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New Schedule, new tactics

 This was supposed to be my last post at the end of May, 

but I got myself looped into teaching summer school at HLO for those needing Math recovery credits.  So I am a "little" late.

I have just completed my first year back at HLO during "COVID season." --Whew.  With a week break, I stepped right into shaving cream.

With as much satire that Mark Twain and Doug Johnson would enjoy, I set myself up to grade strictly on progress, rather than accomplishment.  Using ALEKS, and a combination of reminders/peering over their shoulder when I see a Stop sign alert, I try getting them into a conversation about the "lame" rules they have to follow in order to complete the problem or task.

This has reinforced what I have felt about for years; the students who are uninspired by traditional math tactics now have my undivided attention, and can speak at length why these "lame" rules work.  ALSO, I find that the atypical student who (I won't say is a failure) but did not successfully receive credit for their class, is more INTUITIVE rather than logical.

I am not totally sure if using a new curriculum is helping, or that some of them are actually seeing a "new" perspective from me in explaining these "lame" rules of Algebra.  I do try to get away from formality, but on the practical side, get the students engaged in the nature of problem solving, if not mechanical manipulation.  After setting the ALEKS platform to do only PROGRESSIVE checks, they will not see the material again after mastering it, in order to expose them to as many topics as possible.

Diverting to my strategy, I divided the grading into four basic areas.  I grade the students on 25% pie slices (mastery), 25% on their time working (not idle), 25% of taking knowledge checks based on topics they covered, and 25% of topics they actually learned (based on criteria set).  After two weeks, I find this method to be successful, however I do not recommend it for mainstream learning, as there are so many more rich tasks which can accomplish similar results over a longer time frame.

By the way, I do try to implement about 10 minutes of "easy" math/problem solving in games. As my class is not a direct instruction, but a very detailed/individualized plan for each student, they benefit from a brain break as well as compete for prizes for those who "win."

For my fall classes, I am thrilled to be able to take over some of the upper classes my colleague taught before retiring.  I plan to use some of the same strategies I've mentioned in previous blogs in those classes as well.

Til I chalk again,

Mr. Shel



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