Keeping up with Dr. Jones

Learning Korean

2011-11-17T13:08:00.000-08:00

My latest hobby/fascination is writing using Hangul, the alphabet invented by Koreans for Koreans. (This is much more productive and less depressing than my previous hobby/fascination.)

Why Korean?
1. I know several folks from Korea or with ancestry in Korea, and I like every single one of them.
2. I like the fact that Korean is not tonal. No offense to Chinese, but the difference between má and mà are tough for my ear and tongue to navigate.
3. Korean is written phonetically. If you can pronounce it, and you can follow the rules of building the letter blocks, you can write in Korean.
4. There's a chance I'll get to visit Korea (as in South Korea) soon, and I don't want to be hopelessly lost.

Here are the names of my family members. (I'm sticking with proper nouns so far, because I don't need to actually SPEAK Korean to say someone's name.)

더스티 존스	Dusty Jones
제니퍼	Jennifer*
이라이자	Elijah
로사리	Rosalie
루시	Lucy

* Actually, Korean has no 'f' sound, so this is Jenniper. But really it's Jennipeh.

Special thanks go out to Paul for getting me interested and providing helpful support, and to Google Translate for the virtual keyboard.

For a Mentor

2011-08-16T07:46:00.000-07:00

Here's a poem I wrote for my high school theater teacher, James K. Shepherd, in honor of his 80th birthday.

One's time on Earth,
Measured from birth,
John Napier could have reckoned
In years or moons
Or coffeespoons
And easily to the second.

But O, to count
The vast amount
Of lives you have inspired:
The awesome might
Of transfinite
From Cantor is required.

Summer Reading

2011-08-03T07:05:00.000-07:00

I made a New Year's resolution to read a book a month. This summer, I have done very well. Here's a bit about it.

Something Old

How to Solve It: A New Aspect of Mathematical Method

George Polya's famous work from 1945 highlights a four-step heuristic (method) for solving problems, mathematical and otherwise. I have read this book 15 years ago, so this was actually a re-read/skim done partly in preparation for a Skype conversation with 5th and 6th graders at math contest camp in Missouri.
"The first rule of teaching is to know what you are supposed to teach. The second rule of teaching is to know a little more than what you are supposed to teach." (p. 173)

Something New
Worldview Conversations: How to Share Your Faith & Keep Your Friends

My friend Stan Ward (aka Bushwacker, the guy who gave the homily at our wedding) published a book this year. Thanks to Jennifer's Kindle, I got to read it. Stan's main point is that we (as people, as Christians) need to listen more to what others are saying and not try to argue them out of what they believe. The benefits of a worldview conversation (as opposed to a worldview conversion) is that no one wins or loses, relationships are maintained, and there are opportunities for multiple discussions.
"Remember: the Holy Spirit leads us all into truth (John 16:13), and the Holy Spirit convicts (John 16:8), not you. Either Christianity is, or is not, true. No matter how well or poorly you make your point, you won't change the validity of the Christian faith. ... No matter what your friend believes, he is your friend. Your job is to understand both yourself and your friend. Leave 'conviction' to the Holy Spirit." (Chapter 5, about 56% of the way through the book)

Something Borrowed
Mere Churchianity: Finding Your Way Back to Jesus-Shaped Spirituality

My friend Patrick loaned me this book after I'd heard him and Pastor Ken talking about it. Internet Monk Michael Spencer's book, published after his death in 2010, is intended for those who have left the church or are thinking about it. This doesn't describe me, but Spencer did give me insight into the epidemic of people leaving church. Part of the problem: Christians who don't act like Christ. (Take, for example, the way my church youth group acted in restaurants.) The bottom line for me was that I need to learn more about Jesus so I can do what he did, rather than living in a bubble and excluding others.

Something Blue
Now That You're a Deacon (the cover is actually navy)

In June, I was elected to be a deacon in my church. The title of Howard B. Foshee's book (from 1975) seemed appropriate, given my new position. This was a helpful, encouraging book for the most part, although some of the author's statements seem pertinent to all Christ-followers.
• "Now that you are a deacon, there is great work for you to do." (p. 9, p. 55, p. 121)
• "Now that you are a deacon, you will want to grow as a Christian steward." (p. 100)
• "Now that you are a deacon, Christ should be preeminent in your home." (p. 114)
I believe that I should not just be starting these things now. Hopefully they were evident in my life prior to my election. My favorite part of this book was a quote from Garland Hendricks:
"Of myself I am neither wise, good, nor strong enough to be a deacon. But I am not alone in this work. Christ is my companion, and through his wisdom, mercy and power I am able to serve." (p. 132)

Something Fictional, Addictive, and Part of a Trilogy
The Hunger Games

My thanks go out to Jennifer (Thanks!) for sharing this Suzanne Collins book with me. According to Amazon.com, it is written for teens. I liked this book, even though it is set in a future North American society where a ruthless government maintains order by requiring its citizens to watch a reality-television show where children are killed or starve to death each year. (Doesn't that make you want to read it?!) The author has a great knack for storytelling. I'm working on the second book of the trilogy now.

Question: What are you reading? Leave a comment.

Open Letter to Blackboard

2011-07-08T12:57:00.000-07:00

Dear Blackboard,

You have been such a great help, and I've enjoyed getting to know you. It's hard to believe that we've been together seven years!

Would you please combine the three sections of MATH 5388 in the Fall 2011 semester into one course? I would appreciate it. The numbers you may recognize are MATH538801811, MATH538802811, and MATH538803811. You and your love of large numbers!

I'm not seeing you on campus as much lately. Some other learning management system named "SHSU On Line" is moving in on your turf. There's even a rumor that you're leaving me next fall. (S.O.L. said that on YouTube!)

If there's anything I can do to change your mind, I will do it. Don't let the sun go down on me.

Dusty Jones
Mathematics & Statistics

Jimmy & Rick Playhouse

2011-07-05T11:35:00.000-07:00

Here's a website that Eli created last month. It features the Fun Kidz characters Jimmy & Rick. You will be sure to hear a lot about them if you talk to Eli. They will be very famous in the 2020s and beyond!

I'm sticking to it

2011-07-01T20:53:00.000-07:00

Last month I had the pleasure of reading a book by Max Lucado. He is a great storyteller, so I usually don't mind reading his books. But this one was different. The purpose of the book was to understand myself, as in the Dusty that God created me to be.

If you are a fan of Jennifer's blogs (which, of course, you are), you probably remember that she recommended the book to me while she re-read it. Here's a quote from her post in which she "quotes" Lucado explaining the S.T.O.R.Y. acronym.

S – what are your STRENGTHS?
T – what is your TOPIC? (What gets you passionate?)
O- what are your OPTIMAL CONDITIONS?
R- what about RELATIONSHIPS? How do you best relate with people?
Y- YES! When do you feel God’s pleasure?

After a couple of weeks of thought, prayer, and chillin', here are my thoughts about who I am.

Strengths: analytical thinking, close attention to detail, good at memorization, speaking in front of a crowd, quick wit, able to teach (disregarding a few recent negative evaluations)

Topic: mathematics and statistics, particularly the teaching and learning of these subjects; Jesus' life and message

Optimal conditions: extended periods of time; quiet & calm; easy access to books, paper & pen; culminating in a presentation to an audience

Relationships: I enjoy working alone - this is Dusty the introvert. But Dusty the extrovert enjoys sharing my thoughts with others, particularly the (captive) audience found in a classroom setting. This is where I perform.

Yes! I've felt God's pleasure when I've figured out a tough mathematics problem, seen multiple ways why it works the way it does, and figured out two or three ways to help others see it. I have also felt it when teaching a classroom full of people who claim to hate math, but are enjoying (and understanding) the tasks I prepared for them.

The good news--I believe that I have my dream job as a mathematics education professor. Hooray!

June Resolution Update

2011-06-17T04:53:00.000-07:00

The blog posts have been few and far between lately. I realize that. May came with finals week (writing tests and grading tests-BOO) and a FABULOUS trip to Walt Disney World (HOORAY!). June rolled in along with two summer courses, including a graduate course that I haven't taught before. Whenever I am this busy with work or fun, I feel a bit guilty taking a half-hour to peck out a post. That's why this one is coming to you at 6:25 in the a.m.

Speaking of feeling guilty for not working, I found a blog for a hilarious, Christ-following, high school math teacher. (Sound like anyone you know?) If you want to laugh, check out Tyler Tarver. Or the guy who introduced me to him, Tyler Stanton, who I met through Tripp & Tyler.

Resolution update already.
Pull-ups: still going strong, although not during the vacation. It still takes willpower to get up on the bar.
Enjoying children more: check. Yelling at them less- ?? They are crazy fun to be with, and whenever I discipline them properly I hear God telling me the same thing (e.g., people are more important than things, you are not in charge)
Wear a tie to every class: I did this for about half of the class days in April and May. I gave this one up for the summer. In fact, I've worn a t-shirt and jeans to each class this week. (My department chair is out of town.)
Read a book every month: I borrowed Michael Spencer's Mere Churchianity from a friend (thanks, Patrick!) and read it in May. Jennifer suggested Cure for the Common Life by Max Lucado for June, and I'm glad she did. I finished it two days ago, which gives me a head start on July's pick. I'll post my thoughts on these books later.

3D graphics with Geogebra

2011-05-16T10:58:00.000-07:00

I've figured out how to make solids of revolution by animating points in Geogebra. Here are a couple of examples.

If you'd like to see more of my handiwork with Geogebra, check this link out. You'll find an applet that will help you to create your own.

Enjoy!

How to Train Your Thoughts

2011-05-16T10:42:00.000-07:00

I've kept up with my reading, but not with my blogging. In April my son and I read How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell. He read while I drove him to school, and I read while we waited in the drop-off line. (The vehicle was off, just FYI.) In summary, I will say that it was a very good book and very different from the very good movie it inspired. Go read it!

During March, my book of choice was Pensées by Blaise Pascal. I actually worked on this from January to mid-April. Pascal was a French mathematician and philosopher in the 17th century. He set out to use logic and proof to show that Jesus was who he said he was. This book was actually a compilation of his thoughts (English for pensées) collected after his death at the age of 39. Here are some of my favorite quotes:

"When we wish to correct with advantage, and to show another that he errs, we must notice from what side he views the matter, for on that side it is usually true, and admit that truth to him, but reveal to him the side on which it is false."

"People are generally better persuaded by the reasons which they have themselves discovered than by those which have come into the mind of others."

"Do you wish people to believe good of you? Don't speak."

"I would have far more fear of being mistaken, and of finding that the Christian religion was true, than of not being mistaken in believing it true."

The above quote is the basis of what has become known as Pascal's wager, which is further developed in the book.

Wordle.net

2011-04-22T08:11:00.000-07:00

Here's a few things we've done with Wordle. It's a toy that takes text and arranges the words in graphical form. The size of the words is proportional to their frequency -- meaning that words that are bigger show up more often.

Eli's is based on Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

Rosalie made one from the book Ten Little Monkeys

Lucy's is based on Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See by Bill Martin Jr and Eric Carle

Here are Jen's blog posts from 2011 thus far

These are the titles of articles I've written and presentations I've given

Tenure!

2011-03-21T11:47:00.000-07:00

Praise God! Today, I heard that I've been recommended for tenure at Sam Houston State University. It is a HUGE deal, and I am very happy about it.

WDW Value Resort Prices

2011-03-08T13:08:00.001-08:00

I was inspired by my wife's recent post to make a graph to look for patterns of when to visit Walt Disney World.
Here is a graph of the cost of a standard room at the Walt Disney World value resorts (Jones favorites) in 2011. The data come from this site.
I've color-coded the months to help identify the dates. It looks like the rates are least expensive on most weekdays in January through mid-February. You'll pay the most for a room (about twice as much) in late December.

February Resolution Update

2011-03-08T08:32:00.000-08:00

So far, I'm holding strong to most of my resolutions.

I've read the Bible nearly everyday. I missed a couple of mornings when my parents came to visit. It was a happy break from the routine.

I'm still pulling myself up to a bar ten times each morning. It seems to be getting a little easier, or at least easier to remember since I do the reps while my shower warms up.

I read (actually, I skimmed) Bringing Up Girls by James Dobson during February. The key points, from my perspective, is that I have an enormous impact on my girls and how they will view themselves and their relationships with men in the future. I tell them I love them, and remind them how beautiful they are, regularly.

Oh, and I've only missed wearing a tie to a handful of classes. Some of my plaid shirts just don't work with ties.

On an unrelated note, the 12 polygons in the above graphic have equal area.

Gödel, Escher, Bach & Huber

2011-02-17T12:29:00.000-08:00

After 18 months, I finished reading Douglas Hofstadter's Pulitzer-prize-winning book, Gödel, Escher, Bach. I found it to be a fascinating, entertaining, compelling, and intricate examination of intelligence, mathematics, logic, genetics, and philosophy. There were several hidden puzzles that I found and sometimes solved. I now wonder if there were other gems I missed on the first pass. (That is, in fact, quite likely.) Hofstadter would probably liken this to listening to a favorite piece of music, and hearing new delights from time to time.

The book reminds me of my friend John Huber. John helped me understand the concept of assembly language, the connections between mathematics and music, and the power of transformational geometry. In some strange way, his interests seemed to intersect those of Gödel, Escher, & Bach.

I met John on February 2, 2006, when he drove me from the airport for a job interview at SHSU. He and his wife took me to dinner that night. When I started my job, John and I had adjacent offices in a newer suite. His was filled with computer hardware. I soon found that he was knowlegable, passionate, and practical about incorporating technology to improve mathematics education. We agreed on almost everything, and certainly everything that mattered. He was a living example of one who followed Jesus' teaching to love one another.

John passed away on February 2, 2011, five years after I first met him. I am thankful for the five years he encouraged and mentored me. I will miss him.

Hot Jones

2011-02-08T08:03:00.000-08:00

Check out the latest toon from Homestar Runner.
http://www.homestarrunner.com/xmas10.html
To me, Hot Jones is more than a beverage. I married her.

Resolutions for a Prime Year

2011-01-25T10:52:00.001-08:00

I often make just few to no resolutions in the new year. I suppose its because I would rather not fail than attempt something and fail. (Of course, this line of reasoning fails to consider the possibility of success.)

This year is different. Assuming that small changes in behaviors and attitude produce profound results (good or bad) over time, I am resolving to do some small, good things often.

So far, 2011 is a great year to keep my resolutions. Here are those that I'm willing to share with the world, in no particular order.

1. Read my Bible daily. So far, so good this year. I'm reading a psalm, some proverbs, & a portion of a gospel each day.
2. Do 10 pull-ups a day. I'm happy to report that in the past 25 days, I've only missed once. Wow! 240 pull-ups so far!
3. Enjoy my children more and yell at them less. This is a real priority for me. I am too grouchy too often. I love them very much. I need to act like it more often.
4. Wear a tie to class. I only teach on Mondays and Wednesdays this semester, so it's not too great of a challenge.
5. Read a book a month. I'm currently working through Gödel, Escher, Bach by Hofstadter and Pensées by Pascal. (I've been reading GEB for about 18 months, now. I hope to finish it this week.)

Praise God!

2011-01-14T10:25:00.000-08:00

I am very excited to share the news that my son decided to follow Jesus! Last night he prayed for Jesus to forgive his sins. He wants to now let the world know and be baptized.
I have always been proud of him, but I am especially so right now.

~(I've been everywhere)

2010-11-29T12:55:00.001-08:00

Here's where I've been in Texas, by county. In case you are new to logical symbols, the title translates to "It is not the case that I've been everywhere."

The algorithm is gonna getcha

2010-11-19T13:29:00.000-08:00

Pandora "QuickMix" playlist from 11/19/2010

Push It - Salt-N-Pepa
You Might Think - The Cars
Cuyahoga - R.E.M.
Experimental film - They Might Be Giants
Wanna Be Loved - DC Talk
About A Girl - Nirvana
Guinnevere - Crosby, Stills & Nash

I not only like these songs, I know almost all the words! What does that say about me?

State count increases to 28

2010-11-08T13:28:00.000-08:00

Looks like I'll be adding Indiana in the next year. Apparently I'm avoiding Nebraska.

New haircut & new post

2010-11-05T14:36:00.000-07:00

After (today)

It's been a while (4 months) since I had a haircut or shave. Now the beard and hair (what is left of it) are gone.
Special thanks to my barber wife!

Before (about 6 weeks ago)

Pressure-release valves

2010-04-05T07:02:00.000-07:00

In my late teens, I worked as an assistant manager at the grocery store in my hometown. Being young and foolish, there was quite a bit of horseplay in the back room that I tolerated. I also participated (and even initiated) from time to time.

One of the things we really enjoyed was explosions. It started with CO2 bombs -- you know, take a 2-liter bottle, seal up some dry ice and water inside, and watch it blow. When this is done outdoors, you can safely observe the results from about 10 yards away. After a while, a couple of the guys discovered that the same thing happens with aluminum foil and certain types of bathroom chemicals. This was a little more hazardous, but not as dangerous as the FINAL explosion I witnessed.

One slow Sunday afternoon, one of the employees (I'll call him B to protect his identity) was drinking a bottle of juice - a little 8-oz glass bottle. Before I knew what was happening, B shoved in some foil, squirted a liberal amount of toilet cleaner into the bottle, sealed the lid, and set it in the middle of the stock room. I grabbed B. by the collar and we both dove behind a pallet of canned goods. B. was giggling (I wonder if it was JUST juice that he was drinking) and I was waiting for the inevitable boom and shower of glass across the back room. I was also hoping that no unsuspecting individual would wander into the back room and get a shard of glass implanted in their body.

We've all seen the effects of excessive pressure buildup - whether in CO2 bombs, clogged sewer lines, overworn tires, or overheated steam engine boilers (like in Back to the Future III). In any case, it's not pretty. Oh, it might be exciting to observe, but there's always some kind of clean up involved. And yes, B. had to clean up the shrapnel when the bottle finally blew.

How do we avoid the explosions in our own lives? I suggest that it happens by releasing some of the pressure from time to time. Steam enginges have valves, Yellowstone has Old Faithful, and the Dharma Initiative had a code that to be enter into a computer every 108 minutes.

Last Wednesday was exactly what I needed to help relieve some pressure. It was very good to be able to laugh with my brothers about the crazy stuff that happens in life. I am glad that they are there for me.

When you have a runny nose ...

2010-03-09T14:09:00.000-08:00

... your beard is not your friend.

Can you find Frisco?

2010-02-22T07:26:00.000-08:00

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=42551

It was a speck in 1984, and now it's at a major intersection.

Collective nouns

2010-02-18T14:59:00.001-08:00

Match the animal name in list A with the name for the group of those animals in list B.

List A
Bear
Dolphin
Fox
Giraffe
Kangaroo
Lion
Monkey
Penguin
Sheep
Swan

List B
Flock
Mob
Pod
Parade
Pride
Skulk
Sloth
Tribe
Tower
Wedge

I've been to 26 of the 50 states

2010-01-20T07:52:00.001-08:00

and nowhere outside of this country.

This was made with the program found at http://monarch.tamu.edu/~maps2/.

Disney acquires Marvel

2009-09-02T07:32:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what this means for the common man, but I hear that there may be Marvel superheroes in the parades at Disney themeparks. That sounds fun to me!

Here's my idea of what they might look like:

The Goat that Ate Everything

2009-08-12T08:59:00.001-07:00

Written and Illustrated by Eli Jones

(Inspired by an episode of Shaun the Sheep)
The goat ate tires.
But the biggest tire
The goat ate bricks.
But the biggest brick
The goat drinks water out of the potty.
I I I I I I I!

More Superheroes

2009-07-02T13:27:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of heroes for the latter part of the year: Captain Autumn and Santaclops.

I promise that I have been working this week!

Web Diversions

2009-06-21T20:53:00.001-07:00

If you know much about me, my favorite internet-based ways to waste time will make a lot of sense. Because I'm having trouble sleeping, I've decided to take the time to write about it. (If you check the date of my last post, you'll note that blogging is apparently not one of my favorites.)

First, I'd like to encourage you to check out Wolfram|Alpha. It's described as a computational knowledge engine -- sort of like Google, Wikipedia, Mathematica, Excel, and a TI-84 got together and had a baby. If there is something that can be quantified, Wolfram|Alpha can probably compute it. With it I can determine when the sun will rise and set in Raleigh, NC; compare the populations and economic factors of Wyandotte County, KS, and Walker County, TX; see if Mars was visible this morning; figure out what happens when you mix blue, black, and red; discover the nutritional information of my breakfast; and figure out my life expectancy and body mass index. If something is not there, give them some time. The site has only been in operation for a few weeks (verify that by typing the URL in the box on their site).

Next, my children and I really like to create our own superheroes on the Marvel website. I'll give Jason 1000 points if he can name this superhero from back in the day.

Finally, I'll mention my favorite internet cartoon site -- Homestar Runner. My high school students turned me on to this back in 2003. Apparently, the creators and I have a similar sense of humor, and a similar recollection of the pop culture of the 1980s and 1990s.

Well, it's time to attempt sleep again. Hopefully it will take this time.

Superhero Stories

2009-03-27T12:23:00.001-07:00

My son is really into superheroes right now. He especially likes to write books. I've made a couple available online. Click these links for Spiderman and The Avengers.

I've also tried to capture one of his "movies" on YouTube. I'm not sure how my first foray into it will turn out, but here it goes.

I Found Joy

2009-03-11T11:20:00.000-07:00

I found joy yesterday
in the face of my daughter
as I pushed her on the swing.

I was surprised--
surprised to see it there,
and
surprised at my surprise --
Why shouldn't she be joyful?

How often have I searched for joy?
How many times have I given up?
Why wasn't I looking
in the face
of my child?

I'm glad I saw it.
I'll look for it there often.

Missed connection

2009-02-13T10:39:00.000-08:00

You were in your maroon station wagon with a Jesus fish stuck on the tailgate. As you pulled up to the red light I noticed that you had your wife and child with you.

I was the guy in the Camry behind you.

The light turned green. You didn't go. I waited. You didn't go. I tried (as politely as I could) to alert you to the green light by tapping on my horn.

You flipped me off.

It bothers me that you did that in front of your child.

It also bothers me that you're going around identifying yourself with Jesus and cursing people.

Please -- stop the obscenity. There was no need for it. And you're not helping Jesus one bit.

Mini-milestones

2009-02-03T10:29:00.000-08:00

My kids are growing up. Here are a few of the less-recognized advances they've made. (I toyed with the titles "furlong stones" and "kilometer stones," but it sounded too nerdy, even for me.)

Elijah now calls me "Dad." Not Daddy, but Dad.
Rosalie now uses the kind of toothpaste that she must spit out.
Lucy is taking baths in the regular tub, not the little blue plastic one on the counter.

Some good paragraphs, now homeless

2009-01-26T09:18:00.000-08:00

You may or may not know that one of the expectations in my job is to conduct research and disseminate my findings, usually through reputable, peer-reviewed sources. I recently had a manuscript accepted in the 2010 Yearbook of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, but the editors wanted it just a bit shorter. Therefore, I removed a few paragraphs that had taken hours to carefully craft. Rather than letting them disappear forever, I am posting them here. It is really hard to say goodbye to these "children" of mine. (To those who would like the references, or would like to know where these paragraphs fit into the accepted version, I will happily provide you that information. Bless you!)

**********
The NACOME report also referenced materials that were designed by the Joint Committee on the Curriculum in Statistics and Probability of the American Statistical Association (ASA) and the NCTM to help individuals understand the discipline of statistics. The first, Statistics: A Guide to the Unknown (Tanur et al. 1972), was a set of essays on the application of statistics to everyday life, and written in nontechnical language to parents, teachers, and students. The second, Statistics by Example (Mosteller et al. 1973), was a set of lessons for secondary students that highlighted statistics and probability topics using everyday situations. These were some of the first attempts to showcase statistics and probability beyond calculating means of ‘sterilized’ data and selecting balls from urns.
. . .
The Standards documents included recommendations to incorporate technology and enhance students’ understanding of statistics and probability. Suggested uses for technology included sorting large sets of data with spreadsheets and programming computers to simulate large numbers of trials of an experiment. Such tools may perform routine, time-consuming, or technically sophisticated tasks, thus allowing students to focus on interpreting the results of the process. Today’s dynamic statistics programs, such as Fathom (Key Curriculum Press Technologies 2005), are easier to use and provide even greater flexibility and functionality than preceding software packages.

The bold call for all students to learn statistics and probability was counterbalanced by the minimal attention devoted to statistics and probability in textbooks[1]. Instead, several groups produced supplemental curricula focused on statistics and probability (for example, Quantitative Literacy Series, Used Numbers, and Teach-Stat Activities). Collectively, these projects provided K-12 teachers with opportunities to engage their students in the statistical investigation process using relevant data. Bibliographic information for each of these is available in the appendix.
----------
[1] Jones (2004) found probability on only 2.2% of the pages of each popular middle-grades mathematics textbook series of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.
**********

Jen Rocks!

2009-01-23T13:10:00.000-08:00

Here are a few things that Jennifer, my wife and be fri, is very, very good at:

Cooking - we have been eating some very delicious food lately, thanks to her creativity and skill in the kitchen
Taking pictures - I am glad that she's keeping a visible record of our lives
Growing things - Check out this picture of a lily she grew in our backyard (she also took the photo)
Making me laugh
Having fun with the kids - on purpose, and spontaneously
Being a mom
Being a wife
Seeing the big picture
Paying attention to the details
Seeking to know God and His word

I am so grateful that I get to be with her every day!

Written and Illustrated by Eli, Age 4

2009-01-21T10:52:00.000-08:00

The King's Numbers
by Eli Jones

Once upon a time, there was a king and he wanted a wedding. His brother said he had to grow a lot more. The Number King went over to Mr. Jumpy's. The Number King said, "I want to know when I can have a wedding."

The Number King asked a Letter King how he could know his letters. The Letter King said, "I don't know. I have a queen and I already got married with her. I asked the Queen how I can know my letters and the Queen said, 'I don't know.'"

The Number King went on thinking about when he could get a wedding. He bumped into Mr. Flathead and asked him, "How did your head get so flat?" Mr. Flathead said, "I don't know. Maybe I got sick before or maybe my sister hit it and it got so flat."

Then the King went on to Mr. Fighties and told him, "How come you fight a lot?" Mr. Fighties said nothing. He just wanted to fight. Soon the Number King started to know his numbers really well. Then he spied some 1-2-3s.

Mr. Tall told a lady, "It's time for the Number King's wedding and he's going to marry you." That lady got into her slimmer cart. Some of her underpants fell out. She grabbed them just in time.

Then the King put on a sleevy goggle costume and then was trying to stomp on a number 3 ornament and he broke it. Then some number people came over and knocked off his costume and the Number King got so frightened. He saw they were 1-2-3s.

Soon, Mr. Smileygoggles said, "Let's go! The wedding's starting!" These three people are the Number King and his queen and their driver.

Lego Art

2009-01-08T11:31:00.001-08:00

I saw Nathan Sawaya on TV yesterday. He made a life-size replica of Rachael Ray entirely out of Lego blocks and glue. Check out his work.
I'd like to try my hand at this sometime.

DC makes impressive gains

2009-01-07T18:30:00.000-08:00

With the celebration of the birth of our Savior came a Batman pez dispenser, a really cool Batcave, Batcopter, Batplane, three Batman figures, two Robins, the Joker and Mr. Freeze. Marvel had some representation with a Spiderman on the Spider-4-wheeler(?).

I'm not quite sure how the two new Transformers figure in to the Battle for Supremacy in Eli's bedroom.

Postal Poster Boy

2008-12-21T18:59:00.001-08:00

Stop complaining about the post office. My dad is the coolest government employee you'll ever meet. Just stop by the downtown post office in Lebanon, Missouri (65536), and he'll tell you a joke.

This is at least the second time Dad's been featured in the "Busiest Day at the Post Office" write-up. You can read the full story behind this picture in the Lebanon Daily Record. A couple of corrections are needed: the Postmaster's first name is Brenda, and the 19 billion number is probably incorrect.

Did you write in my yearbook?

2008-12-16T13:10:00.000-08:00

Oh, Nostalgia!

As 2008 winds down and I wait for students to finish a final exam, I thought I would post some of the things folks have written in various yearbooks of mine. As a game (or to protect these individuals) I did not include names. Can you guess who wrote what?

Stony Point North Elementary
Grade 2, 1984

I hope you have a nice summer. And I hope you are in my class next year.

Stony Point South Elementary
Grade 5, 1987

A cool dude

It seems like only yesterday that you started Kindergarten & now you’re finished with grade school. I’m very proud of you! Good luck at AMS!

Arrowhead Middle School
Grade 6, 1988

Be careful this summer. See you next year (more like next week).

Keep cool you “teacher’s pet.”

Sumner Academy of Arts and Science
Grade 8, 1990

It’s nice to have some real competition! Good luck on everything so far, and good luck on everything in the future!

Keller honey, My husband, my dear, I’ll miss you and your stupid jokes. Stay dorky, I mean Dusty & peace and love to you

M.C. Dusty, Have a good summer. Stay a good friend and grow some hair! Scratchy!

Sumner Academy of Arts and Science
Grade 11, 1993

Man, yer leaving us! Come on, you can stay at Hampton’s house! Just joking, I hope you have a great time in Podunk, Missouri. You’ll be famous someday, I’m sure. “I’m 37!”

Hey man, I don’t think that I’ll make it through Physics w/o you! Try to imbue your new school with a bit of big city class & have a good summer! Take care of yourself and never forget Sumner!

Thanks for all the hugs in 6th hour. And even though you might not know I will miss you when you’re gone.

Jasper High School
Geometry, 2001

You’ve been an awesome teacher this year. Your class has been really fun! I loved your banjo songs and your interesting jokes…(just teach the material). Good luck next year & wherever you go after the rest of this year! We’ll miss you Mr. Jones! byeeeeeee.

Mr. Jones, Mr. Jones, where shall I start… hmmm well I wanted to thank you for a great (most of the time) fun year of geometry! You were fun and great!! Your banjo skills, I must say, are awesome! Have a wonderful summer and now you get to hit the books I guess for school! Good luck!

Gosh, what a year! You were hands-down my favorite teacher, even though I always seemed to be in the class that never deserved a cartwheel. You have such a quick wit, I believe Megan Grosh and I were the only ones who ever appreciated it. That will get you very popular on the college staff. Thank you for accepting me for who I am and not letting me conform to the “normal ways of life.” Good luck to you in the future & I’ll be keeping you in my thoughts!

Answer bank (in alphabetical order):
Candice Brown, Alice Chai, Jim Deane, Deanna Donovan, Chris Henning, Dalton Jones, Debbie Jones, Sally Ketchell, Anne Saadeh, Blair Shiff, Diana Staresinic, Kaleb Williams, Gene Willis, Jason Yarnell

Twitter Updates for 2008-12-12

2008-12-12T18:42:00.000-08:00

@r05al13gr8s not time to get up yet, it's only 3:30 #
5:45 already ... trying not to wake anyone #
Good Men's Frat. We're all depraved, but there's a remedy #
I get to teach a grad course this summer! #
@rutro76 c u @ fatboys! #
@dr_rod yes, we can make a super ladybug movie later #
Writing a final ... multiple choice #
Final's done! #
Wrestle time! #
@dr_rod k, let's make that super ladybug movie! #
@button2008 do you like those BANANAS?!?! #
CALZONES!!! #
@dr_rod Bedtime! I pray you have only good dreams. #
@r05al13gr8s Bedtime! Let's make it 'til 7, k? #
@button2008 Bedtime! See you in the morning! #
Writing fake Twitter updates... #
@jallen my apologies -- all in good fun, I hope? #

Fun with prefixes

2008-12-09T07:59:00.000-08:00

Today, Eli and I had a discussion about prefixes, specifically bi- and tri-. It began when he told me he would ride his bicycle, but he really meant his tricycle. After some discussion, I told him that words that start with bi- usually have something to do with two and words that start with tri- usually have something to do with three. (He also asked what a bicycle with one wheel is called, so I guess I should add uni- to the list of prefixes we discussed.)

The following conversation was hilarious to take part in. Here is a transcript, as best as I can remember it.
Me: What is a shape that has three sides called?
Eli: A triangle! (Pause.) What is a tridoor?
Me: A tridoor? Is it a room with three doors?
Eli: No, it's a door with three doorknobs.
Me: Are there any tridoors in our house?
Eli: No. We only have unidoors. (Pause.) What is a trilight?
Me: What is it?
Eli: It is a thing that has three light switches.
Me: Where is a trilight?
Eli: In the living room!
Me: People who speak three languages are trilingual. Miriam's mommy
Eli: (Interrupting.) I am trilingual. The three languages I speak are English, Spanish, and Sign Language. But the only Spanish I know is Los Panchitos (his favorite Mexican restaurant).

The Ghetto Mat

2008-11-29T18:24:00.001-08:00

Many of you (see, I'm assuming many people read this!) know that I worked as a counselor at Pine Cove Christian Camps during the summers of 1996 and 1997. We were "off duty" from noon on Saturday until noon on Sunday. Saturday afternoons were always spent doing laundry. Those of us who were too poor and/or not too proud faithfully met at the Fifth Street Coin Laundry. We affectionately dubbed it the "Ghetto Mat" because it was not in a nice part of town.
These were the days before everyone had a digital camera, so I don't have many pictures of the place. But I did want to share with you some of the handwritten signs that were posted. I have attempted to match the grammar, spelling, and punctuation of the original through this medium.

Please! Put your paper in commode after cleaning

your bottom. Please flush after use.

Thanks.

"NOTiCE"

"Do Not WASH Comforts iN Top Loading

MACHINES"

"Por favor No LAVOR"- Ropa Pasada EN LAVAdorAR

CHiCAS

"OWNER"

JESSE RICHARDS

"DO NOT"

move

Table

"Parents You Are Responsible
For Keeping Your Children in Order"
While in this Laundry
No Playing in here
No Running in here
No Fighting in here
No Playing with Laundry cart ThaNK OWNER

Attention: "Drying Customers"

"Customers who wash here has

1st Choice of Dryers." IF YOU

Come to Dry only. Please Consult

Attendant

Management!

1 Thess. 5:16-18

2008-11-26T18:16:00.000-08:00

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (New American Standard)

Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (New Living Translation)

What's God want for you now that you're linked with the Liberator, Jesus? This: Enjoy life, all of it. Keep contact with God 24/7. Be grateful, whatever. (The Word on the Street)

Joy
I admit that I am not joyful all of the time. There are bright spots here and there, but sometimes I get caught up in myself. However, when I let go of my selfishness, I see that there is a lot of joy that I miss sometimes. Thank you, Father, for joy.

Prayer
This idea of praying without ceasing, this 24/7 contact with God, has really hit me from several angles in the past few weeks and months. I am up at least once during the night, usually with a child or dog, but sometimes just by myself. What better way to redeem the time than to talk to my creator? I've been reminded by my preacher friends Jason and Buddy to be praying for others. Thank you, God, for continually reminding me to be continually in conversation with you.

Thanksgiving
With the national holiday tomorrow, it's hard not to associate this word with family and tryptophan. But honestly, we all need to cultivate a spirit of thankfulness for everything that comes our way. My most recent insight? Thanksgiving flows easier out of a joyful and prayerful life.

Flunking Fatherhood

2008-11-20T18:03:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty sure I shouldn't be yelling, "STOP SHOUTING!" at the top of my lungs.

I hope the neighbors weren't home.

Thank you, God, that the children are all asleep, in spite of my efforts.

The MERiT Conference

2008-11-19T06:40:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, my university hosted a group of other mathematics educators from around the state. We call it the MERiT conference. MERiT is short for Mathematics Education Research in Texas. (If you want more information, see the website.)

Professionally, it was a really valuable experience for me. I went in with a list of half-thought out ideas for research, and I now have a list of things I want to do, including 2 research projects (one on probability and another on textbooks) and 7 articles I want to write.

This conference focused on collaborating with others and mentoring newer faculty. As I try to live an integrated life, I realize that we need others in every aspect of life. No mathematics educator is an island.

The Refining Process

2008-11-15T11:29:00.000-08:00

I have sung this song about a thousand times:

Purify my heart/let me be as gold and precious silver

But WATCH OUT if you actually want to be purified! The purification process is not like dusting off a bookshelf. Nope. It's more like being melted down so the bad stuff burns off. I envision the ring in the lava of Mt. Doom from Tolkein's Return of the King. The end result is great. The process itself is painful, but beneficial.

So now that I've realized that I let my temper flare at my kids ... and I say stupid and hurtful things to friends and family without thinking ... and other things that are bad, I realize that I need to be refined.

I'm hanging on through the pain, because I know that in the end, a me that is more like Jesus is better than the comfortable me right now.

Johnson Time

2008-11-14T06:56:00.000-08:00

After two weeks, it appears that our children have finally adjusted to Standard Time.

Daylight savings time was suggested by a man named Willett in 1907, and it was officially legislated in most of the U.S. in the 1960s. I presume this happened during the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson, given that my great-uncle Claude always derisively referred to this arbitrary change as "Johnson Time." (Uncle Claude also taught me the word cackleberry.) Since I've never not known life without a time change every fall and spring, I didn't have much trouble with it. That is, of course, until I had children.

You're supposed to lose an hour in the spring (boo!) and gain it back in the fall. Well, when you have a 4-year-old, a 2-year-old, and an infant all prone to getting up early, it's like this: you lose an hour in the spring (boo!) and you lose another hour in the fall (booooo!) because your kids want to get up an hour earlier.

This got even more ridiculous in 2007 when one month more was given to Daylight Savings Time. (This legislation messed up computers, causing a Y2K7 problem.) Even more messed-up is the fact that, with roughly 60% of the year in Daylight Savings mode, Standard Time is no longer standard. It's like how we have to call milk "white milk" in the school cafeteria, how if you want tea in any restaurant in the my town you must request "unsweetened tea," and (as a non-beverage example) the lawnmowers of yesteryear are now push lawnmowers. William Safire calls these retronyms, defined as, "a word or phrase created because an existing term that was once used alone needs to be distinguished from a term referring to a new development ."

Hey, hey, LBJ, how many hours did you steal today? I assume I gradually got mine back, a few minutes at a time, day by day. But I'm still looking for a time change I can believe in.