What works (for me) this year

I am trying new things. For example, the picture you see is my front door surrounded by leaf bag pumpkins. Decorations seem to be so expensive after post epidemic, I decided to be more crafty. While not as fancy as the neighbors, it worked.

That got me thinking because of the changes I've had to go through since coming back to my home-district as a math teacher. It was a desire to almost create a Brand, something that made my classroom and routines unique, while not trying to piggy back off of someone else's style, as I had done in the past.

Most teachers know this as a "steal and adapt" method, but it seems to be a Frankenstein creation without developing your purpose and meaning for your classroom.

Teachers, YOU decide how you are going to start the class period. Make it relatable, base it off your current work and/or topics. In fact, I make warm ups based on Notice and Wonder (see previous posts on Sara Van Der Werf's references) or compare and contrast. Ever since Andrew Stadel came out with his Estimation 180 page, I have worked on "perfecting" the delivery of this for my 8th grade Algebra 1 classes. They have developed such a routine that they look forward to coming in to class on time to see what the next Estimation180 problem is for Tuesday (for me, tomorrow). Andrew has developed sheets for teachers to print out and use. He has an estimation for 260 day calendar, so one could use this as their daily warmups. Me-- I like to switch it up with different puzzles, WODB, etc. I have curated and ready to give any day of the week. This works for me, but not necessarily the next teacher.

I also have numerous brain puzzles that I keep in the back of the room, and this is also something kids have learned to selfishly grab and play with in the classroom. Sometimes they ask if they can get a candy for solving it (of course!). Thank you @svdwerf for pushing this idea.

One final thought, cell phones. I have tried in the past to "encourage" students to put their cell phones in the back, and now I have a cell hotel (wooden box with four rows and six columns). Each "room" has a floor and a number; i.e., top floor is A, then B, etc. with rooms numbered from one to four.

As this post is noticeably late into the year, will most likely try to make another before Christmas.

Til I chalk again,

Mr. Shel

Comments

Easter - time for renewal of ideas

I have been very remiss about keeping up my blog (mainly for me), but you have not yet checked Mathbits from MCTM, I highly encourage you to do so (not just because there is an article from me about my last plug for spring conference). Why the picture? It represents some fundamental changes at our house. My daughter, as pictured, has been interning out in the Chicago area to develop her media production skills to get better at her trade. Most recently, her dog, Brice, has also (more recently) made that transition by riding back out there with her. It makes me reflect and wonder what's the point of what I am doing right now? Do I have a mission to do other things and work with others since I no longer need to "watch over" the dog, nor tend to any immediate needs of my daughter. I think most frequently, especially because of the pandemic, school students have developed this attitude, "What's the point? Why do we have to have math class?" I...

Times of Transition

I used to DESIRE to dig into research and to experiment and try a hypothesis in my classroom. Since COVID I have felt complacent and unsupported to try anything. This is the danger of not just the pandemic, but ANY major situation. Then I also became involved with MCTM and worked with people whose desire was to make math more connected again. There were several feeling the same way as I did, and for once that gave some comfort. I've discovered through personal study and investment in my thinking habits, (as mentioned in previous posts) that I am an Architect. Not by trade, but by mindful construction of the "Big Picture" and commanding the tools, resources, and assets I am connected to make it happen. Not to brag, far from it, for Architects also are behind the scenes people, and some have the opposite of superiority complex; that is to say, an inferiority complex. This is a dangerous feeling to have, especially if one is in a competiti...

Hope for the next standards....

Though the picture represents a different reason for my mug smile (taken in May 2022), it makes me feel the same way to try to continue to hope for the future of math standards. Currently we are working underneath the 2007 Minnesota Math Standards, and version III of the new standards have been out for comment by the public. Before, there were general ideas what was supposed to be presented to Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, upper standards (advanced data and statistics), but yet did not account for the College Now or other preparatory math many schools have implemented to be competitive. Here's a case example of hope for improvement. Currently I teach Algebra 1 to the eighth graders in our district. The curriculum we have is very rigorous (that is to say, the book focuses on rational exponents), and gives students little practice with integer exponents to build their confidence. This gap, paired with a low numeracy and low fraction exposure fr...

Blackboard Notes

Search This Blog