The swearing in my classes has gotten out of control. Even in my honors class, I had to stop students from swearing today. I don't like giving detentions for this, because it really does just sort-of "slip out" sometimes. And I understand that. But now that my students know I don't give detentions for this type of language, they don't really care whether they use appropriate language in my classes.
So, I've got a plan. The first day after break, my plan is to give one extra homework problem for each swear I hear in class. This means that I will need to change up my homework and maybe give problems out of the book rather than problems on worksheets. But I was thinking about saving paper that way anyway.
I'm also thinking about including cell phones and iPods in that mix. So, if I see a cell phone or iPod from the moment class starts to the moment class ends, then I will give extra homework problems. I think this is a good way to get students to stop each other from swearing and using their cell phones in class. And it means I still don't have to give detentions.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Coloring Cubes
I think snow days are Mother Nature's way of helping teachers catch up on work. I'm spending my day on the couch, correcting student work. And, to be honest it's pretty encouraging. From their homework, it seems that they actually understand the majority of the material. I can also tell when my students made the turn around in class.
At the beginning of the semester, my block 2 class seemed very apprehensive about geometry. This was especially the case when I began talking about planes. Talking about intersecting planes is like a lesson in the alphabet. You have to name so many letters at a time, that it gets to feeling as though you're just rattling off random syllables. In order to combat this problem, I created a coloring activity. The students were given several cubes on a worksheet, and the idea was to color in the planes with different colored crayons and markers in order to see if they were parallel or intersecting.
What's nice about coloring is that the answer just pops out at you. It becomes very clear. The other nice thing about coloring is that students LOVE to do it. (Don't we all, really? It makes you feel 5 yrs old again.) Even though they knew they could talk with each other during this activity, my students were silent: they were concentrating so hard on coloring.
That day was the day when my students began understanding planes and intersection. It felt as though they began speaking my language.
(I'd love to post my worksheet on this page, but I'm not sure how to (or if I can) do that. If anyone reading does know how, let me know!!)
Friday, February 8, 2008
Lessons Learned in My First Semester Teaching
(In no particular order)
1. Students have a hard time sharing materials. Make sure there's enough for everyone.
2. Have a routine, and stick to it; especially in the first couple weeks. Students will come to expect that you teach until the end of the period, expect that they reflect on each lesson each day, expect that they take out a pencil and a piece of paper for the beginning of each class, etc.
3. Have rules, and stick to them, especially in the first couple weeks.
4. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. "Make friends" with the most troublesome student in the class at the beginning of the semester.
5. Keep up with grading.
6. Don't give out more than 3 handouts in one class period.
7. Keep at least two fresh board markers in the classroom at all times. Also, make sure there's always at least one black and one red board marker in the classroom at all times.
8. Never expect students to use a separate paper when given a worksheet... even if there's not enough space to write an answer. Give enough space on a worksheet for students to show their work and answer the question.
9. Make at least 5 extra copies of every handout and keep them in the classroom.
10. Keep tissues in the classroom at all times.
11. Keep a hand-held pencil sharpener in the classroom.
12. Keep band-aids in the classroom.
13. Keep extra library, academic support, and nurse passes in the classroom.
14. Don't rush through material just because you "have to cover this today." You'll spend less time on it in the long-run if you take your time the first time through.
15. Not all students want to pass. Never assume a student wants to succeed.
16. Never assume a student does not want to succeed.
17. Concrete, tangible objects capture everyone's attention.
18. Keep up with organization. It gets out of control quickly.
19. Keep a hobby outside of school, and read books that have nothing to do with education.
20. Tell students when it's been a good class. Don't tell students when it's been a bad class, they already know.
21. There's always something to do in a spare 5 minutes.
22. A full 3 course meal can be prepared and consumed in 15 minutes.
23. Forgetting students' names is only acceptable for the first 2 weeks of the semester.
24. Students understand the school rules. Don't explain them, just enforce them.
25. Never try to make manipulatives during class that should be made ahead of time. If materials are not made in time, wait until the next day to do the activity.
26. If you don't get at least 6 hours of sleep one night, then get coffee before school the next morning.
27. Ask other teachers if they have ideas / materials they've used for a topic. They do.
28. Never give up on a student. Every student can surprise you.
More to follow...
1. Students have a hard time sharing materials. Make sure there's enough for everyone.
2. Have a routine, and stick to it; especially in the first couple weeks. Students will come to expect that you teach until the end of the period, expect that they reflect on each lesson each day, expect that they take out a pencil and a piece of paper for the beginning of each class, etc.
3. Have rules, and stick to them, especially in the first couple weeks.
4. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. "Make friends" with the most troublesome student in the class at the beginning of the semester.
5. Keep up with grading.
6. Don't give out more than 3 handouts in one class period.
7. Keep at least two fresh board markers in the classroom at all times. Also, make sure there's always at least one black and one red board marker in the classroom at all times.
8. Never expect students to use a separate paper when given a worksheet... even if there's not enough space to write an answer. Give enough space on a worksheet for students to show their work and answer the question.
9. Make at least 5 extra copies of every handout and keep them in the classroom.
10. Keep tissues in the classroom at all times.
11. Keep a hand-held pencil sharpener in the classroom.
12. Keep band-aids in the classroom.
13. Keep extra library, academic support, and nurse passes in the classroom.
14. Don't rush through material just because you "have to cover this today." You'll spend less time on it in the long-run if you take your time the first time through.
15. Not all students want to pass. Never assume a student wants to succeed.
16. Never assume a student does not want to succeed.
17. Concrete, tangible objects capture everyone's attention.
18. Keep up with organization. It gets out of control quickly.
19. Keep a hobby outside of school, and read books that have nothing to do with education.
20. Tell students when it's been a good class. Don't tell students when it's been a bad class, they already know.
21. There's always something to do in a spare 5 minutes.
22. A full 3 course meal can be prepared and consumed in 15 minutes.
23. Forgetting students' names is only acceptable for the first 2 weeks of the semester.
24. Students understand the school rules. Don't explain them, just enforce them.
25. Never try to make manipulatives during class that should be made ahead of time. If materials are not made in time, wait until the next day to do the activity.
26. If you don't get at least 6 hours of sleep one night, then get coffee before school the next morning.
27. Ask other teachers if they have ideas / materials they've used for a topic. They do.
28. Never give up on a student. Every student can surprise you.
More to follow...
Motivation & Organization
I'm on an upswing right now. I'm very motivated to do work: I want to correct papers, create lessons, organize my teaching spaces. And I'm willing to stay very late at school to do all of these things. It's funny how motivation comes in waves. I suppose all I can do is ride this wave and get caught up or (dare I say it) ahead before I lose this impulse.
My desk is finally cleared of all the student work and left-over photocopies from last semester. My entire semester's work is collected and organized into 19 binders and two notebooks. In terms of organization, I started this semester well. (Knock on wood...) I've been keeping up with the cool downs... for the most part. And I've been putting my absent students' missing work and notes into their absent files, so that I don't need to scramble when they show up the next day asking "if they missed anything yesterday." (Boy that drives me nuts! Of course you missed something!!! Do you think we just sat here doing nothing because you were absent?? Ok, I'm done...)
The aide who's working in my fourth block class has been taking notes while I lecture so that I can photocopy and hand out this information to the missing students as well. That has been extremely helpful. Overall, having the aide in the class has been great! She really knows her stuff. Though I'm always a little shocked when she asks me how she should handle different situations. It always catches me off guard. Especially since, from my internship last year, I'm so used to a co-teaching atmosphere where I'm the one asking questions.
My desk is finally cleared of all the student work and left-over photocopies from last semester. My entire semester's work is collected and organized into 19 binders and two notebooks. In terms of organization, I started this semester well. (Knock on wood...) I've been keeping up with the cool downs... for the most part. And I've been putting my absent students' missing work and notes into their absent files, so that I don't need to scramble when they show up the next day asking "if they missed anything yesterday." (Boy that drives me nuts! Of course you missed something!!! Do you think we just sat here doing nothing because you were absent?? Ok, I'm done...)
The aide who's working in my fourth block class has been taking notes while I lecture so that I can photocopy and hand out this information to the missing students as well. That has been extremely helpful. Overall, having the aide in the class has been great! She really knows her stuff. Though I'm always a little shocked when she asks me how she should handle different situations. It always catches me off guard. Especially since, from my internship last year, I'm so used to a co-teaching atmosphere where I'm the one asking questions.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Beginning Again
The new semester began this past Monday. Maybe it's because I didn't get last semester's grades finished and entered until Thursday, but I just don't feel as though this semester is beginning as smoothly. I feel disconnected from the students and the material. In particular, I feel as though I'm not really sure how to fill the time in Foundations. I have several students who finish their work in half the time I expect. I also have several students who take double the amount of time. Differentiation is going to be key. I'm very happy that I have an aide in the class with me.
My honors class is going to be great. I'm pretty excited about them. I haven't decided about the other two just yet. They may go either way. My hope is that Foundations will remain the nice, hard-working class they currently seem to be, and that Extensions will stay as energetic as they are, but become more able to concentrate during lectures and discussions.
My honors class is going to be great. I'm pretty excited about them. I haven't decided about the other two just yet. They may go either way. My hope is that Foundations will remain the nice, hard-working class they currently seem to be, and that Extensions will stay as energetic as they are, but become more able to concentrate during lectures and discussions.
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