On the First Day

Just Breathe

As excited as the first day can be for many, it can also be a stressful and anxiety ridden day. This is for teachers and for students. 

 

Depending on the time and schedule for the first day, I might give Investigate the Teacher Challenge a chance this year. Having student look around my room to do some investigating will make the first day a more engaging, student-centered and kinesthetic experience than going over the classroom rules. This might be a fun way for the students to peruse the classroom. It might be even more interesting to see what they come up with as my bio.

       

 

Grading Quizzes & Tests

Recommendations from a Veteran Teacher

During a conversation with a veteran math teacher (who was preparing to retire), she mentioned ONE thing that she would recommend when grading that was beneficial to those students who focus on the grade rather than the learning.

As she "graded" quizzes and tests, she circled an error and/or left feedback for the student. She did NOT mark the answer with an "X" or show a loss of points. 

In her "old school", lesson planner she would record the fraction score such as 75/80 and then enter the grade into the grading system, which happened to be PowerSchool.

When students got their assessments back, they only got a paper with comments and feedback. No grade. 

Students had to read the feedback to see if an answer was correct or not. They could later go into PowerSchool to see the percentage or letter grade. They never saw the fractional grade.

Tracking Common Misunderstandings

While grading a quiz/test, I have a completed test next to me to correct student work. One thing I never considered was using this same answer sheet (or another blank quiz/test) to track the incorrect answers supplied by students. 

What a GENIUS way to collect data, attend to student misunderstandings, and/or look at material I need to reteach.  

Giving Back Assessments

Before giving back a quiz or test, a strategy is to group students according to common misunderstandings. Place at least one student in the group who got the problem correct but don't tell the student this is the case. Give the group a problem to work through that is very similar. 

Getting to Know You Activities

 

Who Are You?

Relationship Building

A new class is entering the math classroom in just a few weeks. Why I don't stick with the same "getting to know you" activities....I am not sure.  

Here are a few I am contemplating:

Kate from To The Square Inch

• Scaffolded Math shares the idea of a Back to School Math Pennant based on a glyph. I like the idea of then having a colorful classroom banner representing all the students. They can even look at the glyphs to see how many have something in common with themselves. There are 7 different options all available on TPT. Kate from To the Square Inch shared a beautiful display of class pendants.
  
  
  

• Teaching in Room 6 shares a similar activity called All Hands In! 

Teaching in Room 6

 

                        SOME IDEAS

• Assign some classes the pendant and others the hand.

• Offer students a choice of either a pendant or a hand. 

• Kacie Travis has a simple yet effective Back To School All About Me template that works perfectly for those students who just aren't into the coloring activities. 

• 

  Teaching with A Mountain View

• Teaching with A Mountain View created some Back to School Getting to Know You Task Cards that are available on TPT. There are some others by Kacie Travis that would work as well although these bump it up a notch with students meeting one another. Thinking these would be fun to do as part of the stations. Even better is maybe coordinating this with Scoot to practice some of the rules and expectations of working in class. 

• Personality Tests have been around for quite some time. I just have never really thought about using them in the classroom. This year I am considering 16 Personalities (or maybe an alternative since the results include a section on “Romantic Relationships”)and a reflection activity by Write on with Miss G. I like the focus of the personality test being based on the students getting to know themselves more than me getting to know each of them. 

Of course middle schooler want to share (well...most do). Giving them time to compare and share with one another is a perfect way to build class relationships. I really like how Miss G. used Padlet as a visual representation of the class personality types. This is perfect for streamlining the discussion to 1-2 minutes.  

Write on with Miss G.

         A summarizing question "Should we work with people whose personality types         are similar to ours, or people whose types are different?" can then be used to         as a transition into discussing group work for the year. As many already,                middle schoolers want to work with their friends for any task given. This                activity will give us an opportunity to discuss using the strengths of others to         develop as learners. 

        If the personality test doesn't quite work out (the 16 personalities will need to         be approved by my SAU), then there is the Learning Styles Inventory which is         a cut and paste activity.

Rethinking Homework (again)

 The Homework Struggle Is Real

Another school year is about to start and once again I am thinking about homework. Yep...year 20 something and homework is still on my mind.

My Current Practice

Students typically have homework four times a week for math class. This is equivalent to the number of times we meet each week. 

The number of problems varies but averages between 10 and 15 problems. The typical assignment asks students to complete the evens from an assigned practice sheet. 

The expectation is all work is shown for full credit. Failure to show work or complete at least 1/2 of the problems results in a 0. Students either earn a 0 or a 1 from completed homework. 

Students are expected to turn in work at the start of class. As they enter the classroom, students self-grade their homework (answers are shared in Google Classroom). They are expected to correct their work and be sure to record correct answers and steps for any problems they may not have gotten correct or understood at home.

Once the work is self-graded, students move on to the Homework Check (also in Google Classroom). Here students are asked:

• How much of the homework did you complete? If students choose "I skipped problems, they are asked why this was the case. If students choose "I did not complete the homework.", they are then asked to provide a reason as to why this was the case. 
• Did you get all the problems correct? If students choose "No" they are moved to select either "I know my mistake.", "I am still not sure of my mistake." or "I skipped this problem originally but now I know my mistake."
• Lastly, students are asked to rate themselves based on the standards for that specific practice.  This is an image of the rating system I use:

 

• All student results are then viewable in a Google Sheet for me to review.  I can now connect with students individually to review specific struggles or look at common struggles that need to be discussed as a class. This process of checking homework has saved time in the classroom and has helped students to better share struggles (rather than sharing them aloud).
• Homework is not accepted later unless there is a specific reason that has been discussed with me. 

My Homework Struggles

• I am not happy with a 0 or 1 as a grade. If a student does 1/2 of the practice, they don't deserve a 0 nor do they warrant the 1. Giving a 1 gives the perception that the student is completing all practice work. This does not help me if/when I am looking to share updates with parents or look for ways to support a student in improvements. Do I develop a rubric?
• I would like to develop a plan for accepting late work. The challenge is answers are posted. And I like to keep answers posted for those students who may want to complete/correct additional problems. What is a workaround to allow for late credit?  What grade do they deserve?

Supplies for a New Year

I LOVE School Supplies!

This year's new items include...

 

Providing SENSORY STICKERS to all students to provide students with STRESS RELIEF in the classroom. 

Plus adding movement with KICKBANDS for those kiddos that just need a bit of to get them through the class.

 

I'm always making some sort of Card Sort or walk Around which means always using my colored tagboard and laminator. For some reason, I never thought of getting a ROTARY CUTTER or ROTARY CUTTING MAT.  

Considering a PENCIL PARKING LOT  for students to borrow a pencil. Each student will have an assigned student number. Students can borrow the pencil but must return it at the end of class. Not sure about the logistics of this idea yet. BUT I do love the PENCIL UPGRADE PROGRAM. Here is the general guide: A student comes to class without a pencil. The student can borrow from my shelf (of "found" pencils) but if there are none available, I offered any student in the class a PENCIL UPGRADE. If a student volunteers, I exchange the used pencil for a brand-new one. 

For my table grouping, I thought these DRY ERASE DOUBLE-SIDED MAGNETIC WHITEBOARD EASELS would be perfect. Just another tool for collaboration!

And speaking of whiteboards, I had quite a few on the walls that needed an upgrade. After a horrible experience with a vendor who shall not be named, I opted to order the QUARTET MAGNETIC DRY ERASE WHITEBOARDS directly from Amazon. They are even a little bit more modern. Frameless and white glass.

I have my materials stored in all different ways. To make some more accessible (and of course keep my room looking cute), I thought these MULTI-COLORED STORAGE CUBES would hold my new MESH ZIPPER POUCHES perfectly on my bookshelf. And for some of my bigger laminated items, the PORTABLE PROJECT STORAGE CASES are going to be perfect!

More for my student tables are -20 to 20 NUMBER LINES. Can't wait to laminate these!

And lastly, some STIKKI WHITE CLIPS to display student work.   

Back in the Saddle

August has hit again.

Time to start planning.....Serious Mode!

I always start the year with some kind of activity to get to the know the students. What will that look like this year?  Because I like to do things a little bit different each year (that is just who I am) I need to tweak or change-up what I have done in previous years. How can I incorporate choice, technology, Google Classroom? Hmmmmm.....

Some ideas that I have not come close to finalizing but have been inspired by ideas shared on Pinterest such as I wish my teacher knew and All About Me. These are a few additions from some of the previous ideas I have used.

Ultimately I would like students to be very open with me and share who they are and what they need from me to be successful in the math classroom to make their year one of success.  However, I also want the students to create something that can be shared with their classmates so their peers can also learn about who they are.  How do I divide and combine at the same time without overloading the student?

The other conflict is having students to use their strengths and areas of expertise to create/share.  I am again torn with students creating a paper or physical representation versus an electronic version to be shared in Google Classroom. The physical aspects are great for others to see on the classroom walls but the electronic versions are so "clean." As I am writing this I am already leaning more towards a video to be shared in Google Classroom. The fear....pushing students over the edge with technology expectations at the start. The goals is easy sharing not a lengthy assignment to cause stress.

OOOO.....I guess I would have to create a sample to show them that perfection is not the expectation???

The other task (for in class) would be students creating classroom rules and expectations.  I have done this several times in the past but have found two classroom rule activities (Back to School and Classroom Rules) that have again inspired some changes to my previous years activities. I am thinking of still asking students to respond to questions and create a mini-poster to be shared in the classroom but would like to add Instagram or Twitter to the mix via hashtags.  Can I get students to share their works with hashtags on either or both modes of media?

I need to focus and fine tune these brainstorms.  Any words of advise are appreciated:)

STEM STEM STEM

STEM and Inspiration

Thinking back a few years, I wrote this letter to Annie Kuster....

RE: H.R. 4515. To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide grants to eligible local educational agencies to encourage female students to pursue studies and careers in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology.

Dear Representative Kuster:

As a middle school mathematics teacher as well as a doctoral student at the University of New England, I am writing to gain further insight into Getting into Researching, Learning & Studying of STEM Act of 2014 or the Girls-STEM ACT of 2014 (Bill H.R. 4515).

The goal of supporting girls in STEM is one which is dear to my heart. The intent to encourage the ongoing interest of female students in careers requiring skills in STEM and to prepare female students to pursue industry-recognized credentials needed to pursue a career in the STEM related fields is one which I hope to see our nation support whole-heartedly. I can see myself taking full advantage of said grants so as to serve underrepresented or low-income students, and to establish or implement programs to ultimately support girls in the area of STEM.

Reviewing H.R. 4515 initially, I supported it 100%. The intent of supporting girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics is one which is dear to my heart. However, after viewing Public Policy and the Power of Networks (Thersaorg, 2010), I began to look at the details of this bill differently; through the lenses of value, facts and myths.

The potential awarding of grants via H.R. 4515 is based on the assumption that the suggested actions will encourage the ongoing interest of female students in STEM careers and prepare female students to pursue credentials needed for a STEM career. The actions suggested are mythical in the sense that there is no support that they will indeed have a direct impact on the intended of encouragement and preparation.

H.R. 4515 fails to define the current levels of interest of female students in STEM careers and also fails to discuss the current levels at which females pursue STEM careers. Women have made great strides in the STEM fields since the passing of Title IX of 1972. According to Women and Girls in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) from the Executive Office the President (2012), women currently earn 41% of PhDs in STEM fields. Women have made huge gains in life sciences and social sciences with approximately 49% of the workforce in life and biological sciences being female according to the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education (NCWGE). There has even been a report of a 50% increase in these fields over the past two decades by the NCWGE (2012). Where does the current problem lie?

Women, however, remain under represented in the fields of computer science and engineering. Despite being nearly equal in high school engineering classes, women represent 18% of engineering undergraduate degrees and about 11% of the engineering workforce (NCWGE, 2012). What additional verifiable information can be used to support the actions noted within this bill?

Considering this limited data, are the suggested actions of H.R. 4515 diagnostic in nature? How might the implementation of fewer clarified actions have a direct and/or greater impact on girls and STEM? Ideally it would be supportive in nature to see additional facts that support the causal claims intertwined within this bill to have a greater impact on girls and STEM. As a teacher, I can make speculations but I would like to see data which defines the specific needs so as to better determine if H.R. 45415 is aimed at meeting these needs.

H.R. 4515 defines the intended value it would like to invoke on the education and future of girls in our nation but is lacking in quantitative measures. Title IX at 40: Working to Ensure Gender Equity in Education (2012) states that “federal science agencies, which are responsible for ensuring that academic institutions 
to which they offer grants comply with Title IX, have an uneven track record in monitoring compliance. How will the implementation of this bill be different? As it is written its intent is to support local agencies but who and how will these local agencies be monitored? I would be interested to learn about the quantitative measures which will be used to determine growth and/or success as well as the plans for monitoring proposed actions.

How would the passing of H.R. 4515 would impact the effect the taxpayer financially? This is an important factor to consider with all policy considerations.

The Girls-STEM Act of 2014 lends itself towards positive improvements for girls in the area of STEM. However, I am concerned that the actions proposed are not backed by facts and/or data. More important is the fact that there are no measurable outcomes proposed and the intended actions are diagnostic in nature. Bardach (2011) addresses in A practical guide for policy analysis: The eight fold path to more effective problem solving as reasons for being skeptical in examining problems. 

As a strong advocate of women in STEM, I see the positive goals and intentions of H.R. 4515. To support this bill, I would need to know about the quantitative measures that would be used to determine success, growth and/or progress of awarded grants. Additionally, data which support the intended actions would prove to be beneficial as well as how a clear definition as to how the awardees may be determined. Such provisions would move the mythical aspects of this bill to facts and value which support the intended expenditures.

Thank you for your time and interest. I look forward to hearing back from you so I can learn more about the Girls-STEM Act of 2014 and advocate for increased support.

Sincerely,

Katrina Hall 

At the time I had an opinion, but now I feel as if girls and STEM has become a part of me.  I continue to work and advocate for the future of our young women in these fields.  This is not to say that I have pushed aside the relationship of boys in STEM but I feel as if the girls need more attention in the situation until there is some level of equality for all.  All should have a fair chance.

I have worked at various angles to bring about specific opportunities to inspire our future female leaders. I have specifically enjoyed connecting groups of middle school girls with the NH High Tech Council and Tech Women | Tech Girls. 

We have had the chance to hear from inspirational female leaders who have reached beyond the glass ceiling to achieve their goals as well as meet with other leaders in the STEM fields at the Ambassador Week hosted by Nashua North High School. 

We have even attended a Town Hall Forum with Candidates for U.S. Senate and NH Governor.  Our middle school girls have been nothing but inspired by these opportunities and events.

My next phase reaches beyond girls and STEM.  After learning of the STEM Docent opportunity offered through the UNH Extension, I felt I could reach out to no only girls in my classroom, but also to boys and girls in community...even the state.  I have taken to heart what "Bill Gates, Neil de Grasse Tyson and Jane Goodall have all had at least on their careers".....Inspiration.

What have you taken on to Inspire our youth?