Logistics

How do teachers keep all the papers straight from all their different classes?  This is something I'm learning from my CT.  One thing I've picked up that I really like is that she has laminated folders, one for each period we teach.  Inside the folder is grade sheets for particular assignments, such as mastery tests, and clean copies of what worksheets we are using that day.  When a student is absent, she writes their name on the worksheet and attaches it to the outside of that period's folder with a paper clip.  Due to our block period, it is hard to always remember who was absent the last time we saw this class.  When the student returns, we can easily see what worksheets they missed and give them to him or her.

"I can" sheets

Our classes are using "I can" sheets: these are filled out at the beginning of the unit and list the important standards for the unit (eg, I can represent a function in an equation, table, words, or graph).  Students self-evaluate themselves on how well they can do each standard on a scale of 1 (I don't know what this means) to 5 (I know this so well I could teach this to the class).  At the beginning of the unit, most of the standards are closer to 1's and 2's.  However, in algebra, many of the students put down 4 or 5 for "I can recognize independent and dependent variables."  Apparently, science classes have been stressing that, and it showed up in math.  After teaching for 2/3 of the unit, we gave the "I can" sheets back to students, asking them to fill them out again for the same standards.  Most of the students now have 4's and 5's.  What I like about the "I can" sheets is the ability to quickly scan the pages and identify students who are still unclear on important concepts.  This enables me to approach them individually and encourage them to come in afterschool or during tutorial in order to help them succeed.  If several students are still unclear on one particular standard, I can reteach that concept in the next lesson.

Simplifying fractions

I got to teach all 5 classes yesterday because my CT was at a training; her substitute was helpful, providing me feedback and ideas about teaching math.  He reminded me how we learned to simplify fractions, by writing 15/20 as 5*3/5*4 and then canceling the 5/5.  This was something so ingrained in my thinking that I didn't usually show that step, yet many of our students have trouble with that step.  Usually, when I'm teaching, I'll ask the students if a fraction can be simplified, but I wasn't scaffolding the process with the intermediate step.  Now I'll write that step down explicitly, so it's an instant review for students who have trouble simplifying fractions.

Substitutes

I know that substitutes are necessary to keep the schools running, but what I don't understand is the lax requirements.  Case in point: our sub today wasn't sure how to evaluate -8 - (-4) because she hadn't done subtracting a negative number lately.  While I understand that is not something one does every day, she is a fully certified teacher for K-8, and she subs in preschool through high school.  How do we expect our 7th graders to learn the basics in math if their teachers aren't comfortable with the basics in math?  If I become a high school math teacher, I'm going to find a sub that I can trust - or else have a foolproof plan for when I get sick.  Egads.

Two-way communication

Today I saw another great stride for D.  Last week, after meeting with him and his mother, I had seen an improvement in work ethic.  When we assigned 3 figures to graph (testing for similarity), he chose to graph all 5 figures, which must have taken a bit of extra time because the coordinates needed to be calculated for each figure.  Today when we taught mental tricks to calculate 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, 25%, and 50% of a number, I handed out a worksheet for the students to do.  Unfortunately, their skills were not as developed as I thought, and the problems were taking more time than I had planned for the students to complete.  I changed the requirement to finishing 3 multi-step problems, and then students could transition to Math Whizz, an online math program. D gave me his worksheet, and then asked if he could have it back to work on the additional problems.  He said "I want to do more of these."  This from someone who doesn't view himself as able to do math. I can't wait to email his mom and tell her what a terrific attitude her son has!

What's in your hip pocket?

Today I showed up at school and found out that my cooperating teacher was staying home sick and a substitute was taking her place.  Since I was more familiar with the material, I taught the classes today and the substitute helped with grading quizzes, etc.  My cooperating teacher had written the outline for today's classes on the board yesterday, and we had gone over the plans together yesterday, so I felt prepared for the classes.  Except for one detail: our 4th period class was supposed to start with a puzzle, and I didn't know what that puzzle was.  I searched her notebook where she keeps papers, looked through the folders on her table where she organizes the papers for the day, and still no puzzle appeared.  After searching for many minutes, I emailed her and asked where I could find the puzzle, and she responded by saying she didn't have anything specific, but planned to come up with something.  Oh, I can do that!  We did 2 quick puzzles out of Michael Serra's Mathercise, one on directions (N,S,E,W) and one on reading a sentence correctly.  I thought they would be too easy, but several students struggled with the ideas.  I think we need to do more of them!

Change in performance

I was thrilled today when D brought in his homework, and he had done above and beyond what we had asked of the class.  There were 5 figures to graph to evaluate for similarity, and we had divided the class into two groups: one group did the baseline and two distortions, the other group did the baseline and two different distortions.  Within each group, they should have found 2 similar figures and one impostor.  Most of the class had excuses about why they hadn't done it, and we ended up giving them class time this morning to finish their homework.  Imagine my surprise when D shows us all 5 figures completed.  I publicly acknowledged his hard work and my CT actually gave out candy for students who did the homework at home.  I hope this signals a new work ethic.  Perhaps last week's conference with D and his mom made a difference.  His attitude certainly made my day!