Well, I've survived the first three years. In the documentary "Saving Superman" (I think that's the title), a teacher says that it took five years for him to really master what he was doing as a teacher. I'm getting closer!
I've organized my classroom and spent some time talking with other teachers about this year and what we want to change and do the same. I'm going to try doing in-class problems this year. This is my vision.
The lesson (often there will be notes involved) will only take 10-15 minutes. I want to give students the "Important Notes" first. These will be things that are crucial to the day's lesson. If they get stuck later, they should look back at their "Important Notes." Then I want to do just two or three examples. I know that won't allow me to cover every possible case, but then I will have in-class problems that the students will work on while myself and the co-teacher are there to help them that will cover some different scenarios and cases where they will use the same concept taught in class. In-class problems will range from very basic to very challenging. This way, students will have something at their level to work on during class with a teacher and peers there for guidance and help. Unless students are absent or waste time in class, they would only be required to do the review homework problems, effectively cutting their homework assignment in half. In-class problems might just be normal problems they work out in their notebooks some days. Other days, there might be stations around the room for the students to move to to work out different types of difficulties of problems. Other days we might play a game to allow the students to practice different types of problems. Another option would be to have students work out the problems on their desks.
Here are some pros I've thought of so far:
1. Students would not need to bring their books to class most of the time (in class problems would be either written on the board or on paper for them.
2. Answers to in-class problems would be provided so students could check as they go.
3. Students can use the homework problems they didn't have to do as a study tool when preparing for a test.
4. I can differentiate a little bit better (I hope!)
5. Students that need to be challenged will not have to watch me do 5 examples when they would have been fine after just 1 or 2. They will have problems that will make them think that they can work on in class with their peers.
6. In the past I have had some students that start their homework while I'm doing notes. While many of the students that choose to do this are able to figure out how to do the problems just fine, I would prefer if they interacted with the discussion that we had around those examples while we were going through them together. I'm hoping that by eliminating all homework time in class and trying to minimize the time spent in direct instruction, all students will be better able to give their full attention and engagement while direct instruction and discussion are taking place.
7. Students will feel rewarded for the work they do in class (by cutting off half of their homework assignment.)
8. Students will have the opportunity to practice A-B type questions almost every day in class. On every test we have one difficult question that we believe should separate the A student from the B student. Many students in the past have been frustrated by these questions because they don't feel it's like anything they've done before. The truth is, it isn't. We always make sure that questions uses what they have learned but in some sort of new way. By giving the students opportunities to practice using what they've learned each day in new and different ways, we can help them develop their problem-solving skills and become stronger and thinking about how they can use what they know even in ways they haven't directly done before.
The question of how to grade, assess, or hold kids accountable for homework is still up for discussion... I feel like I'll never figure out how to handle homework well. There is a possibility that Algebra 2 will be going to 100% tests and 0% homework this year... I'm against this because of the lack of motivation. The only way I would be on board is if we could require students to complete all (or most) homework before they are allowed to take their test. If they didn't complete homework, they wouldn't be allowed to take the test, which would mean they would have to come work with me to finish that homework so they could take their test before they got to do other extra curricular activities. Unfortunately, I don't think we have the support to do that right now. That is the only way I see kids doing homework for absolutely no grade whatsoever.
There is much to discuss with the math team on our first official day back on Tuesday. Regardless, I'm excited for a great school year!
I've organized my classroom and spent some time talking with other teachers about this year and what we want to change and do the same. I'm going to try doing in-class problems this year. This is my vision.
The lesson (often there will be notes involved) will only take 10-15 minutes. I want to give students the "Important Notes" first. These will be things that are crucial to the day's lesson. If they get stuck later, they should look back at their "Important Notes." Then I want to do just two or three examples. I know that won't allow me to cover every possible case, but then I will have in-class problems that the students will work on while myself and the co-teacher are there to help them that will cover some different scenarios and cases where they will use the same concept taught in class. In-class problems will range from very basic to very challenging. This way, students will have something at their level to work on during class with a teacher and peers there for guidance and help. Unless students are absent or waste time in class, they would only be required to do the review homework problems, effectively cutting their homework assignment in half. In-class problems might just be normal problems they work out in their notebooks some days. Other days, there might be stations around the room for the students to move to to work out different types of difficulties of problems. Other days we might play a game to allow the students to practice different types of problems. Another option would be to have students work out the problems on their desks.
Here are some pros I've thought of so far:
1. Students would not need to bring their books to class most of the time (in class problems would be either written on the board or on paper for them.
2. Answers to in-class problems would be provided so students could check as they go.
3. Students can use the homework problems they didn't have to do as a study tool when preparing for a test.
4. I can differentiate a little bit better (I hope!)
5. Students that need to be challenged will not have to watch me do 5 examples when they would have been fine after just 1 or 2. They will have problems that will make them think that they can work on in class with their peers.
6. In the past I have had some students that start their homework while I'm doing notes. While many of the students that choose to do this are able to figure out how to do the problems just fine, I would prefer if they interacted with the discussion that we had around those examples while we were going through them together. I'm hoping that by eliminating all homework time in class and trying to minimize the time spent in direct instruction, all students will be better able to give their full attention and engagement while direct instruction and discussion are taking place.
7. Students will feel rewarded for the work they do in class (by cutting off half of their homework assignment.)
8. Students will have the opportunity to practice A-B type questions almost every day in class. On every test we have one difficult question that we believe should separate the A student from the B student. Many students in the past have been frustrated by these questions because they don't feel it's like anything they've done before. The truth is, it isn't. We always make sure that questions uses what they have learned but in some sort of new way. By giving the students opportunities to practice using what they've learned each day in new and different ways, we can help them develop their problem-solving skills and become stronger and thinking about how they can use what they know even in ways they haven't directly done before.
The question of how to grade, assess, or hold kids accountable for homework is still up for discussion... I feel like I'll never figure out how to handle homework well. There is a possibility that Algebra 2 will be going to 100% tests and 0% homework this year... I'm against this because of the lack of motivation. The only way I would be on board is if we could require students to complete all (or most) homework before they are allowed to take their test. If they didn't complete homework, they wouldn't be allowed to take the test, which would mean they would have to come work with me to finish that homework so they could take their test before they got to do other extra curricular activities. Unfortunately, I don't think we have the support to do that right now. That is the only way I see kids doing homework for absolutely no grade whatsoever.
There is much to discuss with the math team on our first official day back on Tuesday. Regardless, I'm excited for a great school year!
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