For our in-class exercise for this coming Friday I used Auerbach’s criteria for evaluating codes. First, I had to determine if this is a viable PA issue:

• Is it a real issue for your group?
• Is it a common, social issue for your group? Is it an issue that appeals to the whole group and not just one person? Does everyone have some experience related to this issue?
• Is it an issue that people feel strongly about? Will it evoke emotional/heated reactions?
• Is it an issue that people can do something about? Is it an issue that’s not too overwhelming? Does it allow for action and change?

(The answer to all those should be ‘yes.’) This is harder than I expected, to choose a good topic. Our assignment is to pick a MAT-related code or one for our expected students during our internship. At first I picked a couple codes (photos) related to illegal immigration, but there’s not an opportunity for change that I could think of. I could have chosen one of the examples from our readings, but as always, I’m trying to push my brain to more independent, productive thinking.

Second, how did I present the issue represented by the code?

• Is the issue immediately recognizable in the code?
• Is just one issue represented? Is it simple — not too complicated?
• Are various aspects of the dilemma presented?
• Is the dilemma presented in a two-sided way? Are various points of view presented? Is it open-ended, without a bia toward one point of view or solution to the problem?
• Does it invite discussion or reaction?

Question that is just occurring to me; ask Bev: Why is it important to have a “code” to kick off the discussion, rather than just a mutually agreed upon issue? Also, does the teacher ever ask Ss for ideas outright, or does she always glean them more subtly? If the latter, why?

Here’s the dialog I created:

A MAT41 Conversation

Sua: This place is driving me crazy!

David: Why?

Sua: Things are so disorganized. Like, I can never figure out what our assignments are from day to day.

David: Oh, yeah. I know what you mean. This week, part of the homework for Unicycling was on the handout, and part she just told us about in class.

Ginna: You’re kidding, right? We have something else to do besides what’s on that pink sheet ?

Sua: Uh huh. And it’s due in two hours.

David: But her class isn’t until tomorrow, so why is part of the assignment due today?

Sua: I have no idea. All I know is that it took me till ten minutes ago to finish the thing she posted on Moodle.

Ginna: Moodle? There was something else on Moodle?!

Questions

Describe: Who are the characters? Where do you picture them? How does each one feel about the topic? Who is relevant to this conversation but not part of it?

Define: What is the main problem they’re discussing? Is it shared by one, two or three of them? What might be some of the causes of the problem? What impact does the problem have on the student?

Personalize: Have you had a similar experience, or heard others talking about something like this? What was the situation? What happened?

Analyze: What are the sources of this problem? Do they lie with the student? And/or  someone else? What is the effect of the problem on the students’ lives? Is it significant?

Plan: What can this person/these people do to address the problem? Can it be fixed? Who will have to make changes in order for this issue to be resolved? What might be the consequences of their action? [Theoretical question just for our fun:  If they were in a different setting with the same problem, would this solution work? Would the consequences be different?]