Breakthrough

Today is midterm day. I'm working on grading previous classes as the current one tests. There are plenty of students who I feel like I've just failed as a teacher. At least they're failing my class. Even though I can tell they've learned something, it's not as much as I expect. Claiming the success seems all the more important to help encourage me. Otherwise, I'm not sure where to find the energy to keep encouraging them.

D stayed late for tutoring last night. She stayed about an extra half-hour after other people left. Grading her test was exciting. There were all these concepts that had finally clicked. The highlight from her test was watching her struggle with one of the questions I'd included to challenge my top student. It was a question pulled from an old test, but not one that we'd reviewed this week. (It was an equation whose solution does not exist.) D fought with that question, asking "Why isn't this working for me? What does it mean?" I finally told her to leave it and go on to the other questions. Because, really, she got it right. The difficulty is learning to recognize situations where you just can't go any farther.

I've actually had kids come out for tutoring this week. (Probably related to the fact that grades are due next week.) I feel overwhelmed somewhat when suddenly there are all these people in and out of my room wanting different things and always expecting me to explain everything. At the same time, I'm amazed that they're finally getting to the point of coming. Because after school, I can be more relaxed and feel like there's a better atmosphere overall. Hopefully that carries on.

Two posts today. A reminder why I'm back.

I'd said hi to Z this morning and saw him on my way to lunch. "See you after lunch?" "Think about it." "I hope that's a yes."

My classes are small overall. (Student load is not something that I should complain about.) But it's really when I'm one-on-one with students that real conversations take place. They're high schoolers. They've gotta act cool the rest of the time.

Z's class started off with three students, but with one student transfers and another one in trouble, Z's been the only one in his class for a while. That time has really allowed us to connect bit by bit. He knows that I'll give him a break at the end of class if I see that he's done the work and understands the material. Today he was complaining about having been up all last night. I was impressed with how well he did on his review. Even after his extended absence, he remembered the concepts we went over when he was last present.

He was nodding off. There wasn't time left in class to want to teach new material, so I gave him space to work on one last problem, take a break, chill, whatever.

I went back to my desk; he started putting stuff up. And then he started talking. I don't know what he did while he wasn't in school, but I was astounded by how personal our conversation became. I'm not sure what I did to deserve his trust, but the more I know about him the more I want to keep encouraging him.

Return to school

I haven't taught a class yet, but already have a hopeful post for the day.

Z stopped coming to school in October. Dropped out. A senior who I loved to brag about how smart he is, but was failing most of his classes from absences already. The school had a meeting to get him re-enrolled in November and he came for a couple of days afterwards. Only a few though. Then he was gone again.

He's back today.

I have a midterm on Friday. He's missed two months. This isn't going to be easy.

But he's back.

Resolution 2008

The general ideas:

1. To actually use this blog
   
2. To make myself think of the positive and not feel overwhelmed by the negatives
3. To share ideas of what's working for me

The plan of attack:

1. Write at least three times a week about something good that's happening at school. When there's a related resource that I think is worth sharing, do it.
   

Now I find it

I was getting set to write a post about my successful puzzle proofs, when I discovered that the people at Regents Prep already have it done. I left more pieces out than their example, making students fill in blanks in their proof, but they do seem to like the training wheels. Now I just need to let them ride the proof-cycle on their own.

Fidget toys

I'm a huge fidgeter. My hands want to be doing something all the time. Since I learned how to knit in middle school, my preferred method of fidgeting is working with yarn. It gives me an outlet for that energy that actually serves a purpose. I move my hands and then something appears!

Because of my penchant for all things yarn I learned about modeling complex maths back in high school. I didn't always pay attention to what was really going on in the articles I read, but the pictures looked cool. Still, it wasn't until my college hosted a version of this exhibit on hyperbolic space that I was motivated to make any of my own. The pictures don't do models justice. Seeing them behind glass it was so frustrating not to be able to pick them up. I did the only thing reasonable and started making my own.

The models are as amazing to play with as I'd hoped. Twisting. Turning. Following the edge around. My personal favorite creation (though it's mathematically insignificant) is a small hyperbolic plane, twisted and sewn together to become a moebius strip. I like it enough that I made one for a friend's birthday present.

Knowing that not every fidgeter finds an outlet for their energy, I decided to stock my classroom with fidget toys. The models are great because they're quiet. They're not impossible to throw--and my classroom management is still at a point where that's a consideration--but they're not going to hurt anyone if you do throw them. And they are math related!

I have not used them as much as I'd hoped before school started. Partly because I don't have the classroom set up so that they're accessible and visible. Partly because I only have one student who has fidgeting needs. He seems to like them, though I still need to figure out how to reach him with my lessons.