So you want to send Nix the Tricks to a colleague without sounding condescending? Or to an administrator who may not know how bad tricks are for math understanding? The goal is to send an email that will invite conversation, so we have provided some starting points for you to use. Copy the text below into an email, edit to your liking and send it along. Think your colleagues might be overwhelmed by the entire project? Try sending them to just one of the resources to start with. If you have any questions about copyright check out the FAQ page. Thank you for sharing!


Dear colleague,

I found an online guide to tricks that make math seem like magic rather than the conceptual, logical subject it is. The beauty of this guide is that there are included fixes which align well with the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice. The title is Nix the Tricks and it’s a free eBook.

The project began when a teacher named Tina Cardone started gathering comments and tips about how to help students really understand the math that they are doing. The website, NixTheTricks.com, summarizes the goal of this project as follows:

Do you cringe when a student's reaction to every problem involving fractions is "cross multiply!"? It doesn't matter whether you teach elementary or high school, whether you're a parent or a tutor, having a student yell out a trick without stopping to think is painful. This book is filled with alternatives to the shortcuts so prevalent in mathematics education and explains exactly why the tricks are so bad for understanding math.

We all find ourselves using some of the phrases listed. Reflecting on our practice regularly and discussing it are key components in professional growth. I would be interested to hear your favorite passages as well as those you disagree with.

Sincerely,
Your colleague


Dear administrator,

I found an online resource from which our math department would benefit. It is a guide to tricks that make math seem like magic rather than the conceptual, logical subject it is. The beauty of this guide is that there are included fixes which align well with the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice. The focus of those standards in students problem solving, thinking critically and understanding the math - a trick skips this process and students memorize a procedure which has no meaning. The title is Nix the Tricks and it’s a free eBook.

The project began when a teacher named Tina Cardone started gathering comments and tips about how to help students really understand the math that they are doing. The website, NixTheTricks.com, summarizes the goal of this project as follows:

Do you cringe when a student's reaction to every problem involving fractions is "cross multiply!"? It doesn't matter whether you teach elementary or high school, whether you're a parent or a tutor, having a student yell out a trick without stopping to think is painful. This book is filled with alternatives to the shortcuts so prevalent in mathematics education and explains exactly why the tricks are so bad for understanding math.

We all find ourselves using some of the phrases listed. Reflecting on our practice regularly and discussing it are key components in professional growth. I would be interested to hear from the rest of the math department their favorite passages as well as those they disagree with. Perhaps we could reserve some time at a future meeting for this discussion.

Sincerely,
A teacher