Next year our school is going to block scheduling. I'm not too happy about it (how will I successfully get the students to practice good skills every day? how can I adjust the topics so that they learn all I want them to learn? how in the world did they get 20% more work out of us without paying us 20% more?) , but since it's happening, I will use the summer to get ready. My strategy is to read a book our school provided for us (Teaching to the Block) and to scour the internet for ideas. We're going to an ABC block, I believe, Mondays (C) all 8 classes, T/Th (A) 1,3,5,7, W/F (B) 2,4,6,8.
Things I need to do:
* Plan a toolbox-full of ways to structure each class in general so they don't sit in one place for too long.
* Rearrange the topic list (especially AP calculus) so that we learn enough.
* Other stuff/issues/challenges I'm probably not aware of yet.
On top of that we're starting school 2 weeks later than usual, and I'm stressing about finishing up my AP Calculus topics in time to review for the AP exam. Deep breaths. I can do it.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Learning
This past Saturday we had our last full-day National Board Cohort meeting before the summer. Again I learned things about learning and teaching since I was in the student mode. For one activity we were to learn about 3 of the 4 portfolio entries we were to submit. There are 3 HS math teachers going through the program, so we each learned one and then "jigsaw" taught each other. There was a sheet of paper we were to fill out with prompts for information we needed to focus on. I liked this scaffolding and want to adapt it next year to help the students get used to reading math textbooks. I did a bit of it last year, but I think with our new textbook adoption, the new books will be more readable.
I learned that I hesitate to ask questions when the others seemed to be working so efficiently. There was one prompt I couldn't find an answer to, and instead of "looking dumb" and asking the others, I floundered around for a while. Sheesh, it gives me empathy for students not wanting to ask questions and such.
I also learned that I didn't like the jigsawing too much. Maybe I'm too much of a control freak, but in the back of my mind, I kept thinking, "well, I can go over this more carefully myself later". Or maybe I'm missing the point. Maybe each person concentrates really well on one topic and learns it to teach it to the others and then when the others are teaching their topic, you're to go along and skim the pages while they're teaching and ask good questions and learn that way.
We also did this brainstorming activity where we were to write down all our teaching duties and accomplishments and how we contribute to the profession. The leader gave us sticky note pads, put us in a group of 2 or 3, and we were to write one accomplishment per note. Then we were to share with each other and combine the notes and organize them into categories. At the beginning of the activity (come to find out afterwards) we were all thinking that we didn't do much and how could we think of anything. Then through the discussion with our group mates, things one person noted prompted us to remember more than we could if we were by ourselves. And then the organizing of it all made it all stick in my mind more effectively. So, I don't know how I can use this as a teacher, but I know there has to be some learning task which lends itself to this in math. Not just remembering of facts or processes, but something.
I learned that I hesitate to ask questions when the others seemed to be working so efficiently. There was one prompt I couldn't find an answer to, and instead of "looking dumb" and asking the others, I floundered around for a while. Sheesh, it gives me empathy for students not wanting to ask questions and such.
I also learned that I didn't like the jigsawing too much. Maybe I'm too much of a control freak, but in the back of my mind, I kept thinking, "well, I can go over this more carefully myself later". Or maybe I'm missing the point. Maybe each person concentrates really well on one topic and learns it to teach it to the others and then when the others are teaching their topic, you're to go along and skim the pages while they're teaching and ask good questions and learn that way.
We also did this brainstorming activity where we were to write down all our teaching duties and accomplishments and how we contribute to the profession. The leader gave us sticky note pads, put us in a group of 2 or 3, and we were to write one accomplishment per note. Then we were to share with each other and combine the notes and organize them into categories. At the beginning of the activity (come to find out afterwards) we were all thinking that we didn't do much and how could we think of anything. Then through the discussion with our group mates, things one person noted prompted us to remember more than we could if we were by ourselves. And then the organizing of it all made it all stick in my mind more effectively. So, I don't know how I can use this as a teacher, but I know there has to be some learning task which lends itself to this in math. Not just remembering of facts or processes, but something.
Friday, May 25, 2007
It's REALLY the last day
We just have to go in today to check out and pack up and celebrate our successes. Also, our school is named after a still-living phenomenal educator, so this person will come to our last luncheon. Good times.
Ultimately, I can say that I had good kids this year. Translation: no mean-spirited, nasty-in-class, drag-down-the-atmosphere students. Whew. I even ended up liking my pain-in-the-butt will-you-stop-TALKING students.
I had a student leave an interesting comment in my "year book". Now this kid basically stopped working in AP Calculus. He did not turn in one shred of homework the last 6 weeks. I was constantly on him, but not effectively. Anyway, in my book he wrote, "thanks for caring enough to bug me about my homework". Hmmm, that gives me incentive to keep it up.
I also worked graduation. This year, I was not in charge of a row of students, but got to stand in the back. At first I felt like an extra, but then I saw the great advantage here. As the kids filed back to their seats from walking the stage, I was in a prime hugging spot. And boy were there lots of hugs and tears. I've known a ton of these students for 3 to 4 years. I lost it a couple of times just thinking about not seeing them again.
I also snuck out "early" one day this week after finals for my 4th annual end-of-the-year matinee (Waitress). I'm usually either the only one in the theater or there's at most 2 other people. This year, there were about 10-14 people. What I want to know is, why aren't you at work people? Did you all just get done giving finals? Maybe today I'll start my 1st annual 2nd matinee during finals week tradition (Namesake).
Ultimately, I can say that I had good kids this year. Translation: no mean-spirited, nasty-in-class, drag-down-the-atmosphere students. Whew. I even ended up liking my pain-in-the-butt will-you-stop-TALKING students.
I had a student leave an interesting comment in my "year book". Now this kid basically stopped working in AP Calculus. He did not turn in one shred of homework the last 6 weeks. I was constantly on him, but not effectively. Anyway, in my book he wrote, "thanks for caring enough to bug me about my homework". Hmmm, that gives me incentive to keep it up.
I also worked graduation. This year, I was not in charge of a row of students, but got to stand in the back. At first I felt like an extra, but then I saw the great advantage here. As the kids filed back to their seats from walking the stage, I was in a prime hugging spot. And boy were there lots of hugs and tears. I've known a ton of these students for 3 to 4 years. I lost it a couple of times just thinking about not seeing them again.
I also snuck out "early" one day this week after finals for my 4th annual end-of-the-year matinee (Waitress). I'm usually either the only one in the theater or there's at most 2 other people. This year, there were about 10-14 people. What I want to know is, why aren't you at work people? Did you all just get done giving finals? Maybe today I'll start my 1st annual 2nd matinee during finals week tradition (Namesake).
Saturday, May 19, 2007
End of the Year
Yippee! One more week of school, and it basically is all finals. Love. It. On Friday I gave my AP calculus students an in-class "final" of writing either a "Dear John" or a love letter to calculus. I handed out colored paper because for some reason, things are just more fun to do on nonwhite paper. Shockingly :), most of the letters were of the "we're breaking up" variety. I gave them specs that they had to have at least 2 compliments with explanations and at least 2 faults with justification and that they had to add something extra to "wow me" and that it had to be a page long.
Boy are they creative. Some highlights:
"I like you sister, precalculus, better"
"Things were fine until I met your crazy relatives - related rates"
"You're too complicated for me. I need a simple relationship"
"How dare you cheat on me with Physics"
"p.s. you're following me to college, not the other way around"
"thank you for making me feel special. You made me feel like I could do any problem that was thrown at me"
"I love how you make me think all the time, even though sometimes you hurt me"
"It's not you. It's me. You're cutting into my personal time"
"We had our problems and had to get counseling from Ms. Cookie. Then things got better"
"You pushed me to the limit"
"I know I won't miss your related rates, which relate to my painful headaches"
Boy are they creative. Some highlights:
"I like you sister, precalculus, better"
"Things were fine until I met your crazy relatives - related rates"
"You're too complicated for me. I need a simple relationship"
"How dare you cheat on me with Physics"
"p.s. you're following me to college, not the other way around"
"thank you for making me feel special. You made me feel like I could do any problem that was thrown at me"
"I love how you make me think all the time, even though sometimes you hurt me"
"It's not you. It's me. You're cutting into my personal time"
"We had our problems and had to get counseling from Ms. Cookie. Then things got better"
"You pushed me to the limit"
"I know I won't miss your related rates, which relate to my painful headaches"
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Doing Your Best
There's a girl in my precalculus class, a junior, who has spotty attendance, and by that I mean that there have been weeks at a time when she would show up maybe 3 total times. I had her 2 years ago in geometry, so I know her. I also asked her algebra 2 teacher from last year if she had any problems with her, and she mentioned her multiple absences.
When she came back from her last absences, I asked her what the deal was in a nice teacherly way, and she just shrugged. I asked her if everything was okay, and she said it was, not too convincingly. I asked her if she had someone to talk to, and she nodded. She said she was trying. So I basically left it at that, and said that if she needed help to please come in, and to make sure she got caught up.
Well, she keeps saying lately that she has a ton of work to turn in to me, and that she keeps forgetting it. She also came in after school today and got tutoring. And I don't mean the fake tutoring where the student makes a show of getting help, but just wants to quickly complete the assignment just to get the grade. She was asking good questions and actually getting it. I have a good feeling that she will turn in all her work that she's missing.
... I've started this new exercise program with these videos of weight lifting and cardio, and the trainer has all these goofy sayings, but one keeps running through my mind: do your best, and forget the rest. What a great thing to live by. As long as you're putting out your best effort, it doesn't matter what others are doing, it doesn't matter if it's not "good enough". If you can honestly say you've done your best, then that's what it's about. Now I don't know if it's this girl's best effort, but maybe it's what she can do right now. At least she's coming back and not just shrugging her shoulders and giving up because it's too much to make up. Go her.
When she came back from her last absences, I asked her what the deal was in a nice teacherly way, and she just shrugged. I asked her if everything was okay, and she said it was, not too convincingly. I asked her if she had someone to talk to, and she nodded. She said she was trying. So I basically left it at that, and said that if she needed help to please come in, and to make sure she got caught up.
Well, she keeps saying lately that she has a ton of work to turn in to me, and that she keeps forgetting it. She also came in after school today and got tutoring. And I don't mean the fake tutoring where the student makes a show of getting help, but just wants to quickly complete the assignment just to get the grade. She was asking good questions and actually getting it. I have a good feeling that she will turn in all her work that she's missing.
... I've started this new exercise program with these videos of weight lifting and cardio, and the trainer has all these goofy sayings, but one keeps running through my mind: do your best, and forget the rest. What a great thing to live by. As long as you're putting out your best effort, it doesn't matter what others are doing, it doesn't matter if it's not "good enough". If you can honestly say you've done your best, then that's what it's about. Now I don't know if it's this girl's best effort, but maybe it's what she can do right now. At least she's coming back and not just shrugging her shoulders and giving up because it's too much to make up. Go her.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Recent Reminders
* Sometimes students are happy when you change their seats away from their friends. Now they can concentrate on the lesson.
* Students don't always make the right choice about how they choose to study for the AP exam. No, it's not a good idea to just let them work problems without turning them in. It's too easy to let it slide.
* Just because 7th period made you grumpy, it's no reason to start 8th period in a bad mood.
* Snacks are always appreciated and may even make some students work more effectively.
* Learning is hard work. Humor helps.
* Students don't always make the right choice about how they choose to study for the AP exam. No, it's not a good idea to just let them work problems without turning them in. It's too easy to let it slide.
* Just because 7th period made you grumpy, it's no reason to start 8th period in a bad mood.
* Snacks are always appreciated and may even make some students work more effectively.
* Learning is hard work. Humor helps.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Memory Tools
Yesterday I had passed out a colored sheet of paper and asked my calculus class what topics they want to review as a class and also any suggestions on how we spend our class review time. They were to list a topic, and if their topic was already listed, they were to put a check mark by it, so I could gauge popularity. One of the topics they stressed was derivatives of trig and inverse trig functions.
Today, I listed the 12 trig and inverse trig functions on the overhead and discussed memory tools I had for the derivatives of the 6 trig functions (all the "c" ones are negative; there's always 2 secants and a tangent; cotangent is like the pesky little brother of tangent and wants to be just like him; cosecant ditto to secant). Then I gave them 3 minutes, and they were to come up with memory tools for the inverse trig functions. I didn't know how it was going to work, but there were several good discussions going.
As we met back as a class, the ideas were slow at first, and then I don't know what happened, but as a class they came up with several good ones to remember the derivatives of the inverse trig functions (sin^(-1), cos^(-1), ...):
* if the name has a "t" in it, then there's a "+" (1+xx) which looks like "t"
* if there's an "s" anywhere in the name of the function, it involves a "s"quare root
* anything starting with a "c" has a negative (think grade c-)
* we learn sine and cosine 1st, so those are "1-xx" (as opposed to "xx-1")
Whew! I think those may even help me remember the inverse trig derivatives :).
Today, I listed the 12 trig and inverse trig functions on the overhead and discussed memory tools I had for the derivatives of the 6 trig functions (all the "c" ones are negative; there's always 2 secants and a tangent; cotangent is like the pesky little brother of tangent and wants to be just like him; cosecant ditto to secant). Then I gave them 3 minutes, and they were to come up with memory tools for the inverse trig functions. I didn't know how it was going to work, but there were several good discussions going.
As we met back as a class, the ideas were slow at first, and then I don't know what happened, but as a class they came up with several good ones to remember the derivatives of the inverse trig functions (sin^(-1), cos^(-1), ...):
* if the name has a "t" in it, then there's a "+" (1+xx) which looks like "t"
* if there's an "s" anywhere in the name of the function, it involves a "s"quare root
* anything starting with a "c" has a negative (think grade c-)
* we learn sine and cosine 1st, so those are "1-xx" (as opposed to "xx-1")
Whew! I think those may even help me remember the inverse trig derivatives :).
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Review
Yesterday I gave a mock AP calculus exam for my students while the rest of the school population was taking the state-mandated exit exam (yay TAKS). Three hours and 45 minutes or so of testing. Oh my goodness. For the most part (aside from doing some chores here and there), I took the BC exam with my students. Whew! I got exhausted from the extended mental challenge, so I can empathize with them when they come back from the test looking drained.
I can also empathize with them on another aspect. This is the first year I'm teaching BC, so it's the first year in a long time (and maybe ever for some topics) that I've seen various things: calculus on polar functions, on series, parametrics, logistic growth, etc. And in my treadmill type of year, I haven't revisited those topics since I taught them weeks and weeks ago. So. As I'm taking the exam and the topics come up, I felt like the students. I remember seeing the topics. I know I understood them when we were doing them. I'm not a stupid person. I just don't remember the details on some of them. I guess I must be human.
Here's to me not thinking of review in class as a "wasted day when we could be learning something new and why don't they review on their own what kind of students are they and I'm enabling them by hand holding them through a review oh my gosh the next thing you know I'm going to have to wipe their noses for them". Here's to me thinking of a review as a necessary part of the learning process that's worth "taking a day for". I could also think of it as money in the bank for the later part of the year when we take many days to review for the actual exam. Maybe it'll be an opportunity to think of memorizing tricks.
Aside: as a class we came up with a good one for memorizing the Taylor series expansion of sin x, cos x, and e^x. The sine function contains the odd numbers of the pattern, the cosine contains the even numbers, and the e function contains all the numbers in the pattern. So. The "i" in sine looks like 1, and that's odd. The "o" in cosine looks like zero, and that's even. And. "e" for everything. Woot woot. It worked as I was taking the test.
I can also empathize with them on another aspect. This is the first year I'm teaching BC, so it's the first year in a long time (and maybe ever for some topics) that I've seen various things: calculus on polar functions, on series, parametrics, logistic growth, etc. And in my treadmill type of year, I haven't revisited those topics since I taught them weeks and weeks ago. So. As I'm taking the exam and the topics come up, I felt like the students. I remember seeing the topics. I know I understood them when we were doing them. I'm not a stupid person. I just don't remember the details on some of them. I guess I must be human.
Here's to me not thinking of review in class as a "wasted day when we could be learning something new and why don't they review on their own what kind of students are they and I'm enabling them by hand holding them through a review oh my gosh the next thing you know I'm going to have to wipe their noses for them". Here's to me thinking of a review as a necessary part of the learning process that's worth "taking a day for". I could also think of it as money in the bank for the later part of the year when we take many days to review for the actual exam. Maybe it'll be an opportunity to think of memorizing tricks.
Aside: as a class we came up with a good one for memorizing the Taylor series expansion of sin x, cos x, and e^x. The sine function contains the odd numbers of the pattern, the cosine contains the even numbers, and the e function contains all the numbers in the pattern. So. The "i" in sine looks like 1, and that's odd. The "o" in cosine looks like zero, and that's even. And. "e" for everything. Woot woot. It worked as I was taking the test.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Class Atmosphere
Last night in tap dance class, as sometimes happens, the teacher started teaching us a combination I swear at a revved up speed. She kept showing us the steps (say 8 sounds) quickly, and before I knew it it was over and I'd maybe got one sound. Then she'd do it again and I got the 1st and the 2nd sound. Then again, and I got the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd sound, etc. I was getting frustrated. She was getting frustrated. "Come on people. These are all steps you know. This class is about putting these steps to a different rhythm. If you're not getting it, then you're not practicing your basics at home. You've all seen this before."
I had a teaching epiphany. I eventually got the steps. But she was going too fast for my comprehension. She was chastising us for not practicing. It wasn't that I didn't want to learn and master the steps, it was just that I needed it taught in a different way. I started getting mad at her, and I didn't even want to hear the sound of her voice. It wasn't MY fault, it was HERS, I muttered to myself.
Then I thought about my teaching. I could see myself in class getting frustrated (hopefully internally) with the students as some of the them struggle with basic concepts that we've gone over in the past that I thought should be second nature to them, and they still didn't get it.
I hope to remember from last night's experience that everyone is human, people have a lot on their minds. It's not that they don't want to be successful in class, they just need a diplomatic reminder of past concepts and a helpful hand to guide them to understanding and mastery.
I had a teaching epiphany. I eventually got the steps. But she was going too fast for my comprehension. She was chastising us for not practicing. It wasn't that I didn't want to learn and master the steps, it was just that I needed it taught in a different way. I started getting mad at her, and I didn't even want to hear the sound of her voice. It wasn't MY fault, it was HERS, I muttered to myself.
Then I thought about my teaching. I could see myself in class getting frustrated (hopefully internally) with the students as some of the them struggle with basic concepts that we've gone over in the past that I thought should be second nature to them, and they still didn't get it.
I hope to remember from last night's experience that everyone is human, people have a lot on their minds. It's not that they don't want to be successful in class, they just need a diplomatic reminder of past concepts and a helpful hand to guide them to understanding and mastery.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Moment of Clarity
I'm going along, happily teaching logs and 10^x and e^x and ln(x) and making sure to put in cool examples and practice and descriptions. I especially was proud of my continual stressing to them to ask the question of themselves, "what is it asking for?" when faced with the equation y = "log base something of something".
I made sure to stress that log of a particular base can be rewritten in an exponential form and visa versa, and I said that they basically represent the same information. I also made sure to stress that logs of a base and that base to a power are inverse operations of each other. Can you see where I'm going with this one?
Well. Today when a student was reviewing for a test she casually mentioned that in the equation y = log a c you can just replace the right hand side with a^c because it means the same thing. Argh. Big miscommunication. I hopefully cured her of her nonunderstanding, but how many other kiddies are lurking out there thinking the same thing?
I made sure to stress that log of a particular base can be rewritten in an exponential form and visa versa, and I said that they basically represent the same information. I also made sure to stress that logs of a base and that base to a power are inverse operations of each other. Can you see where I'm going with this one?
Well. Today when a student was reviewing for a test she casually mentioned that in the equation y = log a c you can just replace the right hand side with a^c because it means the same thing. Argh. Big miscommunication. I hopefully cured her of her nonunderstanding, but how many other kiddies are lurking out there thinking the same thing?
Monday, April 02, 2007
Random Things
I like when I individually tutor my kids after school, and in that 1-on-1 time, it's easier for me to probe their misunderstandings and ask the right guiding questions to get them on the correct track to solving a problem. Then I can use that information later in class because I'm sure that there are others having similar problems.
I like how being part of the public education system and interacting with kids every day forces me to take a deep breath and start anew every day even when I had a rough day yesterday and REALLY disliked a particular kid's behavior. I have learned (mostly :) ) to dislike the behavior and not (mainly) the kid (on a good day). (apparently with all my "(" and ")", I still have some learning to do).
I like how I constantly learn things from my kids. The other day 2 students were talking, and I didn't hear what the boy said, but I heard the girl's response, "wow, that was really gross. I don't know how to respond to that", and how she put it back on the boy instead of being embarassed.
I like how being part of the public education system and interacting with kids every day forces me to take a deep breath and start anew every day even when I had a rough day yesterday and REALLY disliked a particular kid's behavior. I have learned (mostly :) ) to dislike the behavior and not (mainly) the kid (on a good day). (apparently with all my "(" and ")", I still have some learning to do).
I like how I constantly learn things from my kids. The other day 2 students were talking, and I didn't hear what the boy said, but I heard the girl's response, "wow, that was really gross. I don't know how to respond to that", and how she put it back on the boy instead of being embarassed.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Playing Catch Up
Hey, maybe someday soon I can come up for air from beneath all the piles of grading that are taking over my classroom desk and spreading to other pieces of furniture. I sure miss having my student aid (who got pregnant and left and is now only coming to school part time). It doesn't help that I went on my 3 trips (2 over spring break and one to NCTM) and didn't take papers to grade. ... Get over it and grade.
I remember when I first came to Texas 4 years ago and went to a local math workshop and somebody casually mentioned that she collects and grades homework EVERY day. Me, coming from another school district in another state, who only glanced at homework in class at most 3 times a week, I was stunned. Who has the time? Ew. Now I've joined the land of daily graders (only on completion and effort, though). Apparently, I'm not a full-fledged active citizen yet, though.
I remember when I first came to Texas 4 years ago and went to a local math workshop and somebody casually mentioned that she collects and grades homework EVERY day. Me, coming from another school district in another state, who only glanced at homework in class at most 3 times a week, I was stunned. Who has the time? Ew. Now I've joined the land of daily graders (only on completion and effort, though). Apparently, I'm not a full-fledged active citizen yet, though.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
NCTM
I just got back from NCTM, and as usual, absorbed some great math and bought some potentially useful books. I loved Steve Leinwand's talk. He made several good points. For example, he does (did?) 5 minutes of cumulative review EVERY day. That adds up to 15 hours of instruction a school year, and his argument was that no one learns a topic after 2 lectures and 2 homework assignment. They need refreshers. He also uses the review to pause and point out meanings of various vocabulary terms, indicating that the really low-performing students are stunted by their lack of knowledge of what you're talking about (meanings of math terms).
I also learned a great calcululator trick. To graph a piecewise function, you can do it all in Y1 as:
Y1 = (x+1)( x<2)
+ (3x-7)(x>2)
all on one line to graph x+1 for values less than 2 and 3x-7 for values greater than 2.
A North Dakota teacher discussed how she teaches polar graphing of limacons and lemniscates and flowers so that it sticks in the students' heads.
I bought books on differentiating instruction for high school math (woot woot, you never find it for this level and this topic) and a "share & compare" strategy book for math. There's also a math joke book from Nasco for calculus I had to have.
Someone shared with me that the fun math ladies (?) instead of always putting name_____ on the top of tests vary it like:
math star ______
_______ loves fractions
future mathematician _______
etc.
So all in all, useful conference.
I also learned a great calcululator trick. To graph a piecewise function, you can do it all in Y1 as:
Y1 = (x+1)( x<2)
+ (3x-7)(x>2)
all on one line to graph x+1 for values less than 2 and 3x-7 for values greater than 2.
A North Dakota teacher discussed how she teaches polar graphing of limacons and lemniscates and flowers so that it sticks in the students' heads.
I bought books on differentiating instruction for high school math (woot woot, you never find it for this level and this topic) and a "share & compare" strategy book for math. There's also a math joke book from Nasco for calculus I had to have.
Someone shared with me that the fun math ladies (?) instead of always putting name_____ on the top of tests vary it like:
math star ______
_______ loves fractions
future mathematician _______
etc.
So all in all, useful conference.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Saving Weekend Time
I used to be so excited that I found a way to wash my overhead slides on the weekend. I'd put them in the sink with water, and then swoosh them around one by one and rinse of the excess ink and then put them in between pages of a large phone book.
I used to be so excited ... until it started taking about 45 minutes or so every weekend ... that's when I started slacking off on the job and cursing the slides.
It finally clicked in my head, and what I'd seen many others do and I hadn't been "ready to learn yet" ... well, I finally got it. So last weekend I bought a small spray bottle (5" high or so), and confiscated some of my husband's tired old holey socks, and this week so far, right after each class, that's me. Spritz, spritz, spritz. Wipe, wipe, wipe. No weekend slides. If my calculations are correct: about 5 slides per class x 5 classes x 5 days each week = a bazillion slides I now don't have to dread cleaning each weekend. Bring it on.
I used to be so excited ... until it started taking about 45 minutes or so every weekend ... that's when I started slacking off on the job and cursing the slides.
It finally clicked in my head, and what I'd seen many others do and I hadn't been "ready to learn yet" ... well, I finally got it. So last weekend I bought a small spray bottle (5" high or so), and confiscated some of my husband's tired old holey socks, and this week so far, right after each class, that's me. Spritz, spritz, spritz. Wipe, wipe, wipe. No weekend slides. If my calculations are correct: about 5 slides per class x 5 classes x 5 days each week = a bazillion slides I now don't have to dread cleaning each weekend. Bring it on.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
I Don't Trust Past History Enough
Every year when I get a new crop of students, we go through an adjustment phase. With some students and classes, it's immediate. With others it takes a while, and with the few rare others, summer comes, and we still haven't adjusted to each other. But like clockwork, every year about this time in mid to late February, we seem to hit our stride, and even though I may have liked or not liked so much various classes, then BY NOW, I really like them all the majority of the time. Yet every year I say, "no this year it's different. I'm not going to click with this class." And most every year I've been proven wrong (slow learner). I've started clicking this year.
A funny moment today: my last period class was trying to sway me to have some free time or something or another today, and they all start chiming in. I interrupted with, "this is not a democracy. It's a monarchy." And then someone piped up with, "yea, but aren't monarchs basically powerless?". We got back to our lesson.
A funny moment today: my last period class was trying to sway me to have some free time or something or another today, and they all start chiming in. I interrupted with, "this is not a democracy. It's a monarchy." And then someone piped up with, "yea, but aren't monarchs basically powerless?". We got back to our lesson.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Promoting Smart
Today I was out doing chores, wearing my PCMI t-shirt that says "Computational Complexity Theory" with an intricate Turing Machine picture. The teenage girl cashier at Target kept glancing at my shirt off and on while she was scanning my items. ... I choose to believe she was thinking, "gee it's okay to be smart" (instead of, "who's this geek I'm helping, and why is she advertising her geekiness").
In the current culture of idolizing celebrities and materialistic behavior with gucci this and prada that and who got botox here and who's divorcing what actor there, I want to start promoting smartness - not in the obnoxious "I'm smarter than you" way, but in the "hey, being smart and working hard is something good to strive for" way.
My list of t-shirt logos I want to make/buy:
Fractions Are Your Friends
Math Rules
Nerdy Girl
I *heart* Math
.... maybe I'll be crafty and make some with my school name on the back so that I can wear them on "spirit" days.
In the current culture of idolizing celebrities and materialistic behavior with gucci this and prada that and who got botox here and who's divorcing what actor there, I want to start promoting smartness - not in the obnoxious "I'm smarter than you" way, but in the "hey, being smart and working hard is something good to strive for" way.
My list of t-shirt logos I want to make/buy:
Fractions Are Your Friends
Math Rules
Nerdy Girl
I *heart* Math
.... maybe I'll be crafty and make some with my school name on the back so that I can wear them on "spirit" days.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
What Do Mathematicians Do?
I've had this inkling of an idea for a while now, but I never seem to have the time or umph to put it into action, and here comes a student after school today who reminds me. She wanted to know what you could do with a math degree and what sorts of jobs there were and what did the people actually do all day and did they interact with others or did they just sit and do math at a desk for hours and hours.
My idea was to interview different people who had jobs heavy with math duties and make posters to hang up either in my room or around the hallways. The posters would have a picture of the person, their job title, their degree, and various specifics about their job and how they got it and such. That's just the bare bones of the idea.
This student really wanted to know because she was testing out different versions of her future to see what would fit. After we talked for a bit, she said that maybe the students should do this for credit (or extra credit). Hmmmmm, I'd have to come up with the specifics and such, but it just may work .... or at least be worth trying.
My idea was to interview different people who had jobs heavy with math duties and make posters to hang up either in my room or around the hallways. The posters would have a picture of the person, their job title, their degree, and various specifics about their job and how they got it and such. That's just the bare bones of the idea.
This student really wanted to know because she was testing out different versions of her future to see what would fit. After we talked for a bit, she said that maybe the students should do this for credit (or extra credit). Hmmmmm, I'd have to come up with the specifics and such, but it just may work .... or at least be worth trying.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Teaching in a Vacuum
Most times I get so caught up and busy in preparing and teaching and such, that I forget to talk to other teachers about teaching things or things that happen during teaching. Last Friday I had the chance to chat for about 10 minutes with another teacher, and now I have to remind myself to do it more often.
The day before had been horrendous. A kid had MAJORLY back-talked me in class, and wasn't even sorry about it. I found out my calculus answer manual had been stolen earlier in the week. I had the audit hanging over my shoulders feeling guilty because I hadn't finished it yet. And finally, I needed to finish the National Board Certification application.
So here I was having a pity party in my head and not feeling very chipper. I started telling her about the one thing (poopy kid), and she related a similar incident with "entitled" girls in her last period. I mentioned the theft over the weekend, and she said her room was in disarray (drinks spilled and not cleaned up), too, from some unannounced use of our rooms. I started feeling better, so then I mentioned the other 2 things, and she was also struggling to finish the tasks.
Whew! It didn't make my grief go away, but it sure lessened it to hear sympathetic noises from someone else. I must share more often and maybe find I'm not alone in these minor and major annoyances of the school day.
The day before had been horrendous. A kid had MAJORLY back-talked me in class, and wasn't even sorry about it. I found out my calculus answer manual had been stolen earlier in the week. I had the audit hanging over my shoulders feeling guilty because I hadn't finished it yet. And finally, I needed to finish the National Board Certification application.
So here I was having a pity party in my head and not feeling very chipper. I started telling her about the one thing (poopy kid), and she related a similar incident with "entitled" girls in her last period. I mentioned the theft over the weekend, and she said her room was in disarray (drinks spilled and not cleaned up), too, from some unannounced use of our rooms. I started feeling better, so then I mentioned the other 2 things, and she was also struggling to finish the tasks.
Whew! It didn't make my grief go away, but it sure lessened it to hear sympathetic noises from someone else. I must share more often and maybe find I'm not alone in these minor and major annoyances of the school day.
Monday, February 05, 2007
A Tough School
A senior was telling me today of her recent college interviews with alumni.
A little background here. Our school apparently has a reputation as a "tough" school (translation: people think that because most students aren't white that maybe there are more fights and drugs and gang activity here as opposed to the wealthier whiter schools around). I don't know what people imagine, but I'm guessing they think they wouldn't feel safe at our school. Who knows. I am a perfectly safe whitey, and I teach great kids. The only "poopy" ones are the few bad teenage attitudes in the halls when I (heaven-forbid) ask them to comply with various rules (hats, music, cell phones, wandering...), and I get that from a nice variety of races.
So anyway, this one alumni to interview her lives here, and one of her first questions was: "So is ____ a tough school?". My student replied, "yes, all the classes I'm taking are pretty challenging." (not knowing her implication). The lady asked again, apparently, in another way, and my student defended our school. Woot woot.
We then proceeded to be verbally angry with this woman. But I guess we're guilty of the same thing as she was at times. When we hear of ______ down the street, our wealthier/whiter counterpart, we conjure up all sorts of stereotypes about their monied existence. Whose misjudgment is worse?
A little background here. Our school apparently has a reputation as a "tough" school (translation: people think that because most students aren't white that maybe there are more fights and drugs and gang activity here as opposed to the wealthier whiter schools around). I don't know what people imagine, but I'm guessing they think they wouldn't feel safe at our school. Who knows. I am a perfectly safe whitey, and I teach great kids. The only "poopy" ones are the few bad teenage attitudes in the halls when I (heaven-forbid) ask them to comply with various rules (hats, music, cell phones, wandering...), and I get that from a nice variety of races.
So anyway, this one alumni to interview her lives here, and one of her first questions was: "So is ____ a tough school?". My student replied, "yes, all the classes I'm taking are pretty challenging." (not knowing her implication). The lady asked again, apparently, in another way, and my student defended our school. Woot woot.
We then proceeded to be verbally angry with this woman. But I guess we're guilty of the same thing as she was at times. When we hear of ______ down the street, our wealthier/whiter counterpart, we conjure up all sorts of stereotypes about their monied existence. Whose misjudgment is worse?
Friday, February 02, 2007
National Board Certification
I've been thinking about applying for a while, and this week I went to an informational session for national board certification. It sounds like a TON of work and time, but it seems like it will be something that will force me to actively think about teaching and have the incentive to reflect more effectively. (and it's a ton of work and time). Our district is all gung ho about it, and will basically pay the ~$3000 it costs (youch) if a teacher sticks with the process. There's also the $2000 extra a year in the paycheck that doesn't hurt. ... Well, I have until mid February to decide.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)