I think students should have an opportunity to be creative in Math class. Giving students a Problem of the Month (POM) allows for this creativity. Too often, in math class, students think there is only one way to solve a problem. Students feel they have to think like their teachers or peers. Therefore, I decided to write a book full of POMs.
In recent years, I had two different paraprofessionals, who told me that I should publish a book of problems, because I give students challenging problems that they enjoy solving and debating with their peers. Mos the problems I write can be solved within 30 minutes; however, my book will have extended problems that will help students think about a concept along the path of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Thus, students will explore a problem from “understanding” to “creating.”
Here are some websites to get POMs or POWs (Problems of the Week):
Southeastern Louisiana University
Illinois Math and Science Academy FUSION
The Franklin Institute
Math Forum
Math wire
Math Counts
Glencoe McGraw Hill
Math.com