Overcoming *current* Bad Habit...

I'd noticed lately (again!) that I'm treating my students like math robots. They are there to do my math homework. If I see them in the halls, my brain immediately scans through their work ethic and things they may or may not have done and tasks they have to take care of, and the FIRST thing to pop out of my mouth seems to be, "come in for tutoring" ... or "you need to make up your homework" ... or "why haven't you made up your absent work" .... or "what are you doing wandering the halls? you should be doing work".

Who invited Crabby Pants to the party?

Once I noticed that, I tried to just shove all those thoughts aside and settle on just a simple, "hello ... how are you?" type of greeting accompanied by a smile and a wait for an answer. I've taken a vow of "NICE". Don't know how long it will last. Also, I am NOT including my salty sailor mouth in the "nice" restrictions. I'm simply going to recognize these human kidlets as actual humans ... or try to anyway. Crossing my fingers that I can keep it up (until the next time I realize I've fallen off the "Nice" wagon).

Reflections

I'm totally sure this has been done to death, but I liked how this project turned out. We are doing a unit on transformations, and for the reflections portion, one of their homework assignments was this. In essence, they had to draw the x and y axes. They also had to draw the lines y=x and y=-x. Then they had to draw a word that was at least 4 letters long in the "first slice" (between the line y=x and the x-axis in the 1st quadrant). Then they had to reflect that word ALL around the lines and show some key points that they/I could check for accuracy.

I liked the "Reflection on the Reflection" piece I had them do in class when it was due (after they did a gallery walk). I asked them to write what they liked and disliked about the project and about their final product and if anything was challenging or easy or other such thoughts. It was enlightening to read their comments.

I didn't like that a ton of the final projects were such that their original word was "horizontal". That made it easier to reflect, I think. Maybe if I did this again, I'd say they had to do a "tilted word". I also think block letters may be a future requirement (for the challenge). I also think I may say that some letters have to have curves in them. Anyway, voila:

Calculator Shortcuts!

I just got back from the Dallas Regional NCTM conference. Amazing. I've only ever been to the national one in April, but we haven't been able to go for the last 3 years since it's right around state-wide-testing time. Now I actually think I enjoyed this Fall conference just as much. It was less headache to get to (other than the scrambling at the last minute to do lesson plans). It still had great talks. And it was in the beginning of the year, so I feel I could implement stuff I learned.

We went to great talks on brain research and precal projects and transformations in geometry. I bought some terrific books on formative assessment and other things. More later when I have time to process.

BUT.

One seemingly little thing that is BIG ... but maybe people already know it ... is regarding the TI-84-ish calculators. I've always done the VARS, Y-vars, bla bla bla to get to the Y1, Y2, etc. functions when I need them. Oh. No. There are shortcut menus. Who's been hiding the shortcut menus from me? I want names!

Apparently, when you enter: Alpha F4, then you get a whole range of shortcuts and can just chose Y1 or Y2 at your whim's desire. Here's a video, too.

What else have you been keeping from me?

Goofy Idea

I was finishing up my flipped lesson taping tonight when I saw the web cam and decided to take a picture to send to my husband who's on a trip. I added a goofy message and was done with it.

Then I got to thinking on my drive home, that I could totally use this on tests or worksheets for an extra added goofy factor. I can add mustaches or weird eyes with editing tools. I don't know how things will turn out in black and white, but here are some brief things to get the ball rolling:

Student Conversation

I was helping a calculus student with her test corrections, and we were chatting while she was writing things up. She said 2 interesting things. The first was:

Don't take this the wrong way ..... (that never ends well, does it?) .... but you make me feel stupid and smart at the same time.

She explained that when I look at some work she does to check it, I scrunch up my face in such a way that she interprets it as me internally saying, "what type of idiot would put this chicken scratch down and call it math." Then when I'm finished scrunching, I turn to her to explain with a bright cheery look on my face explaining the correct things she did and guiding her to fix certain things.

Sheesh. Little does she know that my face scrunching is just me thinking and squinting my eyes to see better without having to worry about how I look on the outside. Apparently, now it is true that LOOKS MATTER.

The second thing she said was that math makes her feel stupid.

Again with the SHEESH. She did have a good explanation, though, that she knows theoretically, but I don't think it translates to her heart of hearts.

She mentioned that (and she cutely says, "I don't mean to sound egotistical, but....") in other classes, she doesn't have to put out much effort to get good grades. Things come naturally to her, and it's just a matter of putting in the time. But with math, she has to actually think and if things don't come instantaneously to her, then it makes her feel stupid because of the experiences she has with other classes.

She also mentioned that even though she feels stupid in math class (now this is a girl that gets high B's and could get A's), inevitably on SATs and other standard tests, math is always her highest score. We thought about it for a bit. I'm not sure, but I think it's because in math class, it's new stuff that students are struggling with, but on standardized tests, it's more like a puzzle, and it's stuff they've seen before.

Anyway ..... here's to me making kids feel stupid .... yet smart at the same time. Woot! Just another job perk.

Trig Derivatives in Calculus

I find it fascinating that once you ask a student to find the equation of the tangent line to a trig-type function (say y = x*sin x) at x = pi, they completely blank out on finding a point on the line. What? I plug in pi? That's outrageous! Whoever heard of such a thing? Craziness. I vow to keep hammering away at equations of tangent lines this year. File...

Snips & Snippets

Okay, this 5 different preps thing and the club after school and the InvenTeam meetings and the NHS co-advising and the other start-of-the-year shenanigans is starting to make my eye twitch. I need to remember to take deep breaths and do my best and not worry about wanting everything to be perfect. I have to embrace a constant state of frantic-ness. I keep picturing myself with horse blinders on and JUST worrying about the present moment and juggling at most 2 or 3 other things in the back of my mind.

It's going to be great. It'll ALL be fine.

On a positive note. Love my students. Even though some of them are a pain in the patootie, they're still fun pains, and we've known each other for at least 2 years, so we can banter back and forth about our "loathing of each other". Ultimately, at my school, everyone really is trying to do their best, and we don't have to worry about sneaky, mean-spirited behavior, so I know I'm very fortunate in that respect.

And when there is bad behavior, I/we have to remember that the behavior ISN'T the person. It's just one aspect of the person. I kept scrunching my face and shaking my fist at the kid (in my mind) with a "what are you thinking?" and a "do you know what horrible behavior that is?" and a "what kind of upbringing did you HAVE?" and all that.

Then I just redefined the whole kid as THE PERSON WHO THINKS THAT IS OKAY TO DO. I have to remember (and it's a struggle, and it took me a while this time, and I don't know if I can keep it in mind consistently) that this is just ONE aspect of this student. They have many good qualities, and this was just one thing. They need to be called on the rug for it, but if no one does it, then they maybe don't realize how bad they've made others feel. I shouldn't write off the student. MUST. Keep. Remembering. This.

Computer Science Activities

I'm still finding my sea legs on how to best teach the material. I want the students to learn by doing, so we explore a ton. I haven't perfected a way for them to have easy, ready access to past information, though (without searching through tons of worksheets or old programs).

A student suggested a "goals" portion on each sheet, and I think it's a great idea, so I incorporated that. Also, through Haiku (an online teacher-type site our school purchased for us), I put some practice quizzes. I like it because I can see who and how they did. We JUST had our first quiz on strings and math, so I'll see how it's sticking.

Here are three recent activities on random numbers, a Math Quiz Project (that I've had good feedback on), and for loops:

Chugging Along

I'm still trying to get my groove going for my AP Calculus flipped class. I love it because the kids actually have time and energy now to do hard problems since they're doing them in class. I also like that I've had conversations that clarify things for the students. BUT. Here's an enlightening conversation I had on Friday. The kids had watched videos and took notes on the product rule and on the quotient rule. There was a day of practicing the product rule. Then then next time they were practicing the quotient rule.

My basic flipped calculus class structure is:
Take the IR quiz (fast immediate recall type questions).
Get started on the new practice problems to reinforce what you "learned" on the video.
I walk around and answer questions and make sure they are getting it.

So.

The students were working on these problems:



A student calls me over and asks: so how do we know when to use what rule ... product rule or the quotient rule.

Oy!

I guess I was making assumptions with this particular group of students that EVERYONE would clearly see when to use what.

I think writing this out has made me want to change up the class structure.

Possible New Structure:
Take the IR quiz (fast immediate recall type questions).
Use my guiding questions to have a discussion with your table about various key important parts of what you learned from the video and how it ties in to previous learning. (I think I also want to use this as an opportunity for students to talk with students OTHER than the ones at their table)
Journal about your understanding for about 3 minutes in your ISN.
Get started on the new practice problems to reinforce what you "learned" on the video. (possibly have less problems since they seem to be having a hard time finishing the ones I give)
I walk around and answer questions and make sure they are getting it.

Now that I write that, it seems obvious. Oh well, it's a learning process for me, too. I still like the flipped structure, but it's a work in progress for me.

Funnies of the Week...

* In Digital Electronics, we're working with resistors. In case you don't know, they're color coded with these TEENY TINY bands of color where red looks like orange and brown could be black or it could be brown. A student was needing a particular resistor strength, and I couldn't read the colors with my aging (47) eyes. A kid asked me why I wasn't wearing glasses. I mentioned that it was vanity, and if I got new glasses I'd have to get bifocals, and I wasn't ready. One kid asked, "what are bifocals?" Another kids started being helpful .... "it's these glasses you'll see old people ....." and she stopped ... and we all laughed ... some less genuinely than others.

* After school, another student was in for tutoring. I've had her for 5 different classes, so I've known her for a long time. She's Hispanic. She wanted help, and after I was resisting going over to help her, she jokingly said, "bring your big booty over here." Hah. .... "no! That's a compliment!". ..... (okay, 2 for 2 .... old and fat)

* Another kid in precalculus was lamenting the fact that I called a homework sheet, "Quadratic Quirkiness". "Please don't ever use the word 'quirky' again" she pleaded. Huh? Why? "Quirky sounds like Quaid, and I hate Dennis Quaid." Okay ..... Then she listed reasons. Okay then. Of course I had to mention 'Quaid' a few times in class that day. Her friends also ratted her out, so "J Lo, Paltrow, ...." are also on the list.

Saved!

I guess I should periodically look at my old files. I know what I'm doing tomorrow in calculus (after a brief intro for "easier" problems).

Group Projects

I'm not so good at assigning group projects (mostly because I side with student opinions of them and mostly because I'm a control freak and like to do things myself, so I don't like working in groups). But. I realize I may be doing the students a disservice by not allowing them the periodic struggle of working with others.

I've come up with this sheet that I think I'll add to my next group project. I'm SURE I'll assign one. Soon. This year. Some time.

Relationships....

School is in its third week, and now the lack of sleep is taking its toll (that bell .... it's tolling for me). Today I left "early" (6pm) and treated myself to frozen yogurt and Sudoku and bad guitar playing (from lack of practice and wonky strings). I'm a wee bit more revived, and I guess extra sleep will be the cherry on top.

I went to an NHS 2-day weekend workshop this past Saturday and Sunday, and hmmmmm. Now my co-sponsor and I know all the things we SHOULD have done last year :). That's okay, we kept hearing that the first year is a throw-away year in terms of how effective you are. There were sponsors there that had been at it for up to 30 years. We got tons of great ideas to implement this year (service project every month; little service projects; leadership skills; laws and handbooks and by-laws; ...).

There was one great speaker. He said several great things, but here were some that resonated with me:

* Don't wait for opportunities. Create opportunities.
* You're never going to be paid enough or have enough time. Create good perks for yourself in spite of that.
* Take 10% of the time you have and make someone else's day at work. Make them feel appreciated.
* Kids say thank you in ways without saying, "thank you" .... coming back to visit ... asking for your advice ... changing their behavior because of something you said ... hugs ...

Oh, where does that "relationships" thing come in? We have seniors for the 1st time this year, and BOY are they stressed. There have been tears and anger and wan looks. They're taking about 4 AP classes. They are dealing with adjusting to newness of new-to-the-school teachers. They're dealing with the fact that they'll be leaving home soon. They're dealing with applying to college.

I've tried to make time to just shoot the breeze with them (though I'm thinking of all the things I should be doing) .... people before paper ..... We did our "stress write" ... we made funny pictures of stressed out characters and stapled them to our bulletin board. .... It's GOING TO BE FINE.

First CS Project Results

Love my students. Their first Computer Science project was due this past Friday, and here are samples of the things they did after just 2 weeks of learning CS (their first time ever).

I don't even know why I bothered to put any constraints on the project (at least 2 of these, at least 4 of these ....).

This past week we started working on Strings. Here is a worksheet I had them do:

Second Computer Science Task

Can anyone say "whirlwind week"? If you're a teacher I bet you can. I guess it's getting cliche to be all, "oh no, I'm so busy!". Anyway.

My computer science kidlets will turn in their first project tomorrow. Exciting. They're thrilled with their pictures they drew. Last class we started talking about Strings in Java. I didn't want to go the power point route - one, I didn't prepare; two, I think they'd just half listen and maybe take notes and then not learn until they were doing it.

So, we all opened our laptops, and I guided them through Strings and declaring and assigning and getting user input. Then I had them do a Google search on mad libs examples. There's a free Mad Libs generator that we walked through. After the giggles (and refresher on what an adverb or noun is *sigh*), I told them that their next task is to create a Mad Libs. Only about 10 minutes was remaining in class at this point, so I said, "start with a 2 sentence one.".

Also, instead of text book assigning and yapping, I assigned this homework for the "extras" I have to teach:



Good Times.

Funny Story That Made My Day

In my harried existence as a teacher at the start of the school year, I don't have all my "routines" in perfect place yet. For example, I don't yet make time for a snack between breakfast and lunch (or maybe it's just my tapeworm gobbling up all my food). Anyway, by lunch time I was literally clutching my stomach in the cavernous pain of hunger. I was "hangry" as they say.

As I was coming back from washing my hands and on my way to my classroom to eat lunch, I yet again clutched my stomach (wah wah wah). I happened to see 3 former students and a teacher friend walking towards me. The students asked if I was okay or if I was pregnant (note: I'm in my late 40's and the kids know I'm not having kids). My teacher friend mentioned that yes, I was pregnant with triplets, and we all mentioned that we should "spread the rumor". We chuckled about it, and I forgot the conversation.

After-school tutoring comes about. A student I hadn't seen that day comes in to work on her computer programming and asked if I was pregnant. She mentioned that she JUST got a text from a friend (and former student) that now lives in West West Texas asking if I was pregnant. Woot! Rumor spreads like wildfire!

Funny way to end the day.

Flipped Calculus Lessons

Well, I dove in from day 1 and started flipping my lessons. Thanks to the nice gentleman that discussed how "exploring" fits in here, and I think I found something that worked. In my previous thinking it seemed to be all or nothing: ALL of class was spent on practice, and NOTHING else. Hah! There's nothing that says you can't break it up and do some exploring and some practice and such .... even a quiz.

After my APSI workshop, I decided to do what the presenter recommended, and part of their grade is based on daily quizzes for things they need to know down pat. I call them IR quizzes (immediate recall), and there are about 15 every grading period (every day quizzes), and I drop the lowest 3 grades.

Here's how the first 2 days went.

Day 1:
intro, syllabus, bla bla bla.
Start immediately with showing them the zoomed in graph of y = sin x. And we bound off from there talking about local linearity (ala my summer workshop). Then they each got a special number to explore on y=x^2 to zoom in so much to make it look linear. We gathered everyone's information and plotted on my calculator. Then class was over.

So. Now it was time for me to flip. Lots of starts and stops. Computer at home didn't accept the new webcam. Made video at school the next day. SchoolTube never successfully loaded video. Neither did YouTube. Then I tried my weebly account. Eh. Then my nice teacher friend made a suggestion, and voila, I uploaded them to my google docs and sent the links to the kids.

Day 2:
On that flipped lesson, they were supposed to start their ISNs and then explore y=x^3, y=x^4, y= sin x. So in class: IR quiz. Then after a brief prep, they just practiced finding secant slopes and tangent slopes ala 2.1 Stewart. Simultaneously, I passed around my calculator and they entered their hwk information of slopes at their points. Meanwhile, I graded the quizzes (sine and cosine 10 problems 1st 2 quadrants). I handed back the quizzes. Then I stopped them working and we looked at the results on the calculator of their hwk and saw patterns (y=x^3 ..... slopes form y=3x^2....). Then class ended.

The flipped lesson I recorded for their new homework is just summarizing all this information. I love the format.

No longer do I have to wait for them to draw the graphs I'm drawing (they can just pause the video). My tonight's videos were about 16mins and 8 minutes (?). Send me e-mail if you want a sample of me babbling through the discussion, and I'll send you the link.

I also like the Interactive Student Notebook: my stuff on the right, their stuff on the left. I'm doing it on the videos as a guide.

HWK HWK HWK

It sure was a fun first day back. We do a big assembly production to start the day, and there are lots of smiles and hugs and confusion and new kids and old kids and new teachers and oldies. We put out small fires and remember how to juggle a bazillion things in our head at the same time. We don't sleep well the night before. We worry about the students who haven't shown up and hope they're okay. We wrap up the day and start worrying about prepping again. Loved it.

I've decided to be picky about homework structure for all my math classes this year, so I'm handing them out this (copied in the obvious way to save paper):



They're going to tape it in their notebooks, and I'll make a poster and be a stickler. I liked the phrase: the final number is not your answer, the WHOLE PROCESS is your answer.

Mini Vacations...

In order to be proactive, I want to generate a list and keep it fresh in my mind of routines of things I do to make the stress palatable. I know things are going to come around in work, and I'll have no control over them, but I will have control (hah!) over my reactions and memories of all the little things I do to make life fun and keep in mind as a "happy place" to go to in stressful times.

Here are current small things that make me happy:

* I listen to books on CD in the car to and from work. So as I'm stressing about the workday ahead I sometimes find myself looking forward to the drive just so I can be read to (currently on the 3rd listen through of the Harry Potter books).

* I don't know why, but the saying, "how do you eat an elephant? one bite at a time." always makes me smile. I know that the HUGE thing I'm facing just gets chipped away at and eventually gets done. Don't see the WHOLE elephant, just your current nibble.

* I keep a foot massage rolly thing in the bathroom at home, so I vow to roll each foot across it 12 times for each visit.

* every Thursday during the school year, I go out to breakfast as a treat. It's something to look forward to and to see as a light at the end of the week's tunnel.

* I chant the mantra, "It's going to be great. It's going to work out fine." accompanied by a deep breath when I am getting stressed.

* On the mornings I exercise on the treadmill, I have a book/magazine rack on it, so I can read through my latest things and that will be motivation to get on it and sweat. So I'm not really exercising, I'm reading.

* It's helpful to kvetch with friends and make the problem sound ridiculous, so that you don't feel so alone in your apparently HUGE problems. Laughing always helps.

Okay. And I'm not really that stressed just yet (though maybe I should be because my room still is a shambles). But ..... I'm guessing it's coming soon.

Beehive in the Brain

Today was our first day back for the week before students officially arrive, and I know this will be a shocker, but there are a bazillion things floating around my brain. Stressed. Here, look at a pretty picture (as someone once said):

This is where I was this past week. Lots of sleeping and sitting and eating and visiting with a new niece ..... who was a recipient of one of these cuties that I finished JUST in time:

The person who made the pattern is so creative. Must make more. I smile every time I look at them.

And here is me staring out and probably thinking school thoughts:

And, as I was going over calculus stuff to prepare, I read over my APSI notes and remembered that the teacher said something about Texas being great about sending kids to college but not so good about having them graduate. I did a search and found this site. You can scroll to the graph at the bottom of the page and if you scroll over the bar that's your state, that page will pop up, and you'll get more numbers.

Okay, off to practice with the TI-nspire.