Can a ‘Slow Reveal’ Help?”

Last May, EdWeek journalist Sarah D. Sparks contacted me regarding an upcoming article about data science in K-12 education. I was immensely flattered that she wanted to schedule a time to chat on the phone, and this feeling only intensified when she asked if she could fly out to visit. She wanted to visit my school? To see me teach? What?

Sarah shadowed me for a day, along with photographer Sophie Park. They observed me facilitating slow reveal graphs in three different classrooms. In a third grade class, we talked about the number of colors in national flags, which led us into a discussion of what makes a country a country. In first grade, we looked at typical heartbeats of different animal species, and touched on the relationship between size and heart function. Lastly, in fourth grade, we explored the racial breakdown of winners in the “Big 5” Academy Award categories (best director, actor, actress, picture, and screenplay).

Between lessons, I chatted with Sarah (journalist) and Sophie (photographer) about the lessons, and data literacy, and math education, and what it means to be a learner. While neither Sarah nor Sophie are math teachers, they both demonstrated a reflective stance and keen eyes for observation. They noticed so many things happening in the classroom, and small choices I had made in my facilitation. I was impressed with Sarah’s expertise — she writes articles about many education topics, not just math education — and how she wrestled with nuance and challenging issues.

It was surreal. This was not my typical day in the classroom.

It is an honor to share with you Sarah Spark’s package of math education article, published on July 31, 2023. My students and I are featured in several articles. The first is a photo essay, anchored on the third grade lesson.

[link: Graphs Are Hard for Students to Digest. Can a ‘Slow Reveal’ Help?]
(Props to Sophie for the gorgeous photos!)

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The next is an article called “Finding Time for Math Across the Curriculum,” which features some of the brilliant first graders at my school as well as some illuminating data visualizations about teachers’ curricular decisions.

[link: Finding Time for Math Across the Curriculum]

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Then there is an article called “Teaching About Data Can Mean Leading Challenging Discussions.” It also features quotes from some of my ed heroes, like Shauna Hedgepath, Joel Bezaire, and Dashiell Young-Saver. (Shauna and Joel gave a brilliant session at NCTM Baltimore about data science, and using CODAP, in the classroom. Dashiell is the founder of Skew the Script, and he facilitates monthly webinars with special guests.)

[link: Teaching About Data Can Mean Leading Challenging Discussions]

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And, lastly, there is a “A Handy Guide for Infusing Data and Geometry Throughout the Curriculum,” which features Slow Reveal Graphs.

[link: A Handy Guide for Infusing Data and Geometry Throughout the Curriculum]