Since I couldn't do that, I just started it with positive attitude and went from there.
After the warm-up, I selected random students to remind us what we had talked about yesterday. I used a timer to switch activities and focus every 10-15 minutes. I chose random students to answer questions asked by others.
I sat down at a desk next to a few students who were a bit behind and handed my pen to the students who wanted to put their work on the board.
I gave them 10 minutes to work on word problems and we came back together to discuss them.
I put emphasis on the academic language. With the introduction to functions, the students already know how to do the work so the trick now is to use that knowledge and confidence to push them further and have them speak like mathematicians. It's working so far.
With my phone, I'm able to give points for teamwork and participation even when I'm across the room working with other kids.
It was another very good day in first period.
8th period didn't go as well. I had to remove several students who were simply unable to control their behavior. There is an interesting dynamic forming where the majority of the students (mostly girls) are becoming tired of the nonsense around them (mostly boys.)\
As I become more reasonable and patient, they are losing patience with their peers. I hope that eventually, they will start policing each other since I don't have the ability.
I had to give out several negative points in that class and I was displeased.
The geometry students are also getting a bit more rambunctious than I would like. I attribute this to them enjoying the freedom that I've been giving them in the class, but I can start to see lack of mastery on some vital topics. We may have a pop quiz tomorrow on orthocenter, circumcenter, incenter and centroid.
Only the kids who read my blog will know.
you're evil
ReplyDeleteI'm delightful and you feel amazingly honored to be in my class.
Delete