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The Return

Coming back to the classroom is always a refreshing challenge. As a new teacher to Martin County West, I had to rebuild the tools I will use in the classroom.  After saying goodbye to Heron Lake-Okabena, I also said goodbye to the materials I developed, NOT because they weren’t any good, but because they catered to HLO, not MCW. Each culture deserves material that suits them, and I’m going to make curriculum work for my new assignments, Intermediate Algebra and Geometry.

I am not sure why the district wants to focus strictly on the standards, but I think I can get what I want, weaving them into the lessons I’ll give.  The students have given feedback already what they feel would work for them, and I’ll try to incorporate these ideas as I lead them.

They (my students at MCW) are definitely hungry for ways of learning.  Many have not had consistent instruction, not due to any fault of their own (or the district's).  Can't really go down that road without divulging private information so needless to say, they would love an engaging classroom I hope to build.

I started the week with Professor Jo Boaler and her students who created videos and lessons to transition students from merely participating in math, to becoming emerging mathematicians. As I go through these lessons (in 4 days), I am making them detect, and then explain, their own thinking.  Many have not become aware yet how they think mathematically, and some were just good algorithm memorizers.  The point was made that they CAN.

The next leg of the journey is to not only use tools I love to play with like Desmos, Google Classroom, any other manipulatives, but to see what math teachers are doing across the Minnesota borders (and some in the US) are doing to meet those 2007 standards.  The myNCTM discussion is helpful, as I can connect with those greater-US math teachers.  I admit I have not submitted any works to my local MCTM, even though I have been asked, because I want to devote to this new job.

My goal (and my principal's) is to find a way to get quick feedback to the students and help them deepen their understanding of mathematics.  This means redeveloping lesson plans to accommodate for device use.  From my inventory I handed out to them (via. Google Classroom), they responded quite sincerely (for the most part), and there are about 85% of the students have cell phones and/or electronic devices.  I am excited to augment this curriculum with my tech powers to try to accomplish this, as well as increase engagement from those students who have decided to just cross their arms and bear through it.  Not that I minded college level classes, I am so glad to focus on 2 subjects to really make relationships and connections with this year's students (and hey if it drives up the MCA scores, that's a bonus). 
What do you notice?

I have an idea to initiate Sara Van Der Werf's Stand & Talks, but will share details after I started it!

Here's a hint at the left...

Til I chalk again,

Mr. Shel


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