Baseball = Algebra

Baseball reminds me of Algebra. Yup, Algebra. You see, if you watch baseball and only focus on one player at a time, it can be pretty boring. Algebra is the same way! A word problem all by itself isn't very exciting. Or just a graph. Or a table. Or an equation. Learning about each one individually is a swing and a miss. Students will play along for a bit, but soon they will get frustrated. They might find better things to do in class. Baseball is all about how the players on the field affect each other. When the players work together, there is better understanding of the goal and how to succeed at it. Each player can be talented, but working together is the best way to score runs. Algebra is the same way! Its all about bringing together different representations to build understanding. That's when exciting things start happening. Learning about how one part of Algebra interacts and affects another is the best way to build understanding. This also helps long term retention. So I'm going to hit a home run this year and look at how topics relate to each other and how I can build connections in Algebra class. My students will appreciate it!