tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363356760450940988.post3126587744572693909..comments2023-05-22T10:24:47.725-04:00Comments on Re-Learning To Teach: Day 87: The PacemakersJustinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13309915942161862912noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363356760450940988.post-59427661180469268002017-01-13T14:41:25.555-05:002017-01-13T14:41:25.555-05:00"I suspect that means it's a larger issue..."I suspect that means it's a larger issue than just these kids in this class."<br /><br />Justin, I feel ya. Active engagement is difficult to nail down, and I'm barely beginning to grasp the complexities. In fact, your blog has inspired my last two posts. So, thanks! (https://justmsu.wordpress.com) Pathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12825568859372418683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363356760450940988.post-15218885197465169522017-01-11T15:23:00.039-05:002017-01-11T15:23:00.039-05:00Our school district just began using this curricul...Our school district just began using this curriculum this year. I teach 8th grade and noticed the same thing. I wonder if its a problem with reading and interpreting the instructions. I have had more success with these activities when I give oral instructions to the class. They still have the opportunity to do and check work with their partner, but we essentially do them as a class. I know they lose some of the discovery experience, but they also lose some of the frustration. For the activity you described above, my students still cut out the angles and rearranged them and were astonished to find that they added up to 360 degrees. When we tried another figure with a different number of sides, they were even more astonished... and then they started to figure out the pattern. I did give explicit instructions on what to do. I even had the pentagon and hexagon pre-drawn and photocopied for them. But, they did the discovery. I'm good with that. I am hoping that I will be able to release more responsibility to them gradually, but for now, I do want to be able to get to the point of the activity without running out of time and I want to cut down on the frustration while giving them that "aha" moment. jilkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10469014602769674141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363356760450940988.post-14242474844132144512017-01-11T15:22:39.960-05:002017-01-11T15:22:39.960-05:00Our school district just began using this curricul...Our school district just began using this curriculum this year. I teach 8th grade and noticed the same thing. I wonder if its a problem with reading and interpreting the instructions. I have had more success with these activities when I give oral instructions to the class. They still have the opportunity to do and check work with their partner, but we essentially do them as a class. I know they lose some of the discovery experience, but they also lose some of the frustration. For the activity you described above, my students still cut out the angles and rearranged them and were astonished to find that they added up to 360 degrees. When we tried another figure with a different number of sides, they were even more astonished... and then they started to figure out the pattern. I did give explicit instructions on what to do. I even had the pentagon and hexagon pre-drawn and photocopied for them. But, they did the discovery. I'm good with that. I am hoping that I will be able to release more responsibility to them gradually, but for now, I do want to be able to get to the point of the activity without running out of time and I want to cut down on the frustration while giving them that "aha" moment. jilkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10469014602769674141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363356760450940988.post-19326353957438416252017-01-11T15:22:15.468-05:002017-01-11T15:22:15.468-05:00Our school district just began using this curricul...Our school district just began using this curriculum this year. I teach 8th grade and noticed the same thing. I wonder if its a problem with reading and interpreting the instructions. I have had more success with these activities when I give oral instructions to the class. They still have the opportunity to do and check work with their partner, but we essentially do them as a class. I know they lose some of the discovery experience, but they also lose some of the frustration. For the activity you described above, my students still cut out the angles and rearranged them and were astonished to find that they added up to 360 degrees. When we tried another figure with a different number of sides, they were even more astonished... and then they started to figure out the pattern. I did give explicit instructions on what to do. I even had the pentagon and hexagon pre-drawn and photocopied for them. But, they did the discovery. I'm good with that. I am hoping that I will be able to release more responsibility to them gradually, but for now, I do want to be able to get to the point of the activity without running out of time and I want to cut down on the frustration while giving them that "aha" moment. jilkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10469014602769674141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7363356760450940988.post-60794547220009875122017-01-10T16:03:03.140-05:002017-01-10T16:03:03.140-05:00Yes, I think this is a huge issue and so much more...Yes, I think this is a huge issue and so much more complex than it's given credit for ;) SiouxGeonzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14852040976080951492noreply@blogger.com