I didn't start off the year completely following through with my resolution to post positive stories from this year. I made it half-way--writing entries but not editing them enough to post them.
Today we had inservice. I tried out my new mindmapping program to take notes on the speaker and edited the posts. They're all uploaded now, and backdated so that when I go through this blog to review the year I'll know when things actually happened. I don't think I have enough readers yet to worry about upsetting anyone. If it offends you, sorry.
Friday, January 18, 2008
No longer paying attention to inservice...
I think part of my bind with the General Math is not knowing what the class is supposed to be. I don't know how students are sorted into general math versus pre-algebra.
Yesterday, I gave a lesson on using the Order of Operations. The two boys who I suspect are ADD were done with the assignment before we'd made it through the first example. (And of course I couldn't find the right puzzle to keep them going for the rest of class.) On the other end of the spectrum, one student couldn't multiply 7 and 1 without looking at a multiplication chart. Obviously I need some serious differentiation.
This weekend, I'm heading out of town. Some friends convinced me to buy a ski pass when they were on sale in October. I've never been downhill skiing before, but I went ahead and bought it knowing that I need to take myself away from town sometimes in order to give myself a mental break.
I'm taking the computer with me, but I don't know if I'll have internet access. Hopefully I'll be able to step back enough to get a sense of where this class (and all there others) are going to go.
Yesterday, I gave a lesson on using the Order of Operations. The two boys who I suspect are ADD were done with the assignment before we'd made it through the first example. (And of course I couldn't find the right puzzle to keep them going for the rest of class.) On the other end of the spectrum, one student couldn't multiply 7 and 1 without looking at a multiplication chart. Obviously I need some serious differentiation.
This weekend, I'm heading out of town. Some friends convinced me to buy a ski pass when they were on sale in October. I've never been downhill skiing before, but I went ahead and bought it knowing that I need to take myself away from town sometimes in order to give myself a mental break.
I'm taking the computer with me, but I don't know if I'll have internet access. Hopefully I'll be able to step back enough to get a sense of where this class (and all there others) are going to go.
Reflections during inservice
The prayer at the beginning of the day. The songs on the drum, so solid that the room buzzes with the vibrating sound. These are the moments that help me remember that this area is a separate nation. A reminder that I am living in a foreign land.
We talk a lot about the native language dying. What I rarely hear is a discussion of how quickly, how easily, languages die. Preventing one generation from learning the language is really all it takes. The next generation the grandparents know the language, but the parents don't. Children are able to understand bits of the language they hear from grandparents, but so few are able to speak it themselves. I think any skill works this way--I didn't grow up baking bread the way my grandmother did. But I've been able to learn how to bake from cookbooks and the little experience I had when my grandmother was younger. I wonder what resources will be available in the future to help my students learn their language.
We talk a lot about the native language dying. What I rarely hear is a discussion of how quickly, how easily, languages die. Preventing one generation from learning the language is really all it takes. The next generation the grandparents know the language, but the parents don't. Children are able to understand bits of the language they hear from grandparents, but so few are able to speak it themselves. I think any skill works this way--I didn't grow up baking bread the way my grandmother did. But I've been able to learn how to bake from cookbooks and the little experience I had when my grandmother was younger. I wonder what resources will be available in the future to help my students learn their language.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
When a test makes me happy
The ASVAB was being offered at our school today. When they were calling students to take it, Z was on the list.
It made me smile. I've been encouraging him to sign up for it since he mentioned wanting to join the arm last week. I have no idea how he'll do. I don't know nearly enough about the test. He's smart, but I still wouldn't be surprised if he didn't score high enough to enlist. At this point, I'm excited that he actually signed up. Evidence that somehow the constant encouragement (which I won't take all the credit for, but want to claim part of) is making a difference. He's taking steps toward the future. Signing up for the test is a baby step, sure. But even baby steps can get us somewhere.
I hope he was here to take it.
Edit: He was.
It made me smile. I've been encouraging him to sign up for it since he mentioned wanting to join the arm last week. I have no idea how he'll do. I don't know nearly enough about the test. He's smart, but I still wouldn't be surprised if he didn't score high enough to enlist. At this point, I'm excited that he actually signed up. Evidence that somehow the constant encouragement (which I won't take all the credit for, but want to claim part of) is making a difference. He's taking steps toward the future. Signing up for the test is a baby step, sure. But even baby steps can get us somewhere.
I hope he was here to take it.
Edit: He was.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Requesting Curriculum Advice
Last Wednesday, while I was teaching Algebra II, I was informed that I would be teaching General Math starting this week. Or rather, I was asked to teach it at the same time that I was teaching Geometry. I refused to do that, but was put down for it anyway.
Things have worked out so that I do not have to teach two courses in one period, but I am up to four preps. Only one has a textbook or any curriculum that's worth using.
I am figuring out where to get resources online for the algebra and geometry courses. I've gotten in the hang of pulling material from my shelf of sample Algebra textbooks. They're not outstanding lessons. Not the most interesting notes. They're plagiarized left and right, but it was working for me.
I have no resources for this new course. The principal told me that he thought it would be "easy to teach." The curriculum coordinater directed me to edhelper, but I can't help but feel that students who have been worksheeted on the same material since elementary school are not going to learn it any better this year if I just give them worksheets.
For my diagnostic, I used California's released questions for fourth graders. (South Dakota doesn't release questions.) The students told me that they want to work on fractions, decimals, and percents. They want to learn exponents. Looking at the first part of the diagnostic, they need to learn multiplication and division first. Or alongside. Or....how do I work this?
I've requested sample textbooks from various companies, hoping that I'll find something that will help me with this latest class. (My favorite, based solely on online descriptions, is Fantasy Sports Math via my mother and Only a Game.)
Any resource recommendations from anyone out there? What do you use to help teach high schoolers who are at an elementary level?
Things have worked out so that I do not have to teach two courses in one period, but I am up to four preps. Only one has a textbook or any curriculum that's worth using.
I am figuring out where to get resources online for the algebra and geometry courses. I've gotten in the hang of pulling material from my shelf of sample Algebra textbooks. They're not outstanding lessons. Not the most interesting notes. They're plagiarized left and right, but it was working for me.
I have no resources for this new course. The principal told me that he thought it would be "easy to teach." The curriculum coordinater directed me to edhelper, but I can't help but feel that students who have been worksheeted on the same material since elementary school are not going to learn it any better this year if I just give them worksheets.
For my diagnostic, I used California's released questions for fourth graders. (South Dakota doesn't release questions.) The students told me that they want to work on fractions, decimals, and percents. They want to learn exponents. Looking at the first part of the diagnostic, they need to learn multiplication and division first. Or alongside. Or....how do I work this?
I've requested sample textbooks from various companies, hoping that I'll find something that will help me with this latest class. (My favorite, based solely on online descriptions, is Fantasy Sports Math via my mother and Only a Game.)
Any resource recommendations from anyone out there? What do you use to help teach high schoolers who are at an elementary level?
Attitude workout
My resolution to write regular positive posts is supposed to be an exercise for me in part so that it's easier for me to decide to come back next year.
This week the exercise is a challenge. We have a new semester starting with the new class schedule (that I'm unhappy with). We have G-Testing in a set-up that frustrates me.
This week, my attitude's not where it should be and that's my fault. Hopefully this attitude workout helps.
The students in my new class are mostly freshmen. The students in my other classes are predominately juniors and seniors. Spending the classtime with the younger students gives me a better perspective about the differences between age levels. It helps me remember that all of my students are on a journey and that I am only with them for a short walk along the way. While we walk together we shape each other paths, but it such an incomplete picture of each other. Remembering that perspective, remembering how much my students walk apart from me and how much I walk apart from them is valuable.
This week the exercise is a challenge. We have a new semester starting with the new class schedule (that I'm unhappy with). We have G-Testing in a set-up that frustrates me.
This week, my attitude's not where it should be and that's my fault. Hopefully this attitude workout helps.
The students in my new class are mostly freshmen. The students in my other classes are predominately juniors and seniors. Spending the classtime with the younger students gives me a better perspective about the differences between age levels. It helps me remember that all of my students are on a journey and that I am only with them for a short walk along the way. While we walk together we shape each other paths, but it such an incomplete picture of each other. Remembering that perspective, remembering how much my students walk apart from me and how much I walk apart from them is valuable.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Getting my priorities straight
I haven't kept up on my resolution to post more. Or rather the posts I have need to be edited before I publish them.
I haven't gotten all of my grades in the computer (they're due in the morning).
I don't know what in the world I'm doing with the general math class that starts tomorrow (I was told last Wednesday that I'd be teaching it).
Actually, I'm not 100% sure what I'm doing with my other classes either, at least after we've reviewed the midterm. Having a standardized test go on during one class period means all the Algebras get out of sync if I continue with plan. My out of sync geometries are getting combined. And advanced math, who knows.
But I couldn't stop thinking about Dan's contest. I've had sketches for a week and the deadline's in two hours. Sneaking it in before getting the last grades in and getting some sleep.
Disclaimer, this isn't where I want it to be at all. Colors. Charts. Lines. Pictures. I just got Keynote and Number and am still trying to figure out how to do everything I want. Really, this is the first draft on the computer. I just knew I'd regret it if I didn't get something pulled out now.
And for what it's worth, this is pretty much the conversation I had on the plane to point Q 3.5 weeks ago.
I haven't gotten all of my grades in the computer (they're due in the morning).
I don't know what in the world I'm doing with the general math class that starts tomorrow (I was told last Wednesday that I'd be teaching it).
Actually, I'm not 100% sure what I'm doing with my other classes either, at least after we've reviewed the midterm. Having a standardized test go on during one class period means all the Algebras get out of sync if I continue with plan. My out of sync geometries are getting combined. And advanced math, who knows.
But I couldn't stop thinking about Dan's contest. I've had sketches for a week and the deadline's in two hours. Sneaking it in before getting the last grades in and getting some sleep.
Disclaimer, this isn't where I want it to be at all. Colors. Charts. Lines. Pictures. I just got Keynote and Number and am still trying to figure out how to do everything I want. Really, this is the first draft on the computer. I just knew I'd regret it if I didn't get something pulled out now.
And for what it's worth, this is pretty much the conversation I had on the plane to point Q 3.5 weeks ago.
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