Episode 63: Zooming In on Making Math Fun with Libo Valencia
Resources
Mr. Valencia 24 You Tube videos
Transcript
Melissa Milner 0:09
Welcome to The Teacher As...podcast. I'm your host Melissa Milner, a teacher who is painfully curious and very easily inspired. In this third season, I explore my interests as the main focus of the episodes. If you have listened to seasons one and two, first of all, thank you. Second of all, this season will be a little different. It will still be centered around interesting topics and their connections to education. I'll continue to have interview episodes, maybe a top 10 episode here and there since they are very popular, but also some episodes will be just me sharing about a topic. Similar to my podcasting with students episodes from season two. New episodes come out every other week. If you enjoy the podcast, please share it with anyone you think would benefit from listening. It really helps the podcast grow. Thank you for supporting The Teacher As... I hope you enjoy season three.
Libo Valencia 1:07
My name is Libo Valencia. I've been working as a math teacher for the past 13 years. I I'm currently teaching at Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, New York. I also teach at Lehman College and Mercy College. I have... I have my first Masters was in pure mathematics, and my second Masters was in school leadership. So I'm very passionate about mathematics. And I'm extremely passionate about teaching it. All my experience has... has been at the secondary level. But as a dad, now I have two little girls at home, I have a seven year old and a two year old. So now I get to teach math to my, to my older daughter, my seven year old. My two year old does whatever she wants. So I teach my seven year old daughter, and I'm having a lot of fun. And I think that for me, that's where the idea of like, math play started to flourish when I was like playing with my daughter.
Melissa Milner 2:02
That's wonderful. Can I go a little bit back in history at what was your experience with math when you were in school.
Libo Valencia 2:10
So growing up, I grew up in Colombia, and I did pretty much like elementary school up to like, almost like high school in Colombia. And as a student, I was always I also was a good student, I do well, in all my classes, I like school and whatnot. But whenever I was in like math class, I felt, like, like a fish in water, I feel like a special connection. Everything made sense to me, I love the consistency of mathematics, how like something that you will learn early on, will like the same idea, the same concept will like you will see again, in a different topic. So like math was I always felt like like math was sort of like my superpower. Whenever I was helping a classmate with math and with math, it also felt very natural. So like, I knew that, then we moved to the States and in you know, i finished high school and whatnot. And I knew that... I knew that I was going to be in the in like a math related field. But only once we like, once we move, it was... I had an interesting experience where I was enrolled. This was like a long time ago, it was called like an ESL like ESL classes. I don't know, there's so called like that. But um, I was enrolling in a class for people who were learning English, but like my math class was a regular class. So in math class, everyone was like speaking in English, and I didn't understand what was being said. But I understood the math.
Melissa Milner 3:30
International language.
Libo Valencia 3:32
Right, right. Once again beginner you know, I'm a teenager adapting to like a new country and a new everything. And about like math felt once again, like, like a safe, like, like, safe place. Like I was home. So I knew then that that's what I wanted to do. I wanted to become a math teacher and I became a math teacher, I started teaching high school. Then I had the opportunity to teach at the college level. So I took it and and it's just been fun since then.
Melissa Milner 3:58
That's amazing. So now we're going to come back to you mentioned that what really got you into you know, the topic of math play was really playing, playing math games with your daughters. Could you tell us more about what that looked like at home?
Libo Valencia 4:11
Yes. So like, if you have ever been around like young children if you have you teach young children or if you have some children of your own, you will know that um, young kids always want to play, right? Like no matter what time of the day, whether they like they always want to play so my daughter would say Tata let's go play let's go play let's go play ever every every day every time. So I started thinking you know as a math teacher, I said okay, like why did we use this like math play adventure to like teach her math? So I started like buying sets of like shapes and numbers and cars and like addition and subtraction. And so I told her, "Okay, Miranda, let's go math play." She's like,"Math play? What is that?" So we started like playing with shapes and playing with numbers and and building things in like two dimensions and trying to translate into three dimensions. So it was fun and like she was engaged. And like my intention like that we started with she was like in in, like, I don't know what she was like three or four. She was like in pre K. And and she started like, I noticed that she had fun. And of course in the beginning, like when something wouldn't work she would say like, "Tata help me like, I don't know how to do this." And it was hard as her dad and a math teacher, you know, cuz math teachers always want to jump in and help. So I will like, step back and say like, no, no, let's try to figure it out. Let's try to let's try to do this because I feel that, um, you know, like, math is not the most popular of subjects. Whenever I mentioned that I'm a math teacher, like, in almost any context, Melissa, like people will say things like, "Oh, I hated math." What are we? Like, "I'm not good at math." So like, one of the things that's important to me is like, I want my daughter to like, enjoy math, right? Like, I want her to see that it's fun, that there's a lot of things that we could do. And I think the way math is taught, like, a lot of people have this mentality that there's only one way to approach math, like right? There's one way to do a question, and you either get it or you don't get it. And also like that if you have to do it fast, or you're not good at math. So like doing our math play time, I watched, like one of my goals was to like model mistakes for my daughter, like, like to make her feel that it's okay to take long figuring out a question. It's okay, like, if things don't work out, like we'll try something else. So it was like a dual thing like a one. Not only do I want to teach her math, not only do I want to play with her, but at the same time I want her to like feel and know that like math is not just like one thing that is only approaching one way and you either get it or you don't know there's a lot of like room for like growth and like making mistakes and and enjoyment within mathematics.
Melissa Milner 6:45
So this is amazing to hear that your inspiration came from just doing this at home with your own children. My next question is how did that morph into so how did you? But were you at a high school or secondary level at this point? And how did you fit in the math play? And what did it look like? And how did the students respond? That's a lot of questions.
Libo Valencia 7:09
So like, one of the things that I noticed when playing with my daughter was that she was naturally engaged. And it came... like it developed into like, she will go and say like, "Tata, let's go, let's go math play." Let's go because she wanted to play with the shapes. So it became something that we were like, during the week, we will come down to the basement and like play with something or like she will she started like asking me questions. She asked me a question like, "Tata what's a negative number.?" And then like, she hasn't learned that in school. So like, we will like explore her questions and do things. And it was fun. So I noticed that it was like self driven, like she always wanted, like it was based on like her curiosity, something that she wanted to figure out. And it was like, it rely on exploration, we were exploring things, things sometimes did not work. And that was okay. Like, that was part of what I wanted her to experience. Like, we could try something and if it doesn't work, it doesn't work, then we'll try it again. Or we'll try something else. So I started thinking, yes, um, I haven't... all my experience has been at the high school level. So like, at the time I was teaching geometry and pre Calc and calc at the high school. So I started thinking like, oh my god, like, how amazing would it be into? Like, would it be to, like, take this idea of math play and bring it to the classroom? Um, but to be honest, it was I was afraid, right? Because I'm a teacher. I like, like, all of us, and and I'm in the classroom every day, you know, like, had the same issues with like, you gotta have to cover this. And you have to cover that. And you might have to have like, end of the year assessments and all sorts of things, right. So I started thinking like, Oh, my God, like how but like, this was such a good idea. I guess working so great at home, why can I do something like this, and, and with my students. Now, also, it was very different because of course, I'm not grading my daughter doesn't get a grade, right? We're not limited by the, you know, by a class period, we could play pretty much as much as we want, until it's like time to go to bed. Um, so But again, I felt that the that it was worth the shot. And I was okay. Like, let me try this in school. So I started thinking like, How can I bring this to the classroom? How are my students going to respond? Because these are teenagers, right? So teenagers can be like, Oh, this is like, this is dumb. Like, I don't want to do this. This is a very elementary. So what I saw I also like the time issue, right? Like, when do you have when would you have time to do something else? When would you have time to like time to math play. So I figured that like just like any other teacher, I don't have time to do anything else. So I said like, if I'm gonna do math play, it has to be in like, attached or connected to something that they're already learning a lesson that I already have. So like it's not it's not something else in addition to like whatever else that I'm doing. So I started thinking about my geometry class, and I felt that geometry was like a good place to start. Because there's a lot of like, real world connections that you can make. The first like, kind of like math play activity that we had, we were learning like about right triangles at the time, we might geometry students, and I had them I said, or I like, Get up, let's go go around your house. This was during the pandemic time. And then we had already started. So I said, like, get out, get away from the computer, go take a picture of something you believe is a right triangle. And then come back, uploaded it to GeoGebra, which is like a math platform that a lot of teachers use, and then like figure out prove or disprove that it's a right triangle. So my original last lecture, I did the lesson, and that was the time for like the independent practice, right? So my original lesson I had, of course, I got a lesson. Like they did a problem, I did a problem there was like some group activity, but then instead of giving them like a worksheet or something, where where it was just like a lot of questions that they were gonna practice, they did like one question. But what I noticed that right away, they were engaged. They were thinking they were taking pictures of like cool things around the house that look like a triangle. And then also, when they prove or disprove that it was a right triangle, they use different methods. I was very loose with the instructions, I just say, like, prove or disprove. So some of them use, like the slope of the triangle, some of them use like Pythagoras theorem. So he was a lot of fun, I noticed that the students were engaged, that they wanted to, they wanted to continue, they wanted to play. So even though they didn't do like 10 questions, they did one question. It was very meaningful. They were highly, highly engaged. And it was a lesson that they got to like, got to remember. So like I knew then like, that was like the first probably the first thing that I did I knew then that, okay, like this, this could work at the high school level.
Melissa Milner 11:38
That's amazing. I think on one of the videos I watched with you, there was something about Desmos. Is that a tool that you recommend?
Libo Valencia 11:45
Oh, definitely GeoGebra and Desmos are the two tools that all math teachers should be using. I'm especially at the no, like any level, I use it at the secondary level. I've used it with my daughter something like to show her some things. And there they have, they do have a lot of free activities. And if you Google like whatever, I don't know, whatever you're teaching like slope, and you Google slope decimals, I'm sure you'll find something that you could probably adapt or use on your lessons. Same thing with GeoGebra. So these are platforms that are very, very helpful for teachers. They're both free for teachers and students. So it's something that that I will highly, highly recommend.
Melissa Milner 12:24
I'll put links to both of those on the episode page of the website.
Libo Valencia 12:28
Great. I wanted to like be completely honest and transparent. And not having people feel relieved that I'm doing math play every day with my students. That would be ideal. I really wish that I could do math play every day and teach every lesson through math play. But what the way I started was I like I made it a goal to myself that I said, okay, like within every unit within every chapter within every like big, big topic, I'm going to have at least one one lesson one opportunity where the students are going to get to do some math play. Now I'm at some time in some units, I'm doing like it's easier in some units than it is that when in others. So like there are units where I have like two math play lessons where I could do even three, and then there are lessons were there units where I'm like, Oh, Jesus, like how is this? How is this gonna work? How will I make this... turn this into my play. So like, what but like, my goal is to do like, at least once every, like unit of study.
Melissa Milner 13:29
So now that you're back in person teaching, how do you facilitate as the students are going through whatever that activity is? How are you facilitating that work.
Libo Valencia 13:38
Um, so now that we, my students are back in, in person. One, like one activity that comes to mind is, we were learning my precalc students were learning about like polar coordinates. So we use GeoGebra. And so like, they learned the concept we did, like, I showed them like a few examples on how to have like things work in the polar world. And then after that, we have them basically their use, instead of using the coordinates x, y, they're using like r and theta. So instead of kind of like moving the rectangle, they're moving in a circle. So instead of like, so this is new to like, students, they haven't used that before. And then what... what I had them do was using GeoGebra, they were playing a game of Battleship. So I don't know if you remember, like, you know, like the game of Battleship that you you gave like the coordinates. So they were using polar coordinates to play Battleship against one another. So it was a lot of fun because like, that's like, that's like one of the best examples that I can think of in like how like I'm teaching what I need to be teaching, which is polar coordinates. They're doing something that they need to be learning, but they're doing it in a different way. So instead of like doing a worksheet when I give them okay, here are 10 or 20 coordinates that I want you to plug in into this polar grid. They're playing a game, and he was like they were so into the game. They were engaged because of course they're competitive. They want to beat one another And he was fun to watch in tech platforms like GeoGebra, like Desmos are very helpful for this. Because I gave them the kids are very our students are very good with technology. I think that as teachers, sometimes we're afraid of like not having full control. So because of that, we might pass it on opportunities, like using Geogebra, when I started using Geogebra, and this was in the classroom, I knew much less than I know, now, right? But it wasn't, but unless, like, I try it, and I struggle, it's like, I'm not gonna learn it. And I feel that as teachers, like, I'm afraid always to, like, give up control, because you don't know what's going to happen. What I learned is that when you do give out, you know, give up control and allow the students like good things will happen. And the students will take it to like the next level, whenever like, we had a tech issue, the students will jump in and try to figure it out. Whenever somebody was having trouble, the students will try to like help that person and I will learn things just by watching them.
Libo Valencia 15:58
Yeah, that that was sort of where I was getting at with the facilitating, it seems like, especially at a high school level, it's really more student directed learning that, you know, you give them the task, but then they're the ones that are...and the math talk. Sounds like it's very, very rich.
Libo Valencia 16:14
Yes. Oh, it's rigorous. Like one of the things that I'm sometimes when I have shared things about math play, some of the feedback is, is like, Oh, well, that's cute. But we don't have time for that. Or oh, like, that wouldn't work in my class, or oh, I'm not, you know, like, I'm not comfortable using that kind of technology, or I don't know that technology. So I feel that like, we we should center everything around our students. So like if the students are having a great time, and you're teaching rigorous mathematics that you know, what you should be teaching, and you can make it fun. Why not? Now, is it? Is it a little more work? Yes, of course, because we're not doing, I could use use the lesson that I've used before, right and not make any changes. Or I could try to like, Okay, I'm going to do this. And it creates like a positive experience for my students. At the high school where I teach, I teach, like... like an advanced level class, a standard level class and an essential level class. So even though like I teach different levels of like, students, I use the strategies in all my classes. And the results that I experience are very similar. Students are always always very, very engaged, and they love to math play, and they love... another thing that starts to happen when you are facilitating that play, it creates a sense of community, like the students like because they have to collaborate to figure out whatever it has they're working on. And is it goes, it's something that goes beyond the content. So like, as teachers, like, we all know that we are teaching more than content, right? I'm not just like the math teacher, I'm teaching like, whatever, everything that we do, and don't do, like our students are watching, and they're learning. So I feel that by facilitating things like this, we're creating community, they're collaborating with one another. And at the same time, they're learning the mathematics that they're supposed to be learning.
Melissa Milner 18:00
Yes, absolutely. And I mean, some of these can be real life, you know... so for instance, at the elementary level, we use Illustrative Math. And... there are a lot of like, match, you know, match games within the lessons, but then there's also real worlds, you know, there was a nice little real world, it wasn't really math play, but it was a fun, you know, it didn't feel like a worksheet, kind of a workbook page where you know, there was banana bread, and they had to double the recipe or triple the recipe and just, you know, them thinking about, Oh, that means I have to do it just made it more fun than like, what's this? What's this fraction plus this fraction, you know? So even just tweaking that way, makes such a difference. And I also it's not really math play, but a teacher I work with Arielle Mucha, shout out. She, she like, during one of the lessons she like, just gave them a ball and the wastepaper basket. And as they were doing the math problems, then they had to shoot the basket. Like just like, you know, just even something like that. It's not a math game, but it's a game during math class, right? Makes a big difference.
Libo Valencia 19:14
Yeah, for them to get up and, like do something. It makes a difference, it makes a difference for them, it makes a difference for us. It makes the class like more engaging, and at the same time, it I feel that um, by doing that, like we all started doing like more math play is gonna help with the perception of mathematics, right? Because like, nowadays is like it most people have a negative perception of math and like, it's, it's socially acceptable to be bad at math. Like if you hear that all the time. Oh, I'm, I'm bad at math. And like, it's sort of like an expectation that people are not going to like math or that people that had a bad time. So it doesn't have to be like that. I I strongly believe that math could be like, everyone's like, favorite class. Um, and like Yes, yeah, facilitating math play is like one step in the...like moving one step closer in that in that direction.
Melissa Milner 20:06
Absolutely. I also loved your idea reminded me when you talked about taking the pictures of the right triangles, or right yeah right triangles to see if they're really right triangles. Again, during the pandemic, I had the kids do a math walk, where they took pictures around and then they did slides and they talked about what math they saw. And so that's again again it's not math play, but it's just making math real for the kids and understanding... Math is everywhere, I think helps with their concept of you know, math isn't so horrible and I actually need math you know, right So absolutely, I did I have to admit I did do a little research on you I watched some YouTube videos that you've done with and but I also i I wonder what I went on to your website what is code breaker What... Why do you call it that?
Transition 20:59
Zooming In Soundbite
Libo Valencia 20:59
Oh so code breakers. Okay, so So during...oh my goodness... when was it like in back like during the break in December like I got... So Code Breaker is like a publishing company. During the during the break during the Christmas break, I got a message from Mr. Brian Aspinall who's like the the CEO of the... of codebreaker. He is... he has some TED talks, he's written multiple books. He's a rockstar, he's an ED Rockstar. So he sent me a message. He said, "Oh, Libo I watched some of your... he watched the, like the presentation that I've done for the Math department. And he's like, I love the idea of math play. I think he's he has a strong background in math and computer science. And he said, like you should, I think you should write a book on math play. Yeah. So I was like, Oh, Jesus. And so then like, I'm writing a book. So I'm writing a book I sign a contract with with Code Breaker. And I'm writing a book is going to be cool hashtag math play. I just I literally Melissa just started so like, when people ask me when is it coming out? I usually say like later this year. I feel... so the idea of the book is to share like some of the tools like my experience, right with math play, like specific examples for different classes for different levels, specific tools that I've used in the classroom that I experienced success with. And and also, like, hopefully, the book will inspire other people to try math play at home or try math play with their students. So I'm trying to like put all the ideas everything that has worked together in in a book. So that's that's what the Code Breaker... that's the Code Breaker connection.
Libo Valencia 21:17
I didn't know... I thought that... so that was your website or that's the Code Breaker website.
Libo Valencia 22:48
So the I think, if you on Twitter I have...I have so once I see you sign with them, I think they have within the website they have like a link for like Libo Valencia, where they have like, Yeah, different information about me. And probably information about the book.
Melissa Milner 23:04
Yeah. Cuz it said Code Breaker at the top, but it was in your Twitter profile. I'm like, so this is his website? Now I understand.
Libo Valencia 23:11
You know I respect everyone's beliefs. I don't know if you're gonna put this but like, I feel that you know, God has a plan for all of us and like things happens for a reason. And it wasn't it wasn't planned, it was something that you an opportunity that that any I'm very excited. I'm very like, you can imagine how excited I am to share my passion of like math teaching in math play with others, and I really hope that it serves like as an inspiration like an inspiration and like tools and like a, like a resource for people that want to start facilitating math play in their classrooms.
Melissa Milner 23:44
Yes, and selfishly, I hope that it will apply to elementary grades as well.
Libo Valencia 23:50
Yeah, so I'm doing so actually, what I'm sharing a lot of what I'm sharing for elementary is from my experience with my daughter, um, right, so there definitely be activities and things that I've done with my daughter. Like websites and programs that I use with her so that's also that I'm also sharing that I'm sharing everything that I've done for math play my book.
Melissa Milner 24:13
That's amazing. Oh my gosh, I can't do when do you have to like have it done by?
Libo Valencia 24:19
Oh, so like that was one of the things there is no like, I don't have a set date. Like Code Breaker wants an authentic story. So like, that's one of the things that I that I love that I was like, okay, like, Yes, I could, this is gonna work out. Because I don't have to, like have this done by this day, because that will drive me crazy. No way myself. So it's an authentic story. You go your own pace, and I'm working now as a dad. I'm working. I'm like writing whenever everyone's sleeping. So oh my gosh, when my daughters are sleeping because when they're awake, it's like impossible to like, write anything.
Melissa Milner 24:55
Of course. Well you want to be present? You want to be present for them?
Libo Valencia 24:59
Of course. Is he on their way? We're doing bad play and then when they sleep, then I write about it.
Melissa Milner 25:04
Is there anything else you were hoping to talk about before I do my last question or two.
Libo Valencia 25:08
Um, oh, so like in the... on my Twitter page I have, I don't know if this will be helpful to your listeners. I have. I link my YouTube channel where I have some tech tools for math teachers. I've done like during the pandemic, I did some short tutorials in like, tech tools that I found helpful as a teacher that can be used remote or can be using in the classroom. So that's there and also some older ideas about math play. And then I also have a blog for Sava. So like even... I've done I'd like ideas that have worked in the classroom ideas that I've done with my daughter. So the both the blog, the Code Breaker website and also the YouTube channel everything is linked on my Twitter page.
Melissa Milner 25:52
So this is awesome because that was my next question is how can we reach you? How can we reach you how can we see your work. So what is your Twitter handle?
Libo Valencia 26:00
It's @mrvalencia24
Melissa Milner 26:03
Okay, and do you do you want to share any of the other like either website or...
Libo Valencia 26:09
So every everything is linked in everything is linked on my Twitter page, but my You Tube channel is also @mrvalencia24. And then, like I said, I contribute for the Savas blog on like, ideas for the classroom. So, um, I've shared some ideas in there,
Melissa Milner 26:24
...but that Twitter has all those links in it.
Libo Valencia 26:27
Yes, yeah. He was on the Twitter and Twitter's probably where I'm most active.
Melissa Milner 26:31
Excellent. I mean, that's how I met you.
Libo Valencia 26:33
Right, right.
Melissa Milner 26:35
All right. So if there's nothing else you want to talk about, we'll move to the last and most important question. What is your favorite movie? And why?
Libo Valencia 26:45
Oh, Jesus. Ah. See this. This one? I was not expecting. Uh, oh my god. So I think I don't know if it's my favorite movie. But I love to talk about this movie. Because we just I have been watching this movie since like, December, like every day of my life, because my daughter's love that we have been watching the new movie for Disney in Encanto. Which like takes place takes place in Colombia. I we are loving that movie, like all the you know that in that movie there's no villain, like, there's no bad guy, like Bruno's not a bad guy. But it was a good guy. So like, we love we really, really, really love that movie. I think as a dad, as a parent, as an educator, I feel that representation is so important. And you know, seeing that seeing how happy my daughter is like playing the music and like dancing and like we watch it or even my two year old like knows now like, like, what they what the characters are saying. They will add something and she replies back. So we have been watching that movie, we love that. It's really good. I feel that, that that representation is so important for like everyone to see themselves like now there's like a character oh my god, there's a character that looks like me. There's a character this movie takes place in Colombia. Like she my daughter was so surprised. She said, she asked me like, you know, like after the 100 times that we've watched it, she said, "Tata would it was your house in Colombia like casita?" And I said, and I said, so like, this is what's going through her mind. She's seven. And I said, "Yes, yes, it was." And then she says, like, "Why you leave?" Like, are you like, Are you dumb? Like, you have a magic house...like, why would you leave? And then I said, I said back to her. I said, "Well, I wanted a house in America, like, with a basement full of toys," because that's what our basement looks like. And then she was like, and then she was Oh, okay. And then she said, Tata, don't worry. If bad guys come on a horse, we could just call 911." Ah, it was it's nice. It's something that we're enjoying as a family.
Melissa Milner 28:48
That sounds wonderful. Yeah, I have not seen that. But I've heard so many great reviews about that movie. I'm gonna have to watch it.
Libo Valencia 28:56
Yes, I highly recommend it. It's nice. It's like a nice family movie. And like my daughter's really, really enjoyed.
Melissa Milner 29:04
Great to know. Great to know. So Libo it has been amazing talking to you. And I just I really, again, I'm really looking forward to the book. So keep in touch with The Teacher As... And maybe when the book's coming out, you can come back on and talk about it.
Libo Valencia 29:17
Of course, of course. Yeah, I'm always happy to talk about math play.
Melissa Milner 29:21
Thank you so much.
Melissa Milner 29:23
Oh, Melissa, thanks so much for having me.
Melissa Milner 29:26
For my blog, transcripts of this episode, and links to any resources mentioned, visit my website at www.theteacheras.com. You can reach me on Twitter and Instagram @melissabmilner and I hope you check out The Teacher As... Facebook page for episode updates. Thanks for listening. And that's a wrap.
