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.