tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68360628688713925022024-03-13T16:16:40.155-07:00BORN AGAIN...TEACHER!ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-55545587946127111082012-02-23T14:36:00.003-08:002012-03-01T09:41:34.994-08:00Comments from a Geometry Classroom<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I don't have time for a post about academics, but here are some comments from the last two weeks in my classroom:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">Statements from 3 boys in my Geometry class as they get ready to take a test:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">1) "I have been waiting for this test my whole life"</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">2) "I should probably stop feeding my cat anti-freeze"</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">3) "If I don't do well on this test, I'll be locked in the basement for 7 months"</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">As we work on a WebQuest on Pythagoras:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1) My grandmother could run a marathon faster than this computer is loading!<br />2) What kind of witch craft is this triangle?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">"This class is pretty awesome...not the whole math part, but it's pretty awesome."</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-72332815433944601812011-12-09T08:05:00.001-08:002011-12-09T08:12:56.327-08:00One More Reason To Help Me Know I Am Doing Something GoodAnother dedication...and this one I know to be for real. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNVhepmnMJY7Ll-Be_cx-tSyALnm4y_GRPJwYLYa1D-sr93vQ3sWEhH-HxoSIrAmU-oiNKQosyAmIAVkiFbOVkye3uJMLyybac7MVk3KCrepsX7-s1zkJ2r8l3WmQnS7kwUQDr4I5Ouw/s1600/Kf_blocked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNVhepmnMJY7Ll-Be_cx-tSyALnm4y_GRPJwYLYa1D-sr93vQ3sWEhH-HxoSIrAmU-oiNKQosyAmIAVkiFbOVkye3uJMLyybac7MVk3KCrepsX7-s1zkJ2r8l3WmQnS7kwUQDr4I5Ouw/s320/Kf_blocked.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicsRvnw5ewE9h_JtZpG1_fi0gF6DVpUysEj0x2D7izW1RKJGQ560v87WQxX2IRkXXG-DriwICMMkx38owBnswHbWsz8tINXkqGOQs9K429HRpUpeJzTX8UBcez2WXNvzGohqrMoayhE1o/s1600/Kf2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicsRvnw5ewE9h_JtZpG1_fi0gF6DVpUysEj0x2D7izW1RKJGQ560v87WQxX2IRkXXG-DriwICMMkx38owBnswHbWsz8tINXkqGOQs9K429HRpUpeJzTX8UBcez2WXNvzGohqrMoayhE1o/s320/Kf2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It helps remind me that I am doing good things by being a teacher. I am realizing that I do have some great student/teacher relationships this year. Of course I have bad days, but each little conversation that is positive keeps me going. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-9882749836708298272011-12-05T02:10:00.001-08:002011-12-05T02:20:14.364-08:00Preparing for TestsRecently, I have been really trying to stress "STUDY" and what it really means. In math it doesn't just mean, "oh I'm going to look through my notes", and it doesn't start the night before the test. But my kids don't get it. And I am not sure that I figured it out in math until grad school. But I am trying to communicate what I know now and had wish I had known then...<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEito2I2Pg0BfJ6kh6b-_p01TPA56YJN8MJsmTBPm8frAeXMpltgxjFaqDqUy7Fb45MW0DhYp6g-G3o4FEbhCgcvoU6zt_IRS9PuCmcClouL8SkT_Gh__NxzZYRljdT6Ln5u00LqCTDjdfw/s1600/Preparing+for+Tests_CH+4+%2526+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEito2I2Pg0BfJ6kh6b-_p01TPA56YJN8MJsmTBPm8frAeXMpltgxjFaqDqUy7Fb45MW0DhYp6g-G3o4FEbhCgcvoU6zt_IRS9PuCmcClouL8SkT_Gh__NxzZYRljdT6Ln5u00LqCTDjdfw/s320/Preparing+for+Tests_CH+4+%2526+5.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
<div>
I have started giving out a "<a href="http://www.box.com/s/rs6tzxncd26hlnl90up0">preparing for tests</a>" review sheet about a week before the exam (hoping that next year I can be organized enough to give it at the start of the chapter, but I don't always know if I am going to use the Mid Chapter Quiz or Practice Test as take home items). </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Last test, I know that at least 1 student used it because I got an email from a parent when she didn't do so hot on her test saying she studied and even used the review sheet. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But freshmen and sophomores don't really know how to study and freshmen don't even understand the idea of a cumulative final. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This needs work, but I think it is a good start.</div>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-55192820653926058512011-11-22T15:49:00.001-08:002011-11-22T16:21:40.938-08:00Math VideosI'm trying to write a rubric for a 2nd semester project in geometry. I don't want everyone to do videos, but the ones below are sooooo funny!!! And I know that I have creative enough students if I give them enough time.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://3.gvt0.com/vi/8gGEovWY_Rc/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8gGEovWY_Rc&fs=1&source=uds" />
<param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" />
<embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8gGEovWY_Rc&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://3.gvt0.com/vi/4ogeQo_nV08/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4ogeQo_nV08&fs=1&source=uds" />
<param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" />
<embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4ogeQo_nV08&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://3.gvt0.com/vi/m_iyBtstjzs/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/m_iyBtstjzs&fs=1&source=uds" />
<param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" />
<embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/m_iyBtstjzs&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/pNoOYVZPEAQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/t2uPYYLH4Zo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<h1 id="watch-headline-title" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-size: 1.8333em; font-weight: bold; height: 1.1363em; line-height: 1.1363em; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-height: 1.1363em; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></h1>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/n8ga69Ftkbc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-85938830828629607202011-11-20T03:07:00.001-08:002011-12-05T02:23:40.870-08:00Thank Goodness for Thanksgiving Break<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">Those who are not teachers are always saying, "...but you get so many breaks...", and thank goodness we do. As I was heading into this week off I was so thankful, because I was starting to be ornery to my kids, to my coworkers, to friends. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">But one great thing happened this week: A young man, who misses a lot of school, who is troubled in so many ways, but is more intelligent then he gives himself credit (or other people give him, for that matter too!), walked into class on Thursday with a 52%. He walked out with a 71%. Turning in missing work does wonders!!!!!!! He beamed when I told him his updated grade. Hopefully, he keeps up the work through the rest of the semester.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I also received this dedication: </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpn3Yfzpqr8QX7s_cHCSLkAbVTRh-_7fIXbqxVnGQrPl11JwGmmAYb0cEymR1xSkdRDMrISzUgDsjdiVL12UCxEHF6GK9CrAYj-qfS3J_Db4QUaMxHgXl5ksEsf6s4gJYIYMNzDr8NSg/s1600/seeman_blocked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpn3Yfzpqr8QX7s_cHCSLkAbVTRh-_7fIXbqxVnGQrPl11JwGmmAYb0cEymR1xSkdRDMrISzUgDsjdiVL12UCxEHF6GK9CrAYj-qfS3J_Db4QUaMxHgXl5ksEsf6s4gJYIYMNzDr8NSg/s640/seeman_blocked.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">For the record: I always want to help him, and he does come in to ask, although this student spends more time in the hallway then he does him class. And not that he is a behavior issue because he is mean and defiant, he just has some focus issues. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I can't decide if this is suppose to be funny, sweet, or if its making fun of me?!?!?!?!?!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Oh and this was on his English project...nothing to do with actual math class. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">UPDATE:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Last week, this same student move their desk into my "space" (aka right up next to my desk) because he missed me. This was during a quiz, so I tried to not make a big deal of it. I wish I had had someone else take a picture because the situation can not be described in words. </span>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-81688287751689394412011-11-11T04:25:00.000-08:002011-11-11T04:56:38.777-08:00All or Nothing QuizA few weeks back I gave the students an opportunity to get 100% on a quiz. The catch...I was super picky on formulas, work and notation, and if they were not 100% correct, they got a 0% (which I never put in the book, but the students still freaked out). I called it an All or Nothing Quiz. <div><br /></div><div>I have 4 Geometry classes and about 70 students in those sections. I gave the kids an incentive of a sweet treat if everyone in one section got 100% on the first try. I was sure one of the classes could do it. Boy was I wrong!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>Only 8 students got 100% the first try and boy did I upset some kids. </div><div><br /></div><div>The type of problems that I put on the quiz: Draw an angle of a specific measure; Measure an angle; distance formula; 2 multi-step, variable on both sides problem.</div><div><br /></div><div>Students didn't get 100% for things like: not writing the distance formula (and a formula is an equation, NOT an expression!!!!), not labeling the angle correctly (including arrowheads on the rays), giving a positive answer when it should have been negative. </div><div><br /></div><div>I got responses of the sorts: "you gave me a zero because I didn't write d =?", "Just because I didn't label the angle I have to do this again?", or "my negative is up here, just not on the answer!"</div><div><br /></div><div>I kind of felt bad, but I wanted them to be aware of the little things that effect their grade. These are things that they normally loose points for, but very little in the scheme of their entire grade. But those little things will be really big things later on. And actually the writing the whole formula is huge because they don't know how to work backwards in equations...because they do not write the ENTIRE formula!</div><div><br /></div><div>I felt bad until one of our book study sessions. We are reading two books, which is another whole post in itself. But I did get something from from the book that my group is reading: <a href="http://www.josseybass.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470548746.html">Driven By Data - A Practical Guide to Improve Instruction</a>. There is a section called "<a href="http://www.box.net/shared/7nbxh5kvsj8sl5eqfto4">Increasing Rigor Throughout the Lesson</a>", and guess what? I AM DOING SOME OF THESE THINGS!!!! YAY!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>From the document: </div><div>Model "Right is right": press to get the 100 percent correct answer.</div><div><br /></div><div>I take this as, "I can do these all or nothing quizzes and the students hate them because they hold them accountable". </div><div><br /></div><div>I still have 3 or 4 kids that haven't got a 100% yet, I am going to have to follow-up with them this coming week. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-2126343327825854072011-10-27T08:52:00.000-07:002011-10-27T13:55:21.716-07:00TIME: ‘Digital Literacy’ Will Never Replace The Traditional Kind ReadI follow Education Nation put out by MSNBC. I think that they post great articles and are a supporter of educators. Not that I agree with EVERYTHING they put out, I would say I probably agree with 90%. <div><br /></div><div>This morning they posted an <a href="http://ideas.time.com/2011/10/26/why-digital-literacy-will-never-replace-the-traditional-kind/?iid=op-main-lede">article</a> by Time Magazine by Annie Murphy Paul talking about how digital literacy is important but not as import as traditional learning.</div><div><br /></div><div>Some of my favorite quotes from the article:</div><div><br /></div><div>1) "<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;">It would seem clear that what Leu’s seventh graders really require is <em style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">knowledge</em>: some basic familiarity with the biology of sea-dwelling creatures that would have tipped them off that the website was a whopper (say, when it explained that the tree octopus’s natural predator is the sasquatch)." </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;">HAHA <a href="http://www.bfro.net/">Sasquatch!!!</a> Although I shouldn't laugh to hard, because my father makes a really convincing argument on the existence of such a creature. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;">2) "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;">In their view, skills trump knowledge, developing “literacies” is more important than learning mere content, and all facts are now Googleable and therefore unworthy of committing to memory." </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px;font-size:15px;">I think that learning "how to learn" and "literacy skills" are important. I am not a huge proponent of the need to plug and chug to just have to regurgitate the knowledge for some end of the year assessment. But that is where are education system is and that is what is expected of our students when then entire post secondary institutions. But then again, I do believe in a classical type of education. So I guess I am a little wishy washy.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px;font-size:15px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px;font-size:15px;">3) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;">“But if you focus on the delivery mechanism and not the content, you’re doing kids a disservice.”</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;">I agree, so maybe I am not as wishy washy as I thought. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;">4) "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;">Just because you can Google the date of Black Thursday doesn’t mean you understand why the Great Depression happened or how it compares to our recent economic slump." </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;">WHY WHY WHY? Even in my math classes I ask my students "WHY?" They hate it! HAHA</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px;font-size:15px;">5) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;">But such skills can’t be separated from the knowledge that gives rise to them. To innovate, you have to know what came before. To collaborate, you have to contribute knowledge to the joint venture. And to evaluate, you have to compare new information against knowledge you’ve already mastered. </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;"><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background- background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size:15px;color:transparent;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;"><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background- background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size:15px;color:transparent;">TRUE THAT!!!!!!!!!<br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;"><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background- background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size:15px;color:transparent;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;"><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background- background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size:15px;color:transparent;">6) </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;">At Google and all these places, we make technology as brain-dead easy to use as possible. There’s no reason why kids can’t figure it out when they get older.” What they <em style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">won’t</em> figure out is deep reading, advanced math, scientific reasoning — unless we teach them. <span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background- background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size:15px;color:transparent;"><br /><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;"><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background- background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size:15px;color:transparent;">YES, they NEED US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;"><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background- background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size:15px;color:transparent;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px;font-size:15px;">Great Article...and it mentions </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;">Sasquatch.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-size:15px;"><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background- background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size:15px;color:transparent;"><br /><br /></span></span></div>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-1542940824687196562011-10-08T07:25:00.000-07:002011-10-08T07:31:08.629-07:00Warm-Ups<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:enableopentypekerning/> <w:dontflipmirrorindents/> <w:overridetablestylehps/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathpr> <m:mathfont val="Cambria Math"> <m:brkbin val="before"> <m:brkbinsub val="--"> <m:smallfrac val="off"> <m:dispdef/> <m:lmargin val="0"> <m:rmargin val="0"> <m:defjc val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent val="1440"> <m:intlim val="subSup"> <m:narylim val="undOvr"> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" defunhidewhenused="true" defsemihidden="true" defqformat="false" defpriority="99" latentstylecount="276"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="0" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Normal"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="heading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="35" qformat="true" name="caption"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="10" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" name="Default Paragraph Font"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="11" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtitle"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="22" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Strong"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="20" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="59" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Table Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Placeholder Text"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="No Spacing"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Revision"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="34" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="List Paragraph"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="29" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="30" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language:JA;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">Since day one of teaching I liked the idea of a warm-up or bellringer. Originally I had student do it on a half a sheet of paper and turn them in. The result: these sheets of paper would just pile up on my desk (or at this time I didn’t really have a desk so they would pile on my in roll-a-desk), and I wouldn’t get around to grading them for weeks because I had to lesson plan or grade quizzes and homework. Then I had student do them in there notebooks at the beginning of each day, but then I didn’t check notebooks like I originally intended because I was always planning or grading quizzes and homework.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">New solution: I created a <a href="http://www.box.net/shared/jh8o6cdvle9rm9pylsay">warm-up sheet</a> where each day students date the box and complete the warm-up in this box. Then at the end of the chapter I collect them. I decided this was AWESOME and I was so clever…until I collected them the first time... </p> <p class="MsoNormal">A lot of students did not put any effort or pride into completing these. Students didn’t even number them when there was more than once problem to do. Problems were out of order in the boxes, and one student even had 3 different sheets even though there were only 5 days of warm-ups!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">When I handed this set back, I explained that next time the warm-ups needed to be in chronological order, as well as be numbered if there is more than 1 problem. If you are absent a day, it is your responsibility to get the warm up. Once a week I am uploading a <a href="http://www.box.net/shared/vccutjkvlmvaedg8bnt4">document</a> with the warm-ups on the class website where the student can go to get the problems. I think some of them think I am kidding. But I think I have covered my butt by having it in multiple places that things need to be turned in to me in order and if they aren’t they will not be graded. Hopefully, there won’t be any arguments, but I keep you posted. <o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-83091039335753536092011-10-03T14:43:00.000-07:002011-10-03T16:56:52.631-07:00Read Direction Much?<div>I ask you, what is UNCLEAR about the following statement:</div><div><br /></div>"Put the letter of the answer on the line. Failure to do so will result in a score of zero for that problem" <div><br /></div><div>Apparently everything!!! Multiple students received a score of zero on the first page of their Ch 1 test today. </div><div><br /></div><div>I hate to read directions (that's why I don't bake), but it is a necessary evil of this world. I beg of you to please don't let students get away with NOT reading directions. </div>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-27529992067149845522011-08-25T19:26:00.000-07:002011-08-25T19:33:43.876-07:00The Bully, the Bullied and the Bystander<a href="http://www.kidsareworthit.com/">Barbara Coloroso</a>...ever heard of her? If not look her up. She is a educator, who speaks about parenting, conflict resolution, and bullying. <div>
<br /></div><div>She spoke to our students about bullying, they seemed engaged, but let's see if what she said translates to our school culture.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>She then spoke to parents and community members. Again, she had great things to say. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>I would write more, but I am so tired from this week. I will write more after I start reading her book '<a href="http://shop.kidsareworthit.com/The-Bully-the-Bullied-and-the-Bystander-BULLY.htm">The Bully, the Bullied and the Bystander</a>". </div><div>
<br /></div><div>
<br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Kalimati, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><h2 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; ">
<br /></h2></span>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-89479245936034355602011-06-13T19:52:00.000-07:002011-06-13T19:54:38.752-07:00Gettin' Triggy With It...AMAZING!<a href="http://www.schooltube.com/video/1e49182438433ab755b1/Gettin-Triggy-Wit-It">A</a>mazing. So hope that one day I can be this creative with my class. <div><br /></div><div>Must watch <a href="http://www.schooltube.com/video/1e49182438433ab755b1/Gettin-Triggy-Wit-It">Gettin' Triggy With it</a> </div>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-75737999740426966102011-05-26T09:45:00.001-07:002011-05-26T09:58:29.612-07:00Are you SURE??Final reviews...I am kind of enjoying this time. Why you ask? Because I can give the students packet of problems and they have to do them. My room is quiet for the most part. I allow students to have side conversations, as long as they are doing math problems in between. I have given the students an answer bank, so as they do problems they can check to see if the answer is there. <div><br /></div><div>Is it bad that I find joy in telling overly confident students that they are doing the problem wrong when they can't find there answer in the bank?</div><div><br /></div><div>Now I am not mean about it. I try to tell them that they have only done half the problem or that they are missing a piece of information, or are they SURE that that's the height of the prism. But when they start to argue, I get a little defensive. I make mistakes...sure, and I admit them. But I have a few students that just never want to admit they are wrong. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-14752477735036104512011-05-21T12:52:00.001-07:002011-05-22T10:18:53.957-07:00End of the Year Review Woes!I have NO idea how to review for the end of the year. My heart says, "Make it Fun, make it meaningful, make it so they REMEMBER!" But my head (or logically side) says "PLUG AND CHUG!"<div><br /></div><div>There have been some great games posted on others' blogs lately. Miss Calcul8 has had <a href="http://misscalculate.blogspot.com/2011/03/fish-pong-review-game.html">Fish Pong </a> and <a href="http://misscalculate.blogspot.com/2011/03/balloon-pop-review-game.html">Ballon Pop</a>. Bot of which I think are GREAT games. I think I may play Fish Pong in my pre-algebra class, but I am struggling with Geometry. </div><div><br /></div><div>Why? Don't they deserve to have fun too? </div><div><br /></div><div>Well, yes, but I don't know that I want to put myself through the stress. I am not up for the arguments that these students can put forth. I am not up to making sure that EVERYONE is participating, and trying to hold EVERYONE accountable. I am not up for making sure that my power point has no mistakes (I guess I could do problem on paper under my document camera) or taking the risk that my computer won't crash (you never know). </div><div><br /></div><div>Is it harder/more time consuming to put together this review game, or to just make a review sheet? On top of continuing to unpack my apartment, to plan for Sophomore River Trip (I'm head program and more on JRT later), to try to find a summer job, and to try to figure out how to pay for a Grand Canyon Trip I have been invited on, I just don't want to be creative about end of the year review!</div><div><br /></div><div>The positive...at least I am not searching for a job!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-22779659469346612752011-04-14T16:30:00.000-07:002011-04-14T16:56:52.533-07:00NTOTBNTOB = New Teenager on the Block<div><br /></div><div>I can't say that I have ever been the new kid or teenager on the block. I have been the new adult on the block, several times in the last decade, but that is sooooooo different than in those formable years.</div><div><br /></div><div>We have a new student at school. How hard it must be to move to a new school with 30 days left to the school year. I'm going to call this student "Larry".</div><div><br /></div><div>I received an email from our counselor on Tuesday afternoon with Larry's grades...straight A student. He was being placed into my Consumer Math class. And with only one male in their currently, I was excited that there would now be another one in there. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yesterday, Larry joined us for class. He slept through a video that I showed on 'Extreme Couponing', and I thought "OH NO, is he really a straight A student". But when I passed out the worksheet on calculating discounts, he was the only student that didn't need some guidance. He responded to me with "Yes, Ma'am" or "No, Ma'am", something rarely heard in our high school. And I'll admit, I got excited.</div><div><br /></div><div>Well my enthusiasm was short lived. Today, I couldn't get him to do anything for the first part of class. I don't believe he filled in any blanks while watching the video. When I passed out the worksheet for the day, he just sat there. When I approached him to see if he needed help getting started, he said, "Well, I'm just going to fail this class anyways." </div><div><br /></div><div>This SHOCKED me. He is a straight A student coming into a class that everything is OpenNote. But then he elaborated:</div><div>"I don't want to be here. If I fail, I can go back to Florida. I'm never going to play football again, so why does it matter?"</div><div><br /></div><div>I did speak to him in the hallway and tried to convince him to do the work because if he does get to go back to FL then he would go back with his straight As not with failing grades. And that he would want to keep up his grades so that he can play football in the fall. </div><div><br /></div><div>Long story short: Larry is a new kid at school. He is lonely. He misses his friends. He probably misses the warm weather of FL on this February-like day in April in Colorado. I can't even imagine how he feels. </div><div><br /></div><div>On my way home from school today, I saw Larry hitching a ride. I drove passed him and then turned around to give him a ride. I know, as a teacher I shouldn't be picking him up, but I just felt like I needed to. </div><div><br /></div><div>I think he was surprise to see that it was one of his teachers. I asked him where he was going and if his father knew where he was. He was going to the restaurant (well, ok, its really a bar) a the bottom of the hill to my neighborhood. I asked him why. His response:</div><div>"Its the only place I get service so I can talk to my friends in FL". Ok, my heart officially broke. </div><div><br /></div><div>So to add to the list of new school, feeling lonely, feeling cold, NOW he doesn't have cell phone service!?!?!???!?! (We live in a rural mtn community where only Verizon works). </div><div><br /></div><div>Again, I can't even imagine. And yes, I have tears in my eyes, just thinking about this kid. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-14228399706243162812011-04-11T17:18:00.001-07:002011-04-14T16:30:30.920-07:00Facebook...a success?<div>Well, I think I did it. I think I made a Facebook page for my math classroom. </div><div><br /></div><div>I was able to create a fan page, linked to my personal page. I created a fake account with an email that I don't really use to test it out. My fake account "liked" the page and the newsfeed post appeared. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm pretty sure that I am not able to link to my personal page because I am not "friends" with my fake page. When my fake account is on the classroom page, I can't find any way into my personal page. There isn't even a picture of me.</div><div><br /></div><div>I went to a couple pages that I "liked", for example Kindle. I can't see other users profile pics, only when they post a comment. There are 799, 155 people that like the Kindle page, but I don't know who...this is what I want my classroom page to be like. And I think it is...</div><div><br /></div><div>So why am I nervous to roll it out to my students...because I am afraid there is a super smart one that will be able to hack into my personal account. </div><div><br /></div><div>ADDENDUM: </div><div>I now have 23 students that "like" my mathmaticious Facebook page. It seems to be working GREAT. My students had a take home quiz this week. One student posted he had about one of the questions...I am sure my response helped more than just him. </div><div><br /></div><div>A student who was absent yesterday walked in today and said, "I was able to figure out the homework last night, I got the homework assignment from Facebook. It's so cool you have it." (P.S. this is a student that I had major problems with earlier in the school year...not sure what has changed, but she is doing soooooooo much better!!)</div><div><br /></div><div>So if anyone out there is thinking about creating a page for their classroom...GO FOR IT!!!!! I am glad I did.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-13777882914740223022011-03-28T20:13:00.000-07:002011-03-28T20:41:58.484-07:00Not That I Really Had The Time...<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>But I created a review activity for my students. And I must say I am super proud of myself. <div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I have been trying to get away from just giving them review problems in worksheet form, and getting more creative about how I give them problems. </div><div><br /></div><div>For CSAP Review I used the <a href="http://squarerootofnegativeoneteachmath.blogspot.com/2011/01/math-dominoes.html">math dominoes</a> (idea curtsey of <a href="http://squarerootofnegativeoneteachmath.blogspot.com/">Amy G</a>), it was a hit in my Pre-Algebra class and with most of my Geometry students. </div><div><br /></div><div>I also used a index card review, where a card </div><div>had 1 </div><div>problem on the front and the answer to the previous card on the back. I don't remember who's blog I saw this on, but when I can find it (i.e. remember) I will give credit to them for the idea. This worked GREAT in 3 of my 4 Geometry classes. The 4th class is a huge class, and honestly, nothing works for them. I could put $1M in </div><div>front of them, 24 large pizzas and all the soda and candy a kid could want, and someone (if not 10 of them) would complain.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I'll post my versions in another post (probably sometime next week...SPRING BREAK '11, OH YEAH!)</div><div><br /></div><div>But tonight I created a review activity for the Transformations & Symmetry unit. I got this idea from <a href="http://mathteachermambo.blogspot.com/2010_12_01_archive.html">Miss Cookie</a>. I created a puzzle from scratch!! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I got a quote from a website with <a href="http://www.quotegarden.com/math.html">math quotes</a>, and then I used problems from the resource master from my text book. And here is the</div><div> <a href="http://www.box.net/shared/e48j1juysg">final result</a>:</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 247px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGArcQsbTLelTx_jNwAHS97e83sdAOvfBJ9-tMwGJVq4KT8h1XLhSqmve0NJ1ILeVVoUXmkXN6h1EZFghW8gI8QiAgZ5zijazyrtGYzSfjZKX0FJYxEj3FNb2CsG1z_14ZRqCqebyS8VI/s320/Ch+9+Review+Activity_Page_1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589341538751250242" /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 247px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhATlIlXwlxyJ2bJKgwFAjxIQAgYzvMdnjKgu7P5pzR61yTSObTqG-JEBIGEqZNGLmw-znOloHNe9G45PJhoFXm3CO4wdKUV6Qgk0JDz15Ex0horeCFPwVr9uItJH7-4ZVqqg3z_2PSZMQ/s320/Ch+9+Review+Activity_Page_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589341803678983170" /><div style="text-align: center;">I AM REALLY PROUD OF MYSELF!!! NOW I AM GOING TO BED!</div></div><div><br /></div>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-8061409858105915662011-03-26T18:28:00.000-07:002011-03-26T18:44:15.038-07:00FACEBOOK...anyone use it?Well, Duh...everyone uses Facebook, right? Exactly why I want to use it in classroom, but I don't know exactly how to go about it. <div><br /></div><div>There is a FB page for '<a href="https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7036945291&ref=ts">Educators using Facebook'</a>, but I really haven't found too many answers for the questions I have. I did find a post on someone else's blog titled '<a href="http://kerryhawk02.blogspot.com/2010/04/let-me-start-this-post-out-by-saying.html">Facebook in the High School Classroom</a>', which had some good points, but as far as setting up a classroom page, I have some more questions.</div><div><br /></div><div>These are my questions:</div><div>1) I currently have a FB page, where I DO NOT accept friend requests from students. Can I link a classroom page to my current login without my students having access to my personal page?</div><div><br /></div><div>2) I don't want access to my students' pages, is is best to set up a Fan Page where my students can 'Like' the page? Mainly I just want my posts to come up on their newsfeeds.</div><div><br /></div><div>I feel like I have more questions, I just can't think of them right now.</div><div> </div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;font-size:7;color:#EEFFDD;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 30px;"><br /></span></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-60342937599502289152011-03-25T09:17:00.001-07:002011-03-25T09:36:00.493-07:00Scribing - A tech based instructional strategy for the math classroom.For being a NCTM member I get the magazine <a href="http://www.nctm.org/eresources/journal_home.asp?journal_id=2">"Mathematics Teacher"</a>. In the February issue there was a great article about using a tablet PC in your classroom for instructional time. <div><br /></div><div>The <a href="http://www.box.net/shared/2nu5zfjfdb">article</a> discussed the advantages of giving the tablet to a student and allowing them to be scribe for the day, which, hopefully, will increase discourse in your classroom. </div><div><br /></div><div>I WANT ONE!!! I am not sure where or how I am going to find the money, but there has to be a grant out there somewhere for math teachers to use technology in their classroom. </div><div><br /></div><div>My concern with using this is...I am afraid to give up control. I know, that sounds dumb and over-baring. Most students have a hard time staying organized when they are doing their math work, I think it is important to model for them, just to help them stay organized. But is this too much? Is this what the student meant when she said that I "over teach"?</div><div><br /></div><div>Another concern is that the "advanced students" typically do not show all their work and have a hard time explaining themselves in class. They get frustrated when I slow them down and ask them to clarify their response; usually this means to give in a complete sentences. So what will happen when they are the scribe? Will they slow down and take responses from their classmates or will they just buzz through, which will then cause me to not allow them to be scribe. </div><div><br /></div><div>Will my mid level students embrace this? </div><div><br /></div><div>How do I get my lower level students to participate, i.e. be scribe, without putting their math skills in the spot light?</div><div><br /></div><div>But regardless, I WANT ONE, and I am going to find a way to GET ONE!</div>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-63163797233090064432011-03-19T18:06:00.000-07:002011-03-19T18:10:17.472-07:00I NEED A BREAK!It has been 11 weeks since Winter Break. I am exhausted. Wait I am not sure that exhausted can truly describe what I am feeling. And we still have 2 weeks until Spring Break. <div><br /></div><div>I need something to pick me up. I need something to pick up my kids. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-72848807162250317272011-03-06T11:24:00.000-08:002011-03-06T11:27:48.690-08:00CSAP Prep...Need Some Creativity!I sit here on a Sunday afternoon, really wanting to go skiing, but the idea of driving 50 miles to ski just a few runs is not logically. So instead I am trying to make a CSAP prep packet.<br /><br />I don't really just want to hand the kids a bunch of released items, but I am not really feeling very creative. CSAP is in two weeks, and I have to do something!<div><br /></div><div>The first district I worked for had an assessment program that each month the students would take. When I left I printed out a bunch of grade 9 and 10 problems that are aligned with CSAP standards. So I have a lot more problems then just the released ones from the state, but what to do with them...</div>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-65340738029537838892011-02-19T09:37:00.000-08:002011-02-19T10:07:00.326-08:00Do I need to be more clear?Well its been a while...3 months almost to the day. It has been crazy, busy, stressful...but I am surviving.<div><br /></div><div>Some good news to start: I have been told that unless I would like to be looking for a new job, it is not necessary. Our district is going through major budget cuts AGAIN, but there is really no way they could cut the math department. It is a slight relief, but until that contract is signed and in my hand, I am going to be standing a little closer than I would like to the edge. But it is GOOD news.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have been trying to do more investigations in my class. But it is so hard because my students are so ingrained to have everything spelled out for them step-by-step that they can't follow directions on there own. </div><div><br /></div><div>At the end of the last chapter, I tried two different projects; one in class, one week-long project. Again I will say, it was the end of the chapter, so I would have thought that they could have applied what they have learned, use there notes, look up things in the book...I was wrong. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have yet to grade either, but this is an initial observation:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.box.net/shared/qdfnakghgj">Time for Rebound</a> was in in-class activity based on similar triangles. The students were to try to knock over a cup by bouncing a ball off the wall...you know, like playing pool; angle in = angle out and proportionate sides. </div><div><br /></div><div>I wouldn't say this was a disaster, but I also wouldn't say it was a success. I think that my mid level students (those that work their butt off for a low B or a high C) did the best. They worked through the problem and I had to give them very little "extra directions". But my higher level kids (those getting a high B or an A) had the hardest time. I think this quote should sum it up, "I don't know what to do, the directions just stop." WOW! was what ran through my head at the time. </div><div><br /></div><div>Then I gave a take home project. It was to make a scale drawing of a room. It was an 6th grade level project that I added things (or took things away) to increase the level of difficulty. The initial project gave the scale factor (1 inch = 3 feet), which is appropriate for 6th graders. I changed it so that my students would have to find the scale factor, which was an objective of the chapter we just finished. </div><div><br /></div><div>I added a reflection to this project, something I found as part of a similar project on the web. One of the questions was, "<a href="http://www.box.net/shared/58lhpdkh2a">What would you change about this project?</a>" </div><div><br /></div><div>Many students said, "I would make the directions more clear." Now I ask: Are my directions unclear, or did the students not connect this assignment to all the HW problems they have done in the book/examples that I did in class? I really don't know. I did A LOT of problems where they have to find the appropriate scale factor. We also did lots of problems where we changed inches to feet using a conventional scale (12 inch = 1 ft), then changed it to fit our appropriate scale for a map. </div><div><br /></div><div>Currently, there are LOTS of upper level kids that just aren't taking notes during class. But they were also the same students that were lost when it came to this project. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-59126795572443706902010-11-20T08:23:00.000-08:002010-11-20T08:52:44.650-08:00Angle Pair PracticeSo this week I used a worksheet from Ms. Cookie @ <a href="http://mathteachermambo.blogspot.com/">Math Teacher Mambo</a> on Angle Relationships. Although we finished Chapter 3 about 2 weeks ago, I realized that my students needed continuous practice on the topic. They think that everything is congruent, even though consecutive angles are an acute and an obtuse angle (in most instances)...I mean REALLY, do they even look the SAME!!!!! Use your common sense!<div><br /></div><div>When I stumbled upon this <a href="http://mathteachermambo.blogspot.com/2010/11/angle-pair-nitty-gritty.html">worksheet</a> I knew it would be perfect. I gave the students the worksheet a week prior to the quiz and told them that I wanted them to try to fill it out on their own, which I think most of them did. Then early last week we review the worksheet together and we went over each figure. I put the worksheet underneath the document camera and zoomed in on each box. I asked the students to give me the relationship and explain why. I thought it went pretty well. I did call on different students each time, and did accept the answer "I didn't do that one", I just said "OK, if you had, what would the relationship be". Putting my students on the spot? Sure...they should have done their homework (Ugh...another post all together).</div><div><br /></div><div>The students were told that they would have a quiz on this worksheet. There were 25 correct responses, each correct response would earn them 1 pt. However, to keep those couple students from circling every answer, I also told them that they would loose 1 pt for each incorrect response. So in reality, they could get a negative score, which I would just give them a 0 if that happened...hoping that this wouldn't really happen. I mean if you were not positive of the answer, just leave it blank...it wouldn't hurt you. I felt this would be a great assessment tool. </div><div><br /></div><div>82 students took the quiz (a few students out sick)...1 student...ONE!!!!! got the full 25 pts. Needless to say I was a little shocked. Eighteen students got above a 20...I was happy about that. I knew I would have a lot in the teen range. There were a lot of 17s. But here comes the shocking part...there were 17 students that got a big fat 0! 17!!!!!!!!!! WOW! And there were quite a few 1s and 2s as well.</div><div><br /></div><div>I really don't want to grade things again. Sometimes I do not believe in redos, although that is a premise of SBG. I have decided that I will not give them class time to do redo this. I am going to put a sign up on the wall: 7:30, 1st lunch (Junior Senior study hall), 2nd lunch (freshman, sophomore study hall), 4:20pm. They need to sign up for a time, if they do not show up, then they loose the chance to retake it. I am sick of waiting for kids that do not show up. But I also feels like this puts the responsibility back on the student. Even though I am they one that will be grading them...AGAIN!</div><div><br /></div><div>We'll see who shows up and takes the opportunity to redo the quiz. </div><div><br /></div><div>PS This post was written while riding the Amtrak home...AMAZING WiFi on a the train. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-41983013315851981252010-11-18T07:17:00.000-08:002010-11-18T13:42:48.895-08:00Encouraging WordsAlthough I am technically a long term sub, my principal is treating me as a first year teacher, which I look at as promising for next year (YAY!). So about a month ago, I had my first observation of the school year. Leading up to the observation I was pretty nervous. I had been questioning my ability to do my job, my wanting to do my job and the idea that others thought I could do my job. (<a href="http://bornagainteacherrockymtns.blogspot.com/2010/10/starting-off-busy-week-positive.html">See previous post</a>) I had my pre-observation with my principal, she assured me that the feedback that I would receive was not meant to be critical, and I assured her that I understood that and I was actually looking forward to her being in my classroom, because I wanted the corrective criticism. <div><br /></div><div>I did not plan and elaborate lesson plan. I am a true believe that you should be observed on what's happening in your classroom everyday, not something exciting that might happen every once in a while. The night prior to the observation, I went through my example problems several times trying to anticipate questions from students. The group of students that would be in my classroom during the observation has several higher level thinkers in the classroom; a few that questions EVERYTHING. Which is not a bad thing, but the the questions sometimes catch me off guard. So I just wanted to make sure that I was ready. </div><div><br /></div><div>And ready I was. I felt great during the class, I felt great after the class, but still really nervous about what she would have to say. Then I got the observation form from her through email. It was good, I mean I think it is good at the time. Here were my strengths from my principal (black) and my thoughts (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">red</span>):</div><div><ul><li>Knowledge of subject matter <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">(This I knew...I'm an engineer, so I know the material, I think I need to do a better job of funneling the information to a level that is easier for the kids. </span></li><li>High expectations for student behavior, respect between teacher and students is apparent <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">(I needed to hear this. I had been struggling with the idea that the students respected me, or were they just respecting me that day because the principal was sitting in my room?)</span></li><li>Preparation for successful classes <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">(I work really hard making easy to understand ppts, making handouts for the students with the figures for the lesson, and making sure I know the problem by heart so that I don't look unprepared by looking at my notes, so this was great to be recognized on it)</span></li><li>Curriculum mapping use and completion <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">(um, ok...I guess this means that I stated the targets before the lesson, but I wish I did a better job of questioning the students about the targets at the end of class)</span></li><li>Use of technology-overhead prepared materials <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">(I use a ppt everyday. It makes it easier on me so that I don't have to draw the figures every example problem)</span></li><li>Willingness to assist students outside of class <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">(I do offer my time to the students, but not many take me up on it. I also will not force students to come in. Choices, choices, choices, maybe that stems from me starting my teaching career at a "school of choice")</span></li><li>Confidence in presentation and responding to student questions <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">(I made myself be confident that day...I repeated the line from 'Cool Runnings' in my head, "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: normal; font-size: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">Well, let me tell you what I see. I see pride! I see power! I see a bad-ass mother who don't take no crap off of nobody")</span> </span></span></li></ul><div>Areas for Growth or Concern:</div><div><ul><li>Generalized questioning, towards more specified questioning -- Hold greater accountability for student learning <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">(This is something that I struggle with every time I write a lesson. I want to ask better questions, lead them down more detailed paths, but right now I am so concentrated on funneling the content. I feel like this is something that gets better the 2 or 3 or even 4th year that you teach the content. I am so hoping that I am able to have that opportunity)</span></li><li>Don't be so hard on yourself! You'll burn out of this profession if this is always an emotional high. Hang in there and keep relying on your mentors and administrators <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">(I have started to say "NO", more to myself than anyone else. I need to find a balance, and right now there is no balance)</span></li></ul><div>So all in all, I felt pretty good about what my principal wrote in the form. I was having more confidence in my teaching ability and just my overall wanting to be here.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Then the post-observation conference came...and things got even BETTER!!!!!!!!!!! My principal told me that she was very impressed by my teaching, that I am a great teacher. Do I have room for improvement, yah, everyone does. She acknowledge the difficulties I was having with some of the students do not go unshared. She also acknowledge my frustrations on other topics as well. She assured me that she felt confidence in her decision to bring me on board. And truthful...I do work with great people (mostly).</div><div><br /></div><div>I needed this boost of confidence. I know that I am making a difference in some students education. The students that I am not reaching, may be in that group that no one can reach. I do laugh with some kids, I have had kids tell me that they actually understand it now (more my Pre-Algebra kids), and I know that some do like me (one in particular always brings me artsy things to hangup). I guess I do like my job, and I know more now that I am doing a good job.</div><div><br /></div><div>So I am off on Thanksgiving Break in 40minutes. I am walking out this door for 10 WHOLE DAYS!!!!! I am off to New England for some family and friends. I wish I could say that no work will be done over this time, but alas I have grading and lesson planning that I need to do. But at least I am not walking down these hallways. Adios! </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span></div></div>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-56457427521163853062010-11-12T18:18:00.000-08:002010-11-12T18:56:02.553-08:0012 Weeks (more of less) of Diary Mapping<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The district I work for is having each teach curriculum map 1 class that they teach using </span></span><a href="http://www.rubicon.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Atlas Rubicon</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">. A curriculum map is something that I have wanted in each of the three schools I have been in (in the past 3 years), so I am actually pretty on board with the requirements, although I have hesitations because I don't know for sure that I will be at this school next year. But that is a whole other post, so I will just say...I am trying to stay positive. </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">
<br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I easily mapped my Geometry curriculum because math is pretty driven by the text book. Yes, you can elaborate, but because it is the first time ever teaching Geometry, I am sticking to the book and adding things as I go along (like </span></span><a href="http://www.nctm.org/uploadedFiles/Conferences/Regional_Conferences/Denver/Denver%209_12%20Sample.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Billy Bob's Road Kill Cafe</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">...which I am going to try to get in a post about soon). So, although I have been told that my map is too book driven (duh, it is a book based class), I mapped it using the objectives straight from </span></span><a href="http://glencoe.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0078884845/student_view0/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Glencoe Geometry textbook</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">, and I am trying to add essential questions and supporting questions as I move along. I am struggling with this though, because I am focusing trying to plan the content in a manner that is easy for my kids to understand. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">
<br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">We have an inservice about once a month. Last month I got out of it because I attended NCTM in Denver; this month...no such luck, I had to go. So because my map was done, I focused on Diary Mappying, which one of the requirements of the map. I am not sure how other teachers are diarying (word??), but I think mine has evolved form being detailed, to just asking questions of myself, that I hope to be able to go back and look at once I have finished the entire course. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">
<br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">So below are my diary entires over the first 12 weeks of school:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">
<br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Chapter 1 - Tools of Geometry:</span></span></div><div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Supporting Questions are being added throughout the unit as I am seeing what the bigger picture is. I have added a few supporting questions, but they are definitely being changed as I move through. Using some of the "Higher Order Thinking Skills" Problem for Supporting Questions. </span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">
<br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Points, Lines, Planes (1.1) (This lesson took 3 days, but I think it was because of problems with visualizing a 3-D situation, see below)</span></span></p><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Hard lesson to start on. Lots and Lots of vocab words. Do not really want students to address vocab words on their own; trying to set norms for how students should be taking notes on vocab words and notations as part of their journal. I feel like I am not going fast enough, and afraid that I will be questioned on my lack of rigor in the classroom. </span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Also I am finding it hard to have warm-up problems as part of the beginning of class. Maybe I should start putting a time limit and letting students know when that limit ends. </span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Students had a hard time visualizing the 3-D image of intersecting planes. For the next class I made a card-board representation of the intersecting planes. It definitely helped most student see what was happening.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Some of the more advanced students struggled with the idea that there were only two planes defined, they understand that there are an infinite number of planes, but they are not understanding that only 2 are defined. I have told them that if there are 3 or more that it will be clear and that I will not try to trick them. </span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Exercises: #54 students struggled with the directions of "Satisfying an equation", so got tripped up on the entire problem; #51 d is not necessary; #50 students did not know what a vanishing point was; #52, many students did not using a problem solving technique, they just assumed that they did not have enough info to solve the problem. </span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Spiral Review of Algebra Skills: Radicals, Solving systems of equations, Graphing points to create geometric figures, metric conversions </span></span></li></ul><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Linear Measure (1.2)</span></span></p><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Students are struggling with the fact the definitions are to for their use to be prepared for the next lesson, they are not HW, I will not be collecting them. </span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Needed to clarify to students that lines and segments will/can have the same name, with the different designation symbol over it. </span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Quickly running through examples 1 & 2, w/ the assumption that students at this level should be able to use and read a ruler to measure a line segment.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Students are lazy about writing the "betweenness equation", needed to remind them of practicing notations with simple problems, so that we encounter more difficult problems we are clear about the notations. For example: writing it using subtraction.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Spiral Review of Algebra Skills: Solving Inequalities, Evaluating Expressions</span></span></li></ul><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Distance & Midpoints (1.3)</span></span></p><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">When I introduced the distance formula through theory first, it was a disaster!</span></span><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Stepped back to teach it again, first talking about the Pythagorean Theorem and finding the distance by drawing a right triangle between the points. Then talking about how a and b in the theorem could be replaced with the name of the segment. Then talking about how we would find a and b without drawing a picture (i.e. subtracting the values of our coordinates). Talking about a general form of the equation we end up with. And then ending with the Supporting Questions: "How do are the Pythagorean Theorem and the distance formula related?"</span></span></li></ul></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Students are fighting the need to write formulas on every problem. Trying to stress to students that there are so many more formulas in Geometry than in Algebra, and many more packed into 1 lesson. Also trying to explain to them the need to do it because of proofs, and that is the make up of Geometry. </span></span><ul></ul></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Spiral Review of Algebra Skills: Solving Equations</span></span></li></ul><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Angle Measure (1.4)</span></span></p><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Short quick lesson. 1 day on content, spent another day on (short day Tuesday) on constructions: Copying of angles and Bisecting of Angles. </span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">No need to do 2 examples on naming vertices and all the angles with that vertex. </span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Stress the need to use the notation for congruent angles and measures for congruent angles are equal. </span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Starting to get away from the solving of the variable together. Continuing to set up the problem for them (progress check = having a student give me the steps), but focusing my talking time on the concept at hand, not the algebra 1 content of solving for 1 variable. </span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Gave students hand-out with figures because of the complicated nature of the figures, saved on class down time. </span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Use the example from "Personal Tutor" for example 3. I felt as though the one in the original ppt was too wordy for the concept to be addressed, and the REAL-World situation was not relatable. </span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Questions #41 & 39 were difficult for the students to visualized. Stressed the need to sketch the figure. WOrked through 1 or the other with the class, but NOT both. They are essentially the same problem except for the algebraic expressions given for angle measures.</span></span><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">May want to suggest that students distribute the 2 in the expression representing the measure of angle ABE, so they are working with 2s + 11. Some students are not doubling the angle, rather assuming the angle is doubled because the original expression is 2(s + 11)</span></span></li></ul></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Questions 30-35: Have students copy the figure from the book (gave them a blown up copy) using a straight edge and compass only to practice copying an angle and bisecting. The figure is not drawn accurately, so when doing this, the right angle symbol should be IGNORED!!!!</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Gave the students a copying the angle sheet, as well as step by step instructions on copying and bisecting an angle. </span></span><ul></ul></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Spiral Review of Algebra Skills: Measurement Conversion, Solving Equations</span></span></li></ul><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">
<br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">MID CHAPTER QUIZ -- Gave students the distance formula and midpoint formula. </span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">
<br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Angle Relationships (1.5)</span></span></p><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Day 1 (1/2 class): Gave students two tables, "Relationships do to Angle Positioning" & "Relationships due to Angle Measures". THis is how I addressed vocabulary (Adjacent, Linear Pairs, Vertical, Complementary, & Supplementary Angles). Used language from text book, but put it in less wordy terms. Stressed the importance of the notation formulas for Complementary & Supplementarty relationships, and the NEED to use them. </span></span></li></ul><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Looks like maybe I didn't finish diarying this chapter.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">
<br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">
<br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">
<br /></span></span></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; font-size: 13px; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Chapter 2- Logic & Reason: </span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">
<br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">2.1-2.4</span></span></p><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I didn't have the kids write enough related conditionals. </span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Students struggled with inductive vs. deductive. Need to do more practice with inductive/deductive statements together. </span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I need to explain better the purpose of a Venn Diagram as related to Logic. i.e. the conjunction is the intersection of a circle, a disjunction is the union of the two sets (circles) </span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Proofs: Why aren't these being taught? I know students struggle with them, but it is so important in their thinking process moving forward. The higher level students want to know where certain theorems come from, which they would understand from the proof process. Should probably teach as a fill in the blank process. </span></span></li></ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Chapter 3</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">3.1</span></span></u></p><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">need more practice on IDing angle relationships without parallel lines, understanding that there is no congruency or supplementary relationships unless the lines are parallel</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I like the paper folding activity to make the angle relationships</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">do not do the making a cube again...students thought it was stupid and didn't see the point. Maybe bring in several cube boxes, maybe try to make a pyramid, and a pentagon prism for examples on skewed lines and parallel planes. Have them do a walk around activity and ID skew and parallel via hands on. </span></span></li></ul><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">3.2- Angles and Parallel Lines</span></span></u></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><u></u></span></span></p><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Like paper folding activity to create parallel lines and a transversals. I think that the really could see the angle pair relationships. </span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I need to do more practice on looking at relations created by parallel lines and those created by non-parallel lines. Doing now as an activity in the next chapter, will be quizzed over them. Using the Angle-Pair Relationship worksheet that I got from Math Teacher Mambo (under resources). Need to change the sheet to say that it is consecutive interior angles rather than same-side interior angles. Hoping to get the original word document from the author. </span></span></li></ul><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">3.3 - Slope of Lines</span></span></u></p><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">WOW...amazed at how many students struggle with slope. </span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Need more practice on the slope relationship between parallel lines and perpendicular lines</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Wondering if worksheets would be better for students then bookwork. i.e. getting students to write down problems. What about having them graph every problem AND do it algebraically. </span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">What about a slope only quiz?</span></span></li></ul><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">3.3 - Equations of Lines</span></span></p><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">students only want to use slope-intercept form and fight the idea of using point-slope, although student forget what to do with the "b" once they find it and regularly put the point back in to y=mx+b and leave b and m as the variables. </span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Would more practice be all they need? Why aren't they better with this skill?</span></span></li></ul><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">3.5 - Proving Lines Parallel</span></span></p><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Some struggles with this chapter because we haven't really talked about proofs. Tried doing informal proofs, but students fight the requirement of writing reasons. Wondering if doing proofs in Chapter 2 would remedy some of this.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I think because we didn't do enough related conditional statements, the students do not recognize that we are working with converses of the theorems. </span></span></li></ul><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">3.6 - Perpendicular Distance</span></span></p><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">students struggled because of the long problems. They are lazy and don't want to do all the steps. They want to find a short cut, but one does not exist. I wish they would trust me on the fact that there is not a short cut. DO they not trust me because of the informal proof process I am making them do? If we were doing formal proofs would I allow them to not do the informal proof process on every problem? Is the informal proof process to repetitive for every problem? Should I really make them show the steps of Def. of Congruency and substitution every time? OR would it be ok if they just stated the theorems they used at the end of the problems?</span></span></li></ul><div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">4.1 - Classifying Triangles</span></span></u></p><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Do I need to have a lecture on this section. Could I give the kids skeleton notes for classifying triangles by angles & classifying triangles by angles within in figures, and have the level of discourse in the class be raised a little? Creating more student-student discussions? Maybe do 1 problem where you have to find the missing value problem? </span></span></li></ul><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">4.2 - Angles of Triangles</span></span></u></p><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Would love to have students discover the "Triangle Angle-Sum Th." on their own through a flow-chart graphic organizer from me. Do I have time? The flow chart could lead into a flow proof...two birds with one stone?</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The above statement could lead into the "Exterior Angle Th." discovery too.</span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">students are confusing Ext Ang Th (m</span></span><a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><1></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><a></a></span></span></li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><a></a></span></span></ul><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span mce_style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span></a></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><a></a></span></span></p><a><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span mce_style="font-weight: normal;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">4.3 - Congruent Triangles </span></span></u></span></p><ul><li><span mce_style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Need to be more clear to students that when writing congruent statements for segments that congruent angles need to match up (i.e. Segment AB is congruent to Segment DE, not Segment ED).</span></span></span></li></ul><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span mce_style="font-weight: normal;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">SSS, SAS, AAS, ASA, & SSA, AAA (4.4 & 4.5)</span></span></u></span></p><ul><li><span mce_style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Billy Bob's Road Kill Cafe - First attempt was ok, but I need to revamp it to see if it can go smoother. </span></span></span></li></ul></a><a></a><p></p></div></span></span></span></div></span></span></span></b></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><div face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="0.8em" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-top: 8px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 8px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><a></a><a></a></div></span></div>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836062868871392502.post-72970943008323128402010-11-06T19:10:00.000-07:002010-11-06T19:21:27.104-07:00Over Teaching?What does this mean? <div><br /></div><div>As a sit on my couch on a Saturday night and write my lesson plans for the week, a comment made to me during PTCs keeps running through my head. </div><div><br /></div><div>I had a parent say to me that her daughter (who, mind you, is 15 years old) made a comment that I was over teaching. I was shocked to say the least, but my response back was this, "I teach to the mid-level student, you daughter is slightly above the mid-level student. I follow the curriculum in the book, and I do examples that support that curriculum". </div><div><br /></div><div>I usually discuss content definitions/theorems and then do 3-5 examples depending on the content. I make the students think about the next step in each problem and then tell me what should be done. I want it to be more hands on, but I have been told to pick up the pace, so I am doing the best I can with the time restraints given to me. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now, I ask you...what is over teaching?</div><div><br /></div>ERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124846987033083264noreply@blogger.com1