The New Design Times
March Issue / Vol. 1.4
Women Teaching Math? Easy as Pi!
In honor of Women’s History Month, we asked New Design’s quartet of female math educators about the joys and challenges of teaching math.
By Maya Gomez + Photos by Luis Suarez
INSIDE STORIES!
River Euphoria: Guide to relaxing by rivers / p. 2
SVA: Intro to action! / p. 3
π day Gallery: Pictures of the great pieing ceremony / p. 4
Student Rants on Teachers
“I can’t stand it when teachers hold the whole class accountable for a few kids’ actions.”
“Do you really need to publicly say my name? The idea of being shamed for work is just another way of saying the confidence of a teenager is dying.”
“RANDOMLY
Courtney F.: I did not always do well in my math classes as a student, but I came to love math because I tried really hard and then was able to make sense of it. It was better that it didn't come easily, because then I had to work hard and could be proud of my success. I really love how creative students are about how to solve problems and how willing they are to ask new and complicated questions. My favorite kind of class activities are the ones where we can apply
“Math is a fun puzzle that can always be solved as long as you are willing to persevere–that feeling of pride!”
“I have learned that despite the grumbles and whines, students don’t like to give up”
Jenn L.: I’ve had experience in banking, retail, office administration all while tutoring my family members and kids in my community center which sparked my interest in becoming a teacher. What I enjoy most about being a teacher is building lasting relationships with my students. Positive student relationships are fundamental to success that builds motivation and creates a safe space for learning. What I enjoy most about teaching math is that it’s a real achievement to get students to understand how important math is going to be in their lives.
(continued on page 2)
Teachers Rant on Students
Students put their backpack or bag in their seat and then come in late and say, “I’m not late! My bag was here!” I tell them, “Your bag’s not on my roster–you’re late!”
CHOOSING THE INTROVERTS”
River Euphoria
By:XinPingChenBored? Tired? Miserable? Want to chill somewhere without having to pay? I have some public locations that offer amazing scenery you could visit throughout the day and forget the dystopia that appears in your imagination. Enjoy yourself in these places!
Pier 16 and Pier 17 are both great places to view a historical ship, helicopter rides overhead, boats passing by, and Brooklyn at the other side of the river! If you are ever in need of the restroom, don’t fret! There’s a building at Pier 17 dedicated for that! I’ve heard there are some food you can purchase too… you can enjoy your time at the piers and the food bought! Sounds like a great deal for the most of us! Make sure you take some photos along the way, who knows how perfect the view can be. Why not walk down to the South Ferry Terminal or along the river… maybe even get on a helicopter ride for a good 15 minutes!
Pier 35 is only 20 minutes away from Pier 16/17, so you might get a chance to visit both of these places within a day! I mean–who doesn’t want to see a sunset at the two bridges? Pier 35 also have swings for you to entertain yourself with! Go on with a friend or by yourself, either way it’ll be relaxing. If the swing isn’t available for use, then sit at the sides or behind the fences and admire anything you find! Have fun!
Kim H.: My co-teacher Eric was on paternity leave and I had to lead our classes by myself. I was scared because I didn't feel confident or as if I knew what I was doing. However, students started to reassure me and would share that they liked when I taught. It was in those moments that I knew I wanted to continue teaching Algebra. I constantly have to learn how to teach something in different ways because everyone doesn't understand the same way. I enjoy bonding with students, and I love when they get that "aha" feeling in class, when everything that I've been teaching starts to click. I know that all of my students are smart and more than capable, but it’s one of the greatest feelings in the world to see them excel and succeed.
I was a history major in college who took a lot of math classes, so I never planned to be a math teacher. But after I graduated, I worked as a paralegal and I tutored math on the side. When I realized I liked tutoring more than my real job, I decided I should be a math teacher! Other than working with students, I most enjoy how creative teaching allows me to be. I'm not sure if everyone thinks of teaching math as a creative profession, but my favorite part of being a teacher is designing lessons and activities that will help students think about math in new ways.
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Day Trippin’ Pix Winners!!!
A few images from 9th and 12th graders who explored the museums of New York on Wednesday, March 22nd
Ready, Aim… ACTION!!!
Want to take action? Make change? The SVA Club (Student Voice Action) is having those conversations.
By Nain Chiriboga
SVA comes with an interesting history. When Sara Haymont worked in her other school she had an activism club. The club grew due to two controversies: over the metal detectors in her school and the DOE’s demand that the school lose space so another school could come in, making the school have less space for programs. Students and teachers came together and fought against these changes. With that experience, she wanted to create something similar here at New Design.
SVA stands for Student Voice Action, Sara envisions SVA as a place where “Students can get together and where they can see and talk about change, and in that way make controversial issues transparent.”
During the period when we learning remotely, we had meetings and created the newsletter for the school to build community, educate and inform.
“This is a moment to rebuild and make SVA have a bigger and better meaning.”
We would talk about issues that were affecting the country, encouraging activism.
“Back in person, students may need to talk about what occurs in our school or outside the school,” says Sara. “We need to find what and why we want to make a change.”
Sara hopes SVA will be back soon on Friday afternoons, after school. Everyone is welcome.
1st Place photos: Xin Ping Chen, South Street Seaport (left); Tiffany Lin, Brooklyn Botanical Garden (right) 3rd Place: Estreya Miranda, Natural Museum of History (above) Thanks to all NDHS photographers who submitted photos: Dulce Andrade, Jada Crawley, Ayah Fahme, Dayanna Garcia, Allison Gonzalez, Jazalyn Perez, Aniyah Roman 2nd Place: Maya Gomez, South Street Seaport (above) Eric approves –>Pictures of Pi Day!
Do you know the digits of pi? If so, up to what point? 3.14…
THE LIT TEAM
Xin Ping Chen / Nain Chiriboga / Maya Gomez / Sherlynn Flores Guevara / Taylor Feliciano / Roo Sookoo / Lexy Frye Yanos
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Question of the Month:
Photos: Luis Suarez
Photos: Xin Ping