I need to get back on the blogging Bandwagon, if I was ever on it in the first place. I have lots of blogs that I check on daily and I love getting their ideas and seeing how others approach teaching math and deal with the issues that arise in their classroom. It's only fair that I do the same for others by keeping my blog up to date. And plus, I love looking back at what I wrote weeks, months, or years later.
We got back on the bandwagon this week as our first week back from Christmas break. It started out rough. Pretty rough. Friday the 18th we had some very unfortunate events unfold at our middle school involving very heavy drugs and the deal and use of them. This made our news papers and as well as the knifing incident that happened two weeks prior. While kids were on break, this all broke into the media, which is probably a good thing that it became public news they were on break. Squelching the rumors and the constant conversation about this became a constant battle during the classroom in the early part this week. For the most part the controversy settled down by mid-week and we carried on with our lives.
I got my Activ-Board installed over break, so that was an added bonus to coming back to school after break. I did spend two days of break at school getting it all figured out and the software installed. It's been fun learning how to use it and finding different resources. If you have any websites for resources--send them my way! So far it's been positive. The clickers have been ordered and are on their way as well as an ActivSlate. I've had mixed reviews about the ActivSlate, so we'll see how it works once I get there.
The immaturity of my 8th grade boys is still shining! I have such a bleeding heart for wanting them to do well and be successful and not have to repeat the class next year (They have to have a B average to go on to Geometry next year). I have no problem determining when to send a kid out for profanity or flagrant disrespect or harassment, but when it comes to things like a student saying, "Ugh, this is so gay, why do we have to make things so complicated" or when three students (the same students as the paper-wad chewing) decide to blow their noses simultaneously, I have a problem being firm with a consequence. We use the Honor Level System at our school so all I have to do is flash them an orange infraction slip and this normally turns things around. However, when it goes to me actually turning in the infraction, I always think, "well it wasn't THAT big of a deal." I just need to be more MEAN. As of lately with my 7th hour class, the last class of the day, when I need their attention I'll say "Okay, eyes and ears up here" and if I don't get everyone's attention then I just wait, and I'll say, "If I wait, you're waiting after the bell." Most of the time it works--might take 30 seconds or so. I need to be more mean, more firm, more strict and more consistent.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Poll Results
Polleverywhere.com: The rules went fine and everything.. they followed them. One kid texted another kid in class, that's about the worst that happened. It was such a hassle getting my LCD projector set up... then getting to the website.. then when you hook up the LCD it blows the graphs out of proportion and so the kids couldn't see the right numbers... then because they only saw some of the numbers they voted for whatever.. so not even putting thought into the ?. So i'm going to just wait to try it again when I get my Activboard. But I'm also getting clickers with my whiteboard, so that might be a good alternative.
I'm struggling with the fact that my students still seem to be failing their assessments in their regular math classes. I'm in a tough position--I'm only in my 2nd year of teaching, so there's no way I am going to approach a veteran teacher and ask how the topic is being approached, because I don't want to be in the position of making myself look like a fool. Hopefully the 6th graders will do better with the new approach that the Math Expressions Curriculum takes.
To Be continued...
I'm struggling with the fact that my students still seem to be failing their assessments in their regular math classes. I'm in a tough position--I'm only in my 2nd year of teaching, so there's no way I am going to approach a veteran teacher and ask how the topic is being approached, because I don't want to be in the position of making myself look like a fool. Hopefully the 6th graders will do better with the new approach that the Math Expressions Curriculum takes.
To Be continued...
Monday, December 7, 2009
Tomorrow will be Chaos
Tomorrow will be chaos. The weather forecasters are calling for 7-10 inches of snow in MN and 10-12 in Northern WI.
Highlights:
My 8th grade Math Foundations class all proclaimed to me that they "don't need no practice on the pythagorean theorem, that stuff is easy!" Normally when I say this, I take it with a grain of salt, because they may think it's easy, but really, they just don't want to practice. I did a speed solving activity with them. They each had their own card with a pythagorean theorem problem on it (for today we just did when a and b are known and c is unknown) and they were exactly right.. of the 12 students, only 2 needed more practiced. I then later asked them, "What do we do if we don't know a or b and we DO know c" Well you see Ms. B, "then all you gotta do is SUBTRACT a or b from c." Duh. I should have known it was that easy :)
6th grade Math Foundations: I spent all day Sunday trying to mix up a concoction for BUBBLES. I have tons of bubbles but I wanted colored bubbles so that when the kids blow them on a piece of paper, they will pop and leave a color outline. With this color outline the students will then measure the diameter, radius, circumferences and area. After 2 trips to walgreens, and 2 trips to the grocery store, and one trip to walmart, the bubble concoction was in working order. Containing 4.5 c water, .5 cup dawn dish soap and 4 Tables Spoons of liquid glycerin, I was blowing bubbles and leaving their mark. I had kids use pipecleaners as their bubble wants. The liquid glycerin was hard to find, and I was only able to find it in the form of a SUPPOSITORY at walgreens, and was quite spendy. But the glycerin was key to having bubbles that would stick on the page and leave a round circle mark. My 3rd hour loved the activity, and begged me to let them blow bubbles later in the year. My 4th hour kept asking me when they could just be done and go play games. Interesting how these two classes are so different from eachother! We'll be making the measurements tomorrow since their papers were too wet to work with today.
Algebra: I have underestimated their abilities on a grand scale and now realize I need to challenge them more. Through out chapter 3 (solving multi-step linear equations) my students "seemed" to struggle. They asked the same questions over again, seemed confused, needed multiple reminders. However, their quiz scores were OK throughout the chapter. Their chapter test scores were PHENOMENAL. The class average was a 97.3%. Either this test is TOO EASY or they really GET IT. I'm going to go with the really get it part, because it's the same test we used last year and I know the average was not this high. The kids also blew the bench mark test out of the water, with 100% of my students scoring proficient or advanced (on a test in a class that is already an advanced class for 8th grade). We are in good shape. On the other hand I have 12 boys and 6 girls in this class. A little disproportionate, the immaturity of the boys is really starting to get to mob-mentality and getting on my nerves. Last week i had THREE boys, taking chunks out of their paper with their teeth and chewing paper wads, just chewing them, not even spitting them. Who does this?!?! There's constant toe tapping, finger drumming, noise making etc. I started an incentive based reward for each day. If we're good as a class, we get the short assignment. If we're off task, we get the longer assignment, because we clearly lost time in class to practice, so that means we need more practice at home. I had having to associate poor behavior with more homework, because that will make them come to hate homework. However, I have yet to assign the "long" assignment. Today was close. They had a warning. I have to follow through with this or it is going to back fire on me.
Another positive in Algebra: I'm going to try to use www.polleverywhere.com in classtomorrow. I'm very nervous about having the kids use cell phones. Our district policy clearly outlines no use of cell phones in class. I polled them today and 4/18 students do not have access to cell phone. I figure this will easily be solved by partnering up. Inorder for this to be successful, I've set up some structure and rules
If you abuse it, we'll lose it.
Think they'll get the point? I'll find out tomorrow.
Highlights:
My 8th grade Math Foundations class all proclaimed to me that they "don't need no practice on the pythagorean theorem, that stuff is easy!" Normally when I say this, I take it with a grain of salt, because they may think it's easy, but really, they just don't want to practice. I did a speed solving activity with them. They each had their own card with a pythagorean theorem problem on it (for today we just did when a and b are known and c is unknown) and they were exactly right.. of the 12 students, only 2 needed more practiced. I then later asked them, "What do we do if we don't know a or b and we DO know c" Well you see Ms. B, "then all you gotta do is SUBTRACT a or b from c." Duh. I should have known it was that easy :)
6th grade Math Foundations: I spent all day Sunday trying to mix up a concoction for BUBBLES. I have tons of bubbles but I wanted colored bubbles so that when the kids blow them on a piece of paper, they will pop and leave a color outline. With this color outline the students will then measure the diameter, radius, circumferences and area. After 2 trips to walgreens, and 2 trips to the grocery store, and one trip to walmart, the bubble concoction was in working order. Containing 4.5 c water, .5 cup dawn dish soap and 4 Tables Spoons of liquid glycerin, I was blowing bubbles and leaving their mark. I had kids use pipecleaners as their bubble wants. The liquid glycerin was hard to find, and I was only able to find it in the form of a SUPPOSITORY at walgreens, and was quite spendy. But the glycerin was key to having bubbles that would stick on the page and leave a round circle mark. My 3rd hour loved the activity, and begged me to let them blow bubbles later in the year. My 4th hour kept asking me when they could just be done and go play games. Interesting how these two classes are so different from eachother! We'll be making the measurements tomorrow since their papers were too wet to work with today.
Algebra: I have underestimated their abilities on a grand scale and now realize I need to challenge them more. Through out chapter 3 (solving multi-step linear equations) my students "seemed" to struggle. They asked the same questions over again, seemed confused, needed multiple reminders. However, their quiz scores were OK throughout the chapter. Their chapter test scores were PHENOMENAL. The class average was a 97.3%. Either this test is TOO EASY or they really GET IT. I'm going to go with the really get it part, because it's the same test we used last year and I know the average was not this high. The kids also blew the bench mark test out of the water, with 100% of my students scoring proficient or advanced (on a test in a class that is already an advanced class for 8th grade). We are in good shape. On the other hand I have 12 boys and 6 girls in this class. A little disproportionate, the immaturity of the boys is really starting to get to mob-mentality and getting on my nerves. Last week i had THREE boys, taking chunks out of their paper with their teeth and chewing paper wads, just chewing them, not even spitting them. Who does this?!?! There's constant toe tapping, finger drumming, noise making etc. I started an incentive based reward for each day. If we're good as a class, we get the short assignment. If we're off task, we get the longer assignment, because we clearly lost time in class to practice, so that means we need more practice at home. I had having to associate poor behavior with more homework, because that will make them come to hate homework. However, I have yet to assign the "long" assignment. Today was close. They had a warning. I have to follow through with this or it is going to back fire on me.
Another positive in Algebra: I'm going to try to use www.polleverywhere.com in classtomorrow. I'm very nervous about having the kids use cell phones. Our district policy clearly outlines no use of cell phones in class. I polled them today and 4/18 students do not have access to cell phone. I figure this will easily be solved by partnering up. Inorder for this to be successful, I've set up some structure and rules
PollEverywhere.com Policies in the Classroom
· Polleverwhere.com does not track phone numbers, only the number of votes.
· Only one vote allowed, can’t change your vote
· Voting is not required. If you parents tell you aren’t allowed to bring the phone to school/class then that is the rule. This does not make it an exception.
· Voting/Not voting will not affect your grade
· Your cell phone is learning tool in the classroom, not a social tool
Rules:
- Phones on silent
- Phone is to be used ONLY for polleverywhere.com
- The ONLY text you send is to polleverwhere.com
- If Ms. B believes you are using you phone for other uses, she reserves the right to check your phone and you will surrender it :)
- Before voting, the phone is in your pocket
- After voting, the phone is in your pocket
- When not using your phone, it’s in your pocket :)
If you abuse it, we'll lose it.
Think they'll get the point? I'll find out tomorrow.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Snap a 'Tude
Well today was Day 1 of WKCE Testing (State standardized testing). I got pulled from my classes to proctor tests for my 8th grade homeroom. Yippie... sarcasm. On top of planning lessons for my classes that continue to go on during their electives time, I had to sit with my 16 homeroomers alllll day long. I'm beat! The kids did surprisingly well with following directions, not talking, behaving etc. We'll see how their scores are. Tomorrow is the day of 5 sections of standardized Math tests.
I have one homeroomer that has one heck of a cocky attitude. Today I asked him to pick up his trash on the floor, and he snapped his head at me and said, "Nu-uh. There ain't no garbage around my desk." So, I snapped a 'tude right back to him and said "Nu-huh!. Pick it Up." And he went on his merry way to pick it up. Pretty sure I wouldn't try the "snap-a-tude" strategy on most of my kids--but works for him!
Oh teenagers.
I have one homeroomer that has one heck of a cocky attitude. Today I asked him to pick up his trash on the floor, and he snapped his head at me and said, "Nu-uh. There ain't no garbage around my desk." So, I snapped a 'tude right back to him and said "Nu-huh!. Pick it Up." And he went on his merry way to pick it up. Pretty sure I wouldn't try the "snap-a-tude" strategy on most of my kids--but works for him!
Oh teenagers.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
It's my Friday!
I love that I can wake up tomorrow after 6:00 am, and not have to be out the door by 7. Even if that still means I have an oil change at 9am.
Today was a crazy day at school. We had a school wide reward day for the students that were all-starts or honor level 1's. Of the 1,200 students I think all but about 250 of them were able to participate. I had the thrill of staying back with the naughty ones and supervising the study hall for a wing of 6th graders. All boys. Most of who probably have ADHD. And most of who had no homework to work on. It was hell. I was snapping at them left and right. Of the 9 that were in study hall, I had to kick 2 out to the intervention room. One for making farting noises with his hands after asked repeatedly to stop making noise. Another one for writing the word "gay" on every piece of paper in his notebook, then ripping the paper out of his notebook, cutting the papers into pieces, and then telling me he was going to make a puzzle out of it AFTER I said no. The final straw with him was him telling me he was sharpening his pencil by scribbling on his paper at the speed of light. Moral of this story = don't volunteer to supervise a study hall of students you've never had before.
On a happier note, we had a little bit of a fun day in my other classes. I picked up some pumpkin shaped sugar cookies. My 1st hour had to find the area of the cookie that I had traced on a piece of cm grid paper. If they got their answer within 1/2of a cm of the right answer, they got a cookie. That was enough of a motivator for 15 out of 16 students. No surprise that it didn't work for the 16th student. It was fun to watch 14 year olds get giddy about being able to earn a cookie. My 6th graders had to practice their addition facts with a partner for 10 minutes and improve their addition fluency score, then they got a cookie. And my Algebra kids, they just got a cookie for being the last darn class of the day. And it was blissful to hear them say the words, "Thank you Ms. B!"
This year I've been big on trying to have my students be motivated and rewarded for making good choices and working hard. I set up a weekly drawing. Throughout the week, students can earn kudos coupons for behaving well, getting their work done, excellent scores, and good attitudes. I'm only doing this for my 6th, 7th, and 8th Math Foundations Classes since there aren't any formal grades given in the class. Algebra students shouldn't need any extrinsic motivation, a grade should be their motivator. I draw two names on fridays from the raffle bucket--they LOVE it. If I say, "I'm giving kudos coupons to those that I see are lining up their decimal points," I get nearly 100% of them double checking to make sure they are lining up the damn decimal. And then I use the kudos as a threat..."If you are going to treat someone like that, there is no way that I would feel that's a quality in a person that gets a kudos should have."
On that note, kudos. It's my Friday.
Today was a crazy day at school. We had a school wide reward day for the students that were all-starts or honor level 1's. Of the 1,200 students I think all but about 250 of them were able to participate. I had the thrill of staying back with the naughty ones and supervising the study hall for a wing of 6th graders. All boys. Most of who probably have ADHD. And most of who had no homework to work on. It was hell. I was snapping at them left and right. Of the 9 that were in study hall, I had to kick 2 out to the intervention room. One for making farting noises with his hands after asked repeatedly to stop making noise. Another one for writing the word "gay" on every piece of paper in his notebook, then ripping the paper out of his notebook, cutting the papers into pieces, and then telling me he was going to make a puzzle out of it AFTER I said no. The final straw with him was him telling me he was sharpening his pencil by scribbling on his paper at the speed of light. Moral of this story = don't volunteer to supervise a study hall of students you've never had before.
On a happier note, we had a little bit of a fun day in my other classes. I picked up some pumpkin shaped sugar cookies. My 1st hour had to find the area of the cookie that I had traced on a piece of cm grid paper. If they got their answer within 1/2of a cm of the right answer, they got a cookie. That was enough of a motivator for 15 out of 16 students. No surprise that it didn't work for the 16th student. It was fun to watch 14 year olds get giddy about being able to earn a cookie. My 6th graders had to practice their addition facts with a partner for 10 minutes and improve their addition fluency score, then they got a cookie. And my Algebra kids, they just got a cookie for being the last darn class of the day. And it was blissful to hear them say the words, "Thank you Ms. B!"
This year I've been big on trying to have my students be motivated and rewarded for making good choices and working hard. I set up a weekly drawing. Throughout the week, students can earn kudos coupons for behaving well, getting their work done, excellent scores, and good attitudes. I'm only doing this for my 6th, 7th, and 8th Math Foundations Classes since there aren't any formal grades given in the class. Algebra students shouldn't need any extrinsic motivation, a grade should be their motivator. I draw two names on fridays from the raffle bucket--they LOVE it. If I say, "I'm giving kudos coupons to those that I see are lining up their decimal points," I get nearly 100% of them double checking to make sure they are lining up the damn decimal. And then I use the kudos as a threat..."If you are going to treat someone like that, there is no way that I would feel that's a quality in a person that gets a kudos should have."
On that note, kudos. It's my Friday.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Tomorrow is my Friday
Well, tomorrow is our Friday at school. All staff and students have Thursday and Friday off as "designated P/T Conference Days." We had our conferences this past two weeks-- so free days for us! I'm glad. It's a much needed fall breather. But on my two days off I have to: Go to DMV and get replacement tabs, get new drivers license w/current address, get oil changed, get headlight changed in car, and get my hair cut. I should be going to the dentist too--but I never bothered to make an appointment. I'm also going to go shopping at the Outlet Mall in Albertivlle. It's the shopping mecca.
Thank god this week was a short one. I don't think I could have survived a long one. Last week I was surprised that I even made it though that week, after all of the student absences and my own from the previous week with my bout with h1n1. My kids drain me. They exhaust me. Then again, which kids don't?
I'm constantly feeling like I'm throwing things together at the last minute this year. It's probably because I am. I teach 4 different classes. None of which I teach the same material in. I have pretty much alll of my Algebra 1 class materials from last year---but I'm still scrambling to revise/fix some of the note guides and create new practice worksheets. my 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Math Foundations classes are the ones where I have to create from scratch. These kids are in Math Foundations AND their regular math class. Apparently some where a long the line someone had the brainy idea that for kids who don't achieve well in math, lets give them two math classes! Hmm. That leaves me to have to have ingeniously creative lesson plans that totally switches things up, approaches things at a different angle, allows for movement, hands on, fast paced and rigorous, but not overwhelming. Phew. I will say, the kids are responding much better to the way I'm running the class than I thought that they would. There have been 2 different teachers for MF in the past 2 years, both with different styles, so the kids were used to being lax in MF class.
I'll update more on my bubbly personalities in the classroom. Time for some shut eye!
Thank god this week was a short one. I don't think I could have survived a long one. Last week I was surprised that I even made it though that week, after all of the student absences and my own from the previous week with my bout with h1n1. My kids drain me. They exhaust me. Then again, which kids don't?
I'm constantly feeling like I'm throwing things together at the last minute this year. It's probably because I am. I teach 4 different classes. None of which I teach the same material in. I have pretty much alll of my Algebra 1 class materials from last year---but I'm still scrambling to revise/fix some of the note guides and create new practice worksheets. my 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Math Foundations classes are the ones where I have to create from scratch. These kids are in Math Foundations AND their regular math class. Apparently some where a long the line someone had the brainy idea that for kids who don't achieve well in math, lets give them two math classes! Hmm. That leaves me to have to have ingeniously creative lesson plans that totally switches things up, approaches things at a different angle, allows for movement, hands on, fast paced and rigorous, but not overwhelming. Phew. I will say, the kids are responding much better to the way I'm running the class than I thought that they would. There have been 2 different teachers for MF in the past 2 years, both with different styles, so the kids were used to being lax in MF class.
I'll update more on my bubbly personalities in the classroom. Time for some shut eye!
Dusting off.
Wow. I went to start a new blog, and apparently I already had one created for that email address. So I guess I won't try to fix what's not broken, and continue with this one.
I'm on my prep right now. Some times I need to just chill on my prep. My 1st hour has 16 rammy, loud, vibrant personality kids, that I need a little breather after I finish the 47 minute class with them. So that's what I'm doing... reading other blogs, drinking a diet coke, and wishing my headache would go away.
Let's see, since I've posted last I have:
I'm on my prep right now. Some times I need to just chill on my prep. My 1st hour has 16 rammy, loud, vibrant personality kids, that I need a little breather after I finish the 47 minute class with them. So that's what I'm doing... reading other blogs, drinking a diet coke, and wishing my headache would go away.
Let's see, since I've posted last I have:
- Moved into my house
- Painted House
- Decorated House
- Worked 2 jobs and haven't relaxed in house that was painted and decorated
- Worked every weekend from August 30-October 17.
- Relaxed the weekend of October 23-25
- Gotten into the routine of going to work every day again, but not the routine of waking up at 5:30am
- Tried to do teach little muchkins the routines of this-is-your-new-math-foundations-teacher-and-I'm-going-to-run-it-different-than-your-old-one
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