Preparing for Battle

"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones." (Albert Einstein)

 "By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail." (Benjamin Franklin)

"You're sending him into a poker game without any cards!" (Bones, Star Trek Into Darkness)


One of the Standards for Mathematical Practice states that mathematically proficient students should be able to use appropriate tools strategically. Under this standard, "Mathematically proficient students consider the available tools when solving a mathematical problem. These tools might include pencil and paper, concrete models, a ruler, a protractor, a calculator, a spreadsheet, a computer algebra system, a statistical package, or dynamic geometry software. Proficient students are sufficiently familiar with tools appropriate for their grade or course to make sound decisions about when each of these tools might be helpful, recognizing both the insight to be gained and their limitations."

The tools we teach the students to use, and the tools we make available to them are their 'weapons' to fight their 'battles' in the classroom. I do not mean this negatively. By 'battles', I mean tasks, assignments, assessments, problems, etc. If we do not supply our students with the tools necessary to be successful, they will fail. How ethical is that to set students up for failure?

What tools should we prepare our students with? In mathematics, the most basic tool would be the calculator. Visit Jennifer Henschen's blog entry "Why can't I use a calculator?" which discusses the use of the calculator in the mathematics classroom. As assessments, textbooks, curriculum, and interactive resources go online, students will need access to computers. Visit Casey Crass' blog "Technology Education: Access Denied" for an in-depth discussion on the effects of blocking students' access to online educational materials. Even social networking can be an asset to students as they enter their battlefield (the classroom). Read Jenna Zava's blog about the effective use of social networking in the classroom.

It would be unethical to set the students up for failure by not preparing them for the classroom tasks, activities, and assessments they will face every day. The tools they can be armed with starts with the technology they can carry with them, and use strategically, in their daily 'classroom battles'.