tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75901084281475916672024-03-05T23:39:27.521-06:00The Sky is PurpleThis blog is mainly a place for me to record my thoughts on the math lessons I use in my high school algebra class. Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.comBlogger130125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-54626284356007218552017-07-19T12:56:00.000-05:002017-07-19T12:56:38.202-05:00SREB - Another new journey in math curriculum for seniorsI had the opportunity to attend SREB Math Ready training for 3 days recently. I am excited to be piloting this course at Etowah High School this coming school year. It is another problem-based curriculum so I am looking forward to teaching it. I hope to have time to write blog posts about it like I did when I got to<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7590108428147591667#editor/target=post;postID=8733790578408204087;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=137;src=postname" target="_blank"> pilot the IMP Meaningful Math curriculum</a> (which I am still teaching!!).<br />
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Here are the points of interest for the course that were sent to us to share with parents:<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 22pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alabama’s Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Readiness Course Pilot Initiative</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Points of Interest)</span></div>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In order to decrease the percentage of students entering community college requiring developmental courses, the Alabama Community College System (ACCS), the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE), and the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) have partnered together to offer two senior-level, ready-for-college courses: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Essentials of College English and The Essentials of College Mathematics.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The courses are designed for students scoring below college-and-career-readiness benchmarks. These courses are not dual-enrollment courses.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To be eligible for the courses, rising seniors must score within the following ACT score range: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Math ACT 16-19, English ACT 14-19, Reading ACT 15-19</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Students who successfully complete the course or courses with a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">B</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or above are exempt from taking the highest level of corresponding developmental courses (Math 098, RDG 085 & English 093 or ENR 094) at </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">participating </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">two year community colleges.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Currently, the following community colleges are participating in the partnership: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wallace (Selma), Wallace State (Hanceville), Wallace (Dothan), Jefferson State, Calhoun, Gadsden State, Northwest Shoals, Lawson State, Snead, Bevill State</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The long-term goal is for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">all</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Alabama community colleges to become part of the partnership.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Essentials of College English and The Essentials of College Mathematics </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">can replace the fourth year of English Language Arts (ELA) which is English 12 and the fourth year of mathematics.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Please be aware that this is </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">only </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a partnership with the two year community colleges, not four-year institutions. Because of the entrance requirements for four year institutions, students planning to attend a four-year institution should not be enrolled in these courses.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Four year institutions </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">require </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Algebra II for freshman college entrance and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">will not</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> accept The Essentials of College Mathematics course as a replacement for Algebra II. However, if a student has 30 plus hours in a community college, then most four-year institutions do not require the Algebra II for admission.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Essentials of College English and The Essentials of College Mathematics </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">currently</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">will not meet the requirements of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Clearinghouse (NCAAC). School systems may apply to the NCAAC for acceptance but there is no guarantee that they will approve the courses.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The Essentials of College English </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">can count for English 12, it will not meet the requirements of admission for four year institutions.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Essentials of College Mathematics </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">course emphasizes an understanding of math concepts, as opposed to memorizing facts. Students learn the context behind procedures and come to understand the “whys” of using certain formulas or methods to solve a problem. By engaging students in real-world applications, this course develops critical-thinking skills that students will use in college and careers.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Essentials of College English </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">course utilizes a disciplinary literacy approach that teaches students strategies for reading and understanding complex texts in different subject areas. Students learn to develop and defend ideas from textbooks and write about them in college-level formats for English, history, and biology.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teachers selected to teach </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Essentials of College English and The Essentials of College Mathematics </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">were required to attend training specific to the implementation of the courses. </span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Successful completion of the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Essentials of College English and/or The Essentials of College Mathematics</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> courses has the potential to save your child time and money at his/her local community college. (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hint</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Parents successful completion of the Essentials courses mean you will not have to pay for costly developmental courses that do not count toward a student’s</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">program of study)</span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-bc9d7723-5bc9-36d8-44b2-adfba3b6c3bf"></span><br />
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Students completing </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Essentials of College English and/or The Essentials</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of College Mathematics </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">courses will complete an exemption request form. The form should be submitted to the community colleges registrars’ office.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<br />Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-91124495434101253132016-04-14T14:54:00.000-05:002016-04-14T14:54:21.986-05:00Keep on Knocking!This week has been an emotional week for me. I have a former softball player who is battling drug addiction to the point that she failed a drug test IN REHAB. She called me this past Tuesday and I tried to encourage her but I felt very ineffective. There are times that I feel like an ineffective teacher too. And I don't mean just trying to get them to learn the math! I mean getting them to be serious about setting goals and working to reach them. I mean getting them to be concerned about being people of character who can go out into our community and can encourage and have an impact. I mean motivating them to take pride in our school and most importantly themselves!!<br />
<br />
I told one of my classes this week that I HAVE to believe that my words of encouragement (sometimes it may seem more like admonishment than encouragement to them!) will make a difference...but to be honest I really wasn't feeling very positive about my ability to make a difference. I spent 4 years with my former player encouraging and even pleading with her to break the cycle of addiction in her family by making wise choices. She even reminded me of a time that I printed her off some information about how heredity effects the likelihood of a person being an addict and literally begged her to completely abstain from alcohol and drugs. She told me that she thought I was CRAZY because she would never go that far. So...if I couldn't stop her how will I effect change in the attitudes and minds of the students I only have for 1 year. How can I get them to take their academic and social lives seriously and make wise choices that line up with the goals they have (or should have!!)?<br />
<br />
I am thankful that God sent Siran Stacy to our school to speak on Wednesday. In part of his speech he shared with us how he literally kept knocking on the door of his coach's office and asked him over and over again to give him another chance to play football. Then he encouraged us all to keep knocking. I know that I can not effect change but I KNOW A MAN WHO CAN. I hope that God allows me to be a small part of planting seeds of hope and encouragement in the hearts and minds of my students. I pray He sends others to water and further grow and develop those seeds to move these students into a bright and promising future. I will not be discouraged. I will keep on knocking. As Siran Stacy put it: The best of me is the rest of me!<br />
<br />
<br />Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-6638768067541826502016-04-06T14:19:00.000-05:002016-04-06T14:19:01.386-05:00What not to do in algebra class...read if you want to laugh!I think that I decided to write this blog post because I feel that the last 2 days I am a shining example of what NOT to do when you are teaching a problem-based curriculum. I think that everyone should have the ability to laugh at yourself so here I go...<br />
<br />
So...I was in the middle of a discussion with my algebra class about the unit problem for IMP Fireworks which involves a celebration where a rocket is shot off of a building and the fireworks need to be set on a timer that allows the fireworks to "go off" when the rocket is at it's highest height. The problem is GREAT because some smart student (who obviously was an ace at physics) has already determined the equation for the height of the rocket with respect to time. My students have to find the answers to the following questions:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>How long will the rocket be in the air?</li>
<li>When will it reach it's highest point?</li>
<li>What is the height of the rocket when it is at its highest point?</li>
<li>...there are a few more but these are the ones we were mainly discussing...</li>
</ul>
<div>
So...I am supposed to be letting them determine how they might use the equation to answer these questions and I was getting this from my students:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>How are we supposed to know, Mrs. Owens?</li>
<li>But...we don't know how high the rocket goes...</li>
<li>So...why don't they just shoot the fireworks off the top of the building instead?</li>
<li>I plugged in 3 seconds and got _____ for my answer. So, that's the highest point.</li>
<li>***I can't even remember what all this one student kept asking me...he was so bothered by the situation and the way they were doing it. He was also bothered by the fact that "quad" means 4 but for an equation to be quadratic the variable has a power of 2. I had another student to help me out and say that the power of 2 means that it is squared and a square has 4 sides.</li>
</ul>
<div>
So...my response was finally something like this:</div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
O. My. Goodness!!!!!! Just do the math!! You have the equation so the hard part is already done for you. JUST SUBSTITUTE TIMES IN FOR T AND MAKE A TABLE!! Quit getting so bogged down in the context that you forget how to be a math student!!!! You can use the table to estimate the highest height and the time that the rocket hits the ground!! Just be quiet and DO IT!! Use your algebra skills!!</blockquote>
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I am laughing as I write this. I had one student to say,<b> "No Mrs. Owens. We are learning how to apply this math in the real world!"</b> It is funny to reflect back on this because I was so frustrated trying to move them forward. We had worked on introducing the unit for way longer than we were supposed to and I was just trying to motivate the need to find the exact values...which we will learn how to do as we study the unit. I did have a good conversation with them about how the ACT and other standardized tests have portions (especially science reasoning on the ACT) where you are sometimes given a formula and even told what each variable stands for and all you have to do is plug in the values and simplify!! OR that they are given charts and graphs where the information is right in front of them and they have to just interpret what it means. You can sometimes get too bogged down into trying to "figure something out" when you can just read the chart/graph and find the answer!!<br />
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Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-49883336517298446942016-02-04T16:08:00.000-06:002016-02-04T16:08:39.169-06:00Math Classroom Conversations - IMP Making Friends with Standard Deviation<header style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 22.4px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h1 class="story-title" data-ph="Title" id="title" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Math classroom conversations</h1>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>The things I have been hearing my students say during this activity...</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit;">"Why is the standard deviation the same?!?!"</span></div>
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"Why is the mean so high this time?"</div>
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"What?!?!"</div>
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"The mean for Set C is...."</div>
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"I disagree."</div>
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"I agree."</div>
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"Is this what you got?"</div>
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"Andrew shut up!" - I had to include this one just to "keep it real."</div>
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"It says explain why your pattern..."</div>
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"No pattern occurred." to which I did a loud "AHEM" and they said "Are we supposed to get a pattern?" </div>
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So...my students had this group investigative task and I helped them to get started. BUT...in this case I made them read the directions out loud and then I asked another student to repeat the directions in their own words AND we did an example with a data set on the board. (This sentence might make more sense if you read <a href="http://staffrm.io/@towens/RTt7OSYBDn" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a90e2; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">this post entitled "Read and Follow Directions!</a>") Then I told them that I was going to sit down and if their group had a question the ENTIRE GROUP had to come to my desk. I usually roam around the room but I believe that I sometimes have students ask me questions that they should really be asking their group members (just because I am close). I did have a couple of groups come to me to settle an argument...isn't it awesome that they were arguing over math concepts!</div>
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Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-14774219097244540812016-02-02T11:50:00.000-06:002016-02-02T11:50:00.441-06:00Read and Follow Directions!! #justdoit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today I had a realization that I way too often take away my students' opportunities to read and interpret directions. In most cases I have them read the directions for a problem or an activity and then I restate them in a step by step order so that they will "do it right." (Please don't judge me! I teach algebra from a problem-based curriculum and my intention is just to get them going in the right direction...) </div>
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So...today we were doing an activity where we had 4 sets of data that all had a mean of 20. They were given 3 different ways to measure the amount that the data spread from the mean. (The activity talks about 3 different students and their ideas about how to measure the spread of the data...range, adding the differences from the mean, or one other method where they just needed to follow steps!) The 2nd and 3rd methods totally threw them for a loop (even though there was an example to go by). So...I gave them about 5 minutes to get started and noticed as I walked around that most of the papers were COMPLETELY BLANK. They kept saying..."Mrs. Owens I need help." "Mrs. Owens will you come show me how to do it?" "I don't know what to do!" Today I replied to all of this with, "I'm not helping you! Follow the directions!" Then they asked me why I was yelling at them to which I answered that they have to quit sitting there during their "work time" waiting on me to go over the problems with the class. They should make an effort. Read and follow the directions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Try it first!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! </div>
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Ok...sorry about all the ranting. I can not fully explain this to you without telling the directions they were supposed to follow. They were supposed to take off the lowest and the highest data items and then fine the ONE data ITEM that was the farthest from the mean and assign that number (difference from the mean) as the spread. The directions were very specific. Almost every student did fine taking out the lowest and the highest but they were doing some crazy stuff with what was left. Some were averaging the data items that were left, some were adding together their differences from the mean, yada yada yada... They were getting so frustrated that I wouldn't TELL them what to do. I would just ask questions like, "Does it tell you to find the mean?" To which they would say, "I don't know." And I would say, "Read the directions!!" So...I finally had a couple of students start to figure it out and when they did they were all mad saying stuff like, "We did all that math and working it out and we didn't have to?!?!" And I said..."All you had to do was FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS!"</div>
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I take full responsibility for my students' dependence on me to "reread" and "reword" directions. I will do better!</div>
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(I may have the opportunity to write a blog about a lesson in particular but just in case I thought I would count this one toward the MTBoS Blogging Initiative...this is certainly an example of a "recovery plan" for what I did today when I realized my students depend on me way too much!)</div>
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<br />Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-46315834799386892732016-01-29T15:20:00.000-06:002016-01-29T15:28:19.146-06:00MTBoS Blogging Initiative - Better Questions<img alt="Displaying " src="blob:https%3A//mail.google.com/cc661d98-d745-4fef-b0c5-d40d5ec3978f" /><br />
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Boy...when I look at the prompt for this blog post my mind goes in so many different directions. I wrote <a href="http://lovingthepurplelife.blogspot.com/2015/12/questioning-and-group-work.html" target="_blank">this post</a> in which I discussed trying to use "quality questioning" in my classroom. I was not really talking about questions to put on an assignment, quiz, or test. I was thinking about questions used to do the following:<br />
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<li>guide students to think deeper during discussions</li>
<li>guide a struggling student toward understanding a concept </li>
<li>scaffold and access prior knowledge</li>
<li>defend and/or explain answers or reasoning</li>
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The prompt seemed to be more along the lines of writing questions for assignments or quizzes. I happened to attend a PD today on Webb's Depth of Knowledge (DOK) in which we discussed asking more level 2 and 3 questions when we assess our students. Of the 4 levels of questioning we were told that the ACT and the ASPIRE assessments have very few questions that are level 1 (basic recall or computation) and the majority of questions are levels 2-3 (harder stuff...HAHA!). Anyway, the majority of textbooks are filled with level 1 questions but not many that are levels 2 and 3. </div>
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For those of you who want to know here is a VERY brief description of Webb's DOK:</div>
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<i>Level 1 - Recall and Reproduction</i> - "Right there" questions where you can look it up in a book or follow steps from an example<br />
<i>Level 2 - Skills and Concepts</i> - "think and search" questions where you have to put information together or categorize - these may be open to using different approaches and explanations are often required<br />
<i>Level 3 - Strategic Thinking and Reasoning</i> - More than one way to approach and more than one possible answer - non-routine problems are often used here - often asked to state and support with evidence<br />
<i>Level 4 - Extended Thinking</i> - Extended thinking that takes more time - possible products would be films, plays, research reports (with multiple sources), video games, documentaries, newspaper articles, etc...</blockquote>
(source: A Guide for Using Webb's Depth of Knowledge with Common Core Standards by Karin Hess, E.D - copyright 2013 Common Core Institute)<br />
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We were given some strategies on things to do in order to use our textbooks and resources that we have and take the questioning up a notch. One example of moving into the Level 2 questioning is to ask for "non-examples." We often ask our students to give an example of a _________ but they can demonstrate an even greater understanding of concepts if they can also give a non-example.<br />
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I had the pleasure of using two non-routine tasks with my algebra classes this week. Both of the tasks seemed impossible at first but when we continued to work toward the solutions we found that there were ways to arrive at a solution.<br />
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The first task was the <i>Shuttling Around Problem of the Week #13</i> in my <a href="http://www.iat.com/courses/mathematics/meaningful-math/?type=introduction" target="_blank">IMP Meaningful Math Algebra</a> book. It is actually a puzzle where you really have to get out manipulatives to work through it. On the day we introduced the problem only one student found a solution. It took him a while but he finally videoed it so that he could email it to me as part of his POW write-up. The funny thing is that even though I stood there and watched in order to verify that he had a valid solution...I could not do it myself. So, today I allowed another class some time to work on the task and I was going to sit down and figure it out myself so they would see that it was possible...but I couldn't. I called down to the classroom where the guy who found the solution was and he came to my class and showed us the solution again. After watching him do it I had several students go back and work to figure it out themselves...he and I went around the room trying to help and I FINALLY got to where I could do it. The task asks them to investigate other problems too so we weren't taking away all of their fun. It was a great way to end the week! The coolest part of this is that the student who really excelled is not an A/B student. He is rarely ever one who aces a quiz or test. He has an incredible work ethic and tries to do every thing that I ask of him. It was so rewarding for him to have an opportunity to shine!!<br />
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The other task was <i>A Mini-POW About Mini-Camel </i>again from our text. One of the great things about our text is the "key questions" in the teacher resources which helps you have ways to guide the students. In this one all I had to say was, "Who says you have to go straight there?" and I had students to begin to find possible solutions. I even had multiple students to go to the board to try to prove to everyone else that their answer was correct. (Here is a link to my Instagram where I posted a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/owensrm148/" target="_blank">video of them</a>.)<br />
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I had one student ask me why we had to do these types of problems and I told him that it is important for him to realize that just because something seems impossible at first glance it does not mean that a solution can not be found. I even told them that I may be helping to save their future marriages (haha!) because they may think one day that the only solution is to give up but remember that one time in algebra class they kept on trying and working at a task that seemed impossible only to find that there was a solution!! I know that is goofy but I got some giggles and I do hope that these problem solving skills stick with them after they leave my class.<br />
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I love that I have these tasks included in our textbooks! I wrote my last MTBoS blog about how my textbooks are my favorite tool that I use in my classroom <a href="http://lovingthepurplelife.blogspot.com/2016/01/my-favorite-thingmy-textbook-surprise.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<br />Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-65000758411664561532016-01-19T14:51:00.000-06:002016-01-19T14:51:28.596-06:00My Favorite Thing...my textbook (surprise!!)<img alt="Displaying " src="blob:https%3A//mail.google.com/68a86f68-c94a-4ed9-be89-86f87c18fc26" /><img alt="MyFav" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEiwe-VXtYcTvtLhx0jEQMSXNAEEpP4XH_D7BOyiWjGQwxZcCPJV6kxT0mR3FPxj_9W3IDjSULA_uBAFGXeRj52g5Bd3YdzNCh8teekmGgErXaLIu75VInr3hoMxBRNl-hWEf5d7UxXznQXnqqxkBnb_pi5n1p8fqUIieApD5j1dXg=s0-d-e1-ft" /><br />
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I was thinking about the prompt for this week's MTBoS's Blogging Initiative during my first block class today. I was also watching them draw sketches for the unit problem in <i>The Pit and the Pendulum</i> unit of our Algebra text. I went down to Mrs. New's room after class and was talking to her about how much fun it is to have these days where my students get to do something that is "outside the box" of what usually happens in algebra class.<br />
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I am great at research and can find some cool activities by Googling or asking the "all-knowing" #MTBoS on Twitter but that takes a lot of time and although I enjoy it there are moments during the school year that I just can't dedicate time to finding the "perfect" activity. This is why I LOVE our IMP Meaningful Math Algebra books. The units are so creative. The students have opportunities to draw sketches, write, perform experiments, and apply the majority of algebra to a context that helps them to wrap their mind around the topics. We still solve algebra problems in class, of course, but if you teach from this text you will already have creative lessons and ways to make connections to history, English, and science within the units.<br />
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I know that there is a movement out there to "ditch the textbook" and I get it. However, I am blessed to be in my 2nd year of teaching from a textbook that I can feel good about teaching from cover to cover. I love days like today where my "non-mathy" students come in and realize they will have the opportunity to show off their art skills. I am a math/English certified teacher so I love that 2 of our units use literature contexts to make them more interesting (the other is <i>Alice in Wonderland</i>).<br />
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I heard NCTM's president, Diane Briars, speak this past Fall. I remember her talking about how some teachers are trying to piece together resources from here or there in order to teach. I am paraphrasing here and I hope that I don't misrepresent what she was saying that day - but I feel like her intention was to remind us that a teacher's job is not to write curriculum. This made me realize that it is okay that I do not come up with original ideas and activities to use in my classroom! Sometimes I feel guilty about not having that "gift." However, she talked about how we should be careful during the textbook adoption process to find texts that are well written. I had never been shown how to analyze topics in a textbook. That seems silly I guess but until I started teaching from the IMP books I never cared what textbooks we used because I was of the opinion that they were all the same. Definitions, examples, and problems sets... I had never heard of research-based curriculum that had been developed with the "approval" of the NSF (National Science Foundation). After teaching from these books I understand the difference!<br />
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So...one of my favorite things that I use in my classroom is our "new-to-me" textbooks!Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-73276475954485787242016-01-15T11:58:00.000-06:002016-01-15T12:01:43.477-06:00Which Side of the Tracks? - MTBoS One Good Thing<br />
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This week I have been constantly reminded of <a href="https://5purposedriven.wordpress.com/2009/07/22/rick-warren-on-walking-the-railroad-tracks-of-life/" target="_blank">this devotion</a> by Rick Warren. I remember reading it several years ago and it was one of those times that it made such an impression on me I can remember where I was sitting when I read it. In summary, it discusses how in life the good and the bad run parallel to each other - just like a set of train tracks. We often seem to think of our lives as a series of highs and lows (mountain tops and valleys if you will) but if we choose to look closer no matter what is going on in your life you can find the good...or the bad...around you. Truthfully you often find exactly what you are looking for. He was discussing this particular year in his life when his wife had cancer but he also described it as the greatest year of his life. Here is a quote from the article:<br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #414141; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.2px;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 14px;">No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 14px;">And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.</span></em></blockquote>
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So...I think that part of the reason this has been on my mind this week is the "One Good Thing" blogging prompt from the MTBoS blogging initiative. I have honestly had a crappy week. Now...please let me be honest...I know that compared to many people who have probably had real trials and tragedies to occur in their lives this week my week has been "peachy." However, as a teacher this has been one of those "I feel like I'm in a rut" weeks which makes you question all aspects of your teaching life. HOWEVER...I just had a student to totally make my week. He was in my room to receive some extra help on solving systems of equations because my class was taking a quiz during the next block. He is an extremely bright young man that does not always apply himself; I was very happy that he sought after the additional help! After helping him we were talking and somehow the conversation moved along to where he told me that he watches Eric Thomas videos at home. Eric Thomas has several seasons of what he calls <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/etthehiphoppreacher" target="_blank">TGIM - Thank God It's Monday</a> and I have played a few for his class. I asked him what he has learned from some of the recent videos he has watched and he was telling me some powerful "nuggets of wisdom" that he had internalized. (I am grinning from ear to ear as I write this!) This was so encouraging to me! I had NO idea that he even liked the TGIM videos or even considered their messages valuable.<br />
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So...here is my question to you. Which side of the tracks do you spend the most of your time on? Do you stick on the "positive" side trying to balance only on that rail. Or...do you stay only on the "negative" side? When walking the "railroad tracks" of life I think we could walk easier if we recognize the middle ground between the tracks where you stay aware of both the positive and the negative. Of course, when the trains of adversity come barreling down the tracks you have to jump all the way to one side or the other. I hope my choice is more often on the positive side but at the very least I hope that I can find the middle ground quickly - or at least keep both sides of the track in my view.Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-71445377862245552082016-01-11T15:08:00.002-06:002016-01-11T15:11:38.712-06:00MTBoS Blogging Initiative - A Day in the LifeSo...I think this might be boring but I wanted to give it a try anyway. Let's see.<br />
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5:30 am - Alarm goes off, wake up husband, try to go back to sleep<br />
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5:40 am - Realize that I have been trying to compose an email reply in my head instead of going back to sleep<br />
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5:50ish am - Wake up and get on the exercise bike while checking the weather, email, Twitter, Facebook, on my phone.<br />
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6:05-6:35 am - Shower<br />
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6:35 - 6:50 - Get dressed while reminding my 2 "big kids" to dress warmly and get their basketball practice gear. They leave with their dad (also a teacher AND high school basketball coach).<br />
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6:50 - 7:00 - Put in a load of clothes to wash, gather lunch (that I actually made the night before which is highly unusual!). Dress my 4-year-old. Undress my 4-year-old. (He goes to a friend's house who keeps him during the day...usually in PJs...but thought he wanted to change into his clothes. Then he changed his mind when I got on his shirt because it didn't feel good. UGH! When I told him, "I don't have time for this!" he told me he was sorry and my heart melted so he got to wear what he wanted!!)<br />
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7:00-7:28 - Leave my house, drop off my "little kid," sign into work at 7:28 am<br />
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7:28 - 7:50 - Procure a cup of coffee, put lunch in fridge, visit with teacher friends (one of which makes me cry because she has done something SUPER sweet!)<br />
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<i>7:55 - 9:30 - 1st Block - Algebra (I see them every day year round)</i><br />
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7:55 - 8:05 - Announcements, pledge, call roll, take up homework, send a boy in the hall for wiping pop tart crumbs into my floor when I tell him to clean it up (I have ant issues in my room so it was a BIG DEAL...lol) and then telling me he didn't. [Disclaimer: This was a "last straw" issue where any time I get onto him for something he tells me he didn't do it and blames it on someone else. He is just kidding around but I sometimes "fall for it" and then it takes me a minute to sort things out and it gets on my nerves. I wasn't mad when I talked to him. I just asked him to stop. He took it really well and did much better when he came in my room...didn't pout AND participated in class...GO ME!]<br />
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8:05 - 8:35 - Watched <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L23kuzYVvmM&index=6&list=PL15BFEAAAADDF9EE7" target="_blank">Eric Thomas's TGIM Season 2 Episode 5</a> and then did an activity where I had them write down anything from their past (hurts or successes) that they needed to let go of and get over. We then ripped them up and threw them in the trash (we didn't share them in class because I told them we wouldn't). I am trying to do "motivational Mondays" every Monday with my 1st block class and we have pretty much just watched one of his videos every week. Of course it is one of my favorite things to do...I often springboard off the video and get "on my soapbox" but the students seem to remember many of the principles he speaks about which is rewarding.<br />
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8:35 - 9:30 - Graded homework (on effort) while they started an awesome <a href="https://drive.google.com/a/attalla.k12.al.us/file/d/0Bxj_Exqtgmv7ZFZfVERFY3AyN0U/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">LINKS worksheet</a> on systems of equations which makes them solve the same system by graphing, substitution, and elimination then answer questions about the best method. I would LOVE to give credit to whoever created the worksheet but I have no idea. After giving back homework I answered any questions they had for the remainder of the time.<br />
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9:30 - 9:40 - Technically this is our "break" time but I had 4 students and a teacher come to my room for various reasons. The teacher, Sonya New, is my bestest algebra planning buddy and she came to look at some resources I told her I had if she wanted them. The 3 students came for help on an assignment. I texted their teachers.<br />
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9:40 - 11:10 (<i>2nd block - off/math intervention</i>) - Had at least one student in my room the entire time working on their systems of equations worksheet. In between helping students I answered emails and graded some work for my online algebra II with trig class.<br />
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11:15 - 1:15 <i>(3rd block) - Pre-AP Algebra - I see them every other day year round. </i>This was pretty much a repeat of 1st block except we didn't take the time to write down the things from the past we needed to let go of and throw them away. This was only the 3rd TGIM they have gotten to watch all year. I have half the time with these students to cover the same amount of work and sadly that means the character ed/motivational videos get "cut out" most weeks.<br />
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1:20 - 2:50 (<i>4th block - off/math intervention) </i>Today this became my off period because I had students in my room for the entire 2nd Block. The first thing I did was Day 5 of my <a href="http://prestoplans.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-30-day-happy-teacher-challenge.html" target="_blank">30 Day Happy Teacher Challenge</a> which was to take a short walk and think about things in your life that make you the happiest. I had a walking buddy and we talked about how our own children and our relationship to God made us happiest. AND...that keeping God first and seeking Him for your joy and fulfillment instead of circumstances (work, home, etc...) keeps things in perspective. It was GREAT! Then I entered some grades, made another cup of coffee, checked on my online class and Twitter, and started writing this post (which feels long and boring when I think about others trying to read it - LOL)<br />
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It is now 3:04 pm and I am still writing. I need to look over what I am doing tomorrow and then rush out the door to go pick up my daughter because I just got a text reminding me that she has softball practice at 5:00 and I have alot of driving to do in order to pick up my 4 year old and get her home and back to practice. Wish me luck!! If you made it this far thank you for reading my "day in the life." I think I may have put too many details along the way. HAHA!<br />
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<br />Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-67528525064219699622016-01-08T11:30:00.000-06:002016-01-08T11:48:50.005-06:00Top 5 Things I Love About TeachingI have started the <a href="http://prestoplans.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-30-day-happy-teacher-challenge.html" target="_blank">30 Day Happy Teacher Challenge</a> this week and today I am doing #26 (I am not doing them in order...I pick one out that I want to do each day - HAHA!):<br />
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<i>Think about the top 5 things you love about teaching. Write them down and have them somewhere as a reminder when teaching gets stressful.</i></blockquote>
So...here it goes.<br />
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1. Being around young people.<br />
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I became a math teacher because I loved math and I wanted to coach softball. I had seriously considered pursuing a degree in engineering but the coaching part had me move in the direction of teaching. I spent a couple of years trying to be a stay-at-home mom and working part-time. At the end of that time I realized that I was called to teach. It wasn't just a desire that I came up with - God placed a love of young people in my heart! I have had the opportunity to speak at some workshops and meetings this year which required (of course) for me to be around adults all day. They were wonderful people and I enjoyed it...but I REALLY missed my students. I guess I am just a kid at heart!</blockquote>
2. Figuring kids out,<br />
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I learned early on that those "strange kids" who dress and act differently are usually some of the sweetest. If you treat them the same way you treat everyone else and gain their trust they will be your biggest fans. I often think that students do some "wild" things just to see if you are going to judge them by their outward behavior/appearance rather than getting to know them.</blockquote>
3. Witnessing growth<br />
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I love seeing people grow and improve. As a veteran teacher I have seen that in myself, my colleagues, and my students. It is so rewarding to see students who enter your room without confidence in their ability to do math/school and then in a year their confidence has grown so much. Then I get to see them walk up and down the halls over the next few years and grow in maturity and confidence (in most cases). </blockquote>
4. Awesome colleagues<br />
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I have had the privilege of teaching in 4 different schools. In my experience the majority of teachers are helpful and encouraging. I had some incredible mentors ("teaching Moms"as I called them) when I was young AND now I have some amazing friends/mentors. Most teachers are so willing and excited to share their ideas and resources. Also, now with Twitter and the MTBoS (when I first started teaching I didn't even have Internet in my classroom!!) I have such an even larger group of teachers with which to share and collaborate.</blockquote>
5. Having the same schedule as my own children<br />
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When you have school-age children it is an added blessing to be a teacher because most of your holidays coincide. Also, when your children have practices and games you get off work in time to attend them or get them there!</blockquote>
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Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-36083802571308698242016-01-06T11:00:00.000-06:002016-01-06T11:00:04.627-06:00Intro to Systems of Equations with Gallery WalkThis year I ran across a <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i2fzpt-Ar7Fu5ezTiGdCrEaFPDGg0-_xdExY2sHH_Vc/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">document</a> in my Google Drive that Sonya New and I made in order to introduce solving systems of equations. I decided to do this on the first day back after Christmas break in order to get us "back on track." We have solved systems algebraically and had begun discussing the substitution and elimination methods the week before school let out.<br />
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I loved doing the assignment. I only had 6 groups but I still wanted to have them graph all 8 systems so a few groups had 2 systems to graph. I did not call them systems. I just told them to graph both lines on the same coordinate grid. I first allowed them to graph the lines on graph paper and then I had them put them on chart paper. Afterwards I assigned each group a different color marker to write with and had them do a gallery walk and put feedback on the graphs. If they agreed with the graph they put a check mark. If they thought there was an error they had to place an x and then tell what they thought was wrong. The last direction I gave them was to write down the solution to the system of equations. <i>(We have been talking about solutions for systems of equations ALOT in class. I have even OPENED and CLOSED class MULTIPLE TIMES by randomly calling on a student and asking them, "What is the solution to a system of equations?" AND offered candy when they get it correct!! Many of them still don't know. I accept various answers: an x and a y that make both equations true, the point of intersection, an order pair that works for both.... It hurts my feelings but I still haven't gotten it to "sink in.") </i>I had one student in the room that asked me if I meant for them to write the ordered pair down so eventually everyone caught on. Almost every group asked me what I meant by the solution but I would not tell them. I told them to discuss it within their groups because we had talked about it in depth before Christmas. Anyway...after they completed their gallery walk we "debriefed" as a class and settled any differences of opinion. It was a wonderful way to review graphing and reintroduce them to solving systems of equations - we had one no solution and one infinitely many solutions so we also discussed what those would look like algebraically. I did have them solve a couple of the solutions algebraically (using substitution) at the end of class.<br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i2fzpt-Ar7Fu5ezTiGdCrEaFPDGg0-_xdExY2sHH_Vc/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Here is the document if you would like it.</a><br />
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OBSERVATIONS:<br />
1. Even my best students needed the graphing review. I had one of the top students in my class put his y-intercepts on the x axis!! I want to do a better job of spiraling my algebra class. I love that our Meaningful Math Algebra books include graphing in every single unit! I hope to incorporate more spiraling review as my warmups this semester.<br />
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2. It scares me how much my students forget AND it bothers me that I have to move on when I have so many who have clearly not retained what we have learned.<br />
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3. Many of them wrote that the solution was 5 and 2 when they really meant (5,2). They think I am being picky when I make them write the answer as an ordered pair.<br />
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4. Students like the opportunity to get out of their seats! I did have some really good student dialogue and I feel that it was a productive first day back after Christmas:)<br />
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<br />Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-80820795284190200762016-01-04T11:53:00.000-06:002016-01-04T11:53:16.221-06:002016 MTBoS Blogging Initiative - Why?I am excited to be joining the MTBoS Blogging Initiative this year. I started blogging about a year and a half ago. I was teaching a problem-based curriculum for the first time and wanted to record my "teaching transformation." I really started blogging for myself - so that I could look back at how the lessons went and use my reflections for future years when lesson planning. I feel like viewing blogging as a tool for me instead of being concerned about how my writings are being taken by others was THE BEST PART. However, Shelley Montgomery, the instructional partner at our school, encouraged me to go ahead and share my blog posts on Twitter. Through conversations I had with her I began to realize that even if one other person could benefit or be encouraged by my writings that it was worth it. Tracy Saltz...whether you realized it or not...you were that one person. We met on Twitter because you were also teaching the IMP Meaningful Math curriculum for the first time. Since then I have met a few others at workshops or via comments on my blog or Twitter that have enjoyed reading my posts. It is an encouragement to think that I have contributed in a way that was helpful to other teachers. I have learned so much by reading the tweets and blogs of other teachers and I did want to contribute instead of just being a "user."<br />
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So...why should you consider joining <a href="https://exploremtbos.wordpress.com/2016/01/03/kicking-off-the-2016-blogging-initiative/" target="_blank">this blogging initiative</a>? I think that blogging helps me to reflect on my teaching practices and organize my thoughts for lesson planning. An added bonus is for you to share your thoughts with other teachers so that they can learn from you and/or be blessed to learn that they are not the only ones that have similar struggles. I think that everyone benefits whether from the collaboration/encouragement of other teachers OR the benefits of reflective writing.<br />
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<img src="https://exploremtbos.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/mtbos-blogging-initiative.png?w=180&h=413" />Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-81199352236214237702015-12-16T00:21:00.000-06:002015-12-16T00:21:44.794-06:00Problem of the Week success:)This week I graded what I think was the third POW writeup that I have assigned. Once again (even though I dread grading them) they provided "teacher encouragement." My 2 favorite comments in the "what I learned" portion were:<br />
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If you listen to the teacher she will give you hints that really help you. </blockquote>
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My parents said they didn't get to do fun assignments or sit in groups in their math class. (She thinks math can be fun??? = total success!!) </blockquote>
I think the one about listening to the teacher is funny; the truth is many of my students tune me out while I am addressing the class as a whole. Then when the realize I've stopped talking they look around and say, "What are we supposed to be doing?" Ugh! I am trying some tricks to try to improve my students listening skills. One is to randomly call on a student at the end of class and ask them a question that they should know the answer to if they listened in class. I don't always ask them a math question either. I reward them with candy or letting them leave the room first.<br />
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One other thing that encouraged me this past week was noticing that I had one student use tables to graph lines. As a math teacher I think that is strange because I used to always put my equations in slope-intercept form to graph. Teaching from the IMP Meaningful Math Algebra book has helped me to allow students to discover the way that works best for them (believe me I always tell them the way I think is easier!! Haha!). I taught slope-intercept form (conceptually first in Overland Trail), graphing by intercepts, and graphing using tables almost simultaneously. I would stress the easiest way depending on the way the equation was written but told them over and over to use the way that makes the most sense to them. Out of 21 students I had 1 girl get 8 out of 9 graphing questions correct using tables. Even though it was only one student who chose that method it really encouraged me to see that some students really do benefit from the "alternate" approach. I have spent many years teaching them with the methods that I think are the most efficient. I feel like what I am doing now benifits my students more.<br />
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Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-54100415776889109242015-12-01T23:55:00.000-06:002015-12-01T23:58:03.737-06:00Questioning and group workMy newest focus is to improve at using quality questioning to improve discussions and student engagement in my classroom AND to learn how to better manage group work. I have just recently decided to really narrow my focus to these 2 things for the rest of the year. There are so many teachers that I have talked to about these things and I have come to realize (again) that just because something works great in someone else's classroom it may or may not work in mine.<br />
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Here's an example...I had someone (Tanya Barnes) to tell me that I should rarely be the one at the board going over problems. She said the students should do it because then they take more ownership. My argument was that I do sometimes have my students go to the board to share their thoughts or answers on a task. However, more often I stand at the board and lead the discussion and write down the answers the students say so that the class can decide if it is correct. It is so much faster!!! And I have alot of material to cover!!! So...I listened to her and made a concentrated effort to have students go to the board today to share out. I even let them do the examples (when I had a student that understood). You see....I teach freshman. And I have several competitive boys in my classes AND a few girls who love to prove people wrong. It takes twice as long (or longer) when they go to the board because they have to turn around every time someone makes a noise or comment....then they have to be a comedian....then they have to pop someone on the back of the head on the way back to his seat. Ugh!!! I caught another teacher walking by my room (good ole Amy Walker) and said, "There are some strategies that just DON'T WORK with all classes!" I told her what I was attempting and she reminded me that no one else knows my students like I do. Even if another teacher has freshmen they aren't exactly like our freshmen. I AM THE EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONAL....I AM THE EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONAL.... (excuse me while I try to convince myself....haha!). I know how to make adjustments based on the students in my classes....right?<br />
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Ok....so then I thought about it and remembered how I have judged people for trying something one time and then giving up on it. So, my commitment is to keep on trying this "strategy" until Christmas. I am hoping my students will get more accustomed to listening to their peers and using the question stems I have hung in my room without being so immature and silly. But....I teach freshmen. I am just hoping the percentage of silliness lessens. I know it will still happen. My goal is to not be writing on the board if I have a student who can be doing the work instead. It's like a balancing act at the circus. If I lean too much in the wrong direction it's not good. (Did I really just compare my classes to the circus?) Here is hoping for a great balance of mathematical discussions, productive groupwork, and teacher-led discussions.<br />
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I appreciate the input and opinions of everyone and hope to use them all to find what works best for me and my students.Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-86538883050627340432015-11-01T15:59:00.000-06:002015-11-01T16:40:31.973-06:00Celebrate Life!! Yes...especially the teacher's life!My pastor talked to us today about how we should be celebrating life. He spoke of how we should be different from the rest of the world. We should not be shrinking in fear of the events that are happening in the world but we should be a light and an inspiration for those around us. Encouragers. Inspirations. (I may be using my own words a little...but this was my take away today.) I sat there and thought about how I can apply that to teacher life.<br />
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What would it mean to celebrate teacher life?<br />
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<ul>
<li>Staying focused on the incredible calling and responsibility we have to teach, motivate, and love the students that we have the opportunity to work with</li>
<li>Avoid feeling frustrated every time the decision makers that be change/create policies that don't seem to make sense...(by remembering the reason you became teachers to begin with) - if you let it get to you then you will be unhappy all the time!!</li>
<li>Celebrate the successes of your students and fellow teachers</li>
<li>Try not to speak negatively about colleagues and administrators even when you don't understand or agree - everyone is human which means they will not make be perfect (and neither am I!!)</li>
<li>Remember how much I love being around teenagers. I hate being serious all the time (and so do they). I like to be silly and have fun. Teenagers (and children) seem to appreciate that a lot more than adults do! HAHA!</li>
<li>Remember that we knew when we entered this profession that we could make more money if we chose different career paths. We have a job that is often thankless. Are we here to hear thank yous or to make an impact on the future of our communities? (Of course thank yous are always nice...do you thank the teachers and coaches who invest time in your children?)</li>
</ul>
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I read a book one time entitled <i>Pushing Up People</i> by Art Williams. It has been a long time since I read it but I remember the basic premise. We should be encouraging and promoting those around us...especially our bosses and school leaders. When we operate with this philosophy we model some valuable lessons for our students, fellow teachers, and families. That is a great way to celebrate the teacher life!</div>
Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-20647833799626441782015-10-29T14:42:00.000-05:002015-10-29T14:42:33.318-05:00Positive phone calls made my day!!This afternoon I was feeling frustrated. I am drowning under a stack of papers to grade (I should be grading now instead of writing this!). Also, I have been trying to figure out a strategy to improve the investment that my students are making into one of my classes and I have not reached a solution. Every time I try to have a conversation with them it seems to turn negative. UGH!<br />
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So, I was sitting there looking at my stack of papers to grade and then I saw a reminder to make my positive phone call. Thanks to the leadership of our new principal, Ryan Barkley, I have been asked to try to make one positive phone call per week. I am behind on this project so I decided to call 2 parents this afternoon. It was the BEST thing I have done all week. The excitement and pride in the voices of the parent and grandparent that I spoke with was so rewarding. It truly brightened my day and reminded me of all the GOOD things that are going on in my classroom. I have some incredible students.<br />
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Are you feeling frustrated? Think about the students who are making progress and call their parents to let them know about it. It will be the highlight of your week.<br />
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<br />Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-29745070547329735522015-10-19T21:41:00.000-05:002015-10-24T15:01:58.825-05:00Hey...I still love math:)I know this is a strange comment for a math teacher to make. For years I have just taught math. I chose to become a math teacher because I love math but to be honest all the years of teaching math to people who do not really want to learn it had just "sucked the life" right out of my math enjoyment! I was covering the standards but rarely ever used any activities that peaked the curiosity of my students.<br />
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Thanks to our "Meaningful Math adventure" <a href="http://lovingthepurplelife.blogspot.com/2014/09/imp-meaningful-math-adventurestarting.html" target="_blank">(see this blog post for an explanation)</a> I am having fun teaching math again. I see my students having more fun learning math. Last week I had a student to tell me that she had fun in class that day. I also had some students tell me that we do the most work of any of their classes but my class is also the most fun. I read <i>Teach Like a Pirate</i> this Summer and I have come to realize that it is okay to have a goal of having fun with your students...as a matter of fact we need to throw in some activities that the students will consider a "fun break" from "regular math."<br />
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Today I also found myself sitting at my desk working on the High-Low Differences activity in Overland Trail's supplemental activities. I was "noticing and wondering" myself! I was thinking that I really need to find some extra time to investigate why this works like it does. Then I was so ambitious that I answered one of the questions (in a survey I had to take) to indicate that I considered myself to be a mathematician! (HAHA!) I have found value in addressing problems from a student's perspective. Our new textbooks from It's About Time give me many opportunities to have fun working on math and then turn it around to my students as an opportunity to problem solve and enjoy themselves while they do it. I asked them a few times last week if they wanted me to "introduce" them to the activities or let them just try to figure it out on their own. I was amazed at the number of students who wanted to try it without any assistance.<br />
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Now, don't get me wrong. I still have students who sit there like "knots on logs" and wait for the problems to be presented to the class so that they can write down the answers - they just hope that when I roll the dice to call on someone that their number is not called. And when I do call on them they tell me they didn't do that problem...and then I talk them through it until I pull the answers out of them...in some cases it would be easier to pull their teeth without anesthesia. I also still have students who gripe and whine and ask for help before I even get the page number out of my mouth. However, it is so cool to catch that student who says he hates our textbooks truly engaged and enjoying himself during an activity (because he figured it out by himself!). This certain student that I have in mind was "called on the carpet" when I told him that I noticed he had fun working on the activity for the day - which just so happened to be "Getting the Gold" that I blogged about <a href="http://lovingthepurplelife.blogspot.com/2015/10/imp-overland-trail-getting-gold.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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I would like to end this blog with a funny picture of what some of my students did last year after I had gotten onto them for sitting there like "knots on logs" instead of doing their work.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6hjsW7oHTGhAjPQ599nHuZj9qiikEpC3CTjbVM1AVqZsZrsw_k6hvhf4qmB8eg32GECkXbAJO7h_yAc9gGpzBfIOza25L68RN4v-zdx9q5EH77KcUKS-ZlMN6rH9kt9rBr4sovFT1u_0/s1600/20150112_124139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6hjsW7oHTGhAjPQ599nHuZj9qiikEpC3CTjbVM1AVqZsZrsw_k6hvhf4qmB8eg32GECkXbAJO7h_yAc9gGpzBfIOza25L68RN4v-zdx9q5EH77KcUKS-ZlMN6rH9kt9rBr4sovFT1u_0/s400/20150112_124139.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comedians!! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-19417297002026498782015-10-19T20:07:00.002-05:002015-10-19T20:07:33.551-05:00IMP Overland Trail - Getting the GoldI skipped Getting the Gold when I taught Overland Trail last year. I am so sad that I did! This is such a cool activity because it has such real-world applications. In this activity the students are asked to compare the profits of 2 different ways to gather gold. While discussing this activity it is fun to bring up discussions about making business decisions.<br />
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The discussion points that are a part of this activity include:<br />
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<ol>
<li>Business start up costs</li>
<li>Profit</li>
<li>Breaking even</li>
<li>BONUS...This is the first activity where the starting point is negative so it is fun to watch the students say..."the starting point is negative this time!" </li>
</ol>
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**I still catch myself wanting to give the student too many hints. I am sometimes excited about how the activities bring in different aspects and I just want to point them out! HAHA!</div>
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This activity and Water Conservation are fun "wrap-up" activities that have the students once more create graphs and answer questions. I love to ask questions like:</div>
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How do you know how much profit they had on Day 7 according to the graph?</blockquote>
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Now, how can you answer that same question using the rule we created?</blockquote>
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Could you use a table to answer that same question? </blockquote>
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Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-64962804658665924982015-09-24T22:57:00.000-05:002015-09-24T22:57:57.205-05:00Courageous math teachersI had the opportunity to spend 2 days last week with some incredible math educators in Alabama. The pilot that was started at Etowah High School last year has expanded through a partnership between AMSTI and It's About Time. There are math teachers throughout the state that are now piloting the full IMP Meaningful Math curriculum. While sitting there listening and learning with these teachers I was in awe. These math teachers are committed to trying something new in order to improve student achievement.<br />
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Susan Jeffers says to "feel the fear and do it anyway" and many of these teachers are doing just that. I heard many teachers grappling with the unfamiliar territory of things like assessment and assigning homework within such a different teaching format. It is exciting to be associated with teachers who are willing to get out of their comfort zone in order to try a curriculum that is time tested and has brought results over and over again.<br />
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A few years back I came to the realization that I wasn't reaching as many students as I used to and I started seeking a different way to teach math. God directed me down a path that involved coworkers, workshops, Tweets (the MTBoS especially!), and a "chance" meeting of the president of It's About Time in an elevator! Remember that the sky is purple in my world (haha!) but I really believe all these things have lined up to improve math education in the state of Alabama. I am amazed that the small pilot at one school has grown into a state-wide pilot involving many. I am thankful that AMSTI and It's About Time are providing this opportunity for the schools in our state!<br />
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<br />Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-25755249321194153502015-09-20T22:12:00.001-05:002015-09-20T22:53:18.931-05:00AMSTI/IAT training Day 1Lately I have not been a "person of many words." HAHA! I guess sometimes we hit a busy season and there are some things that have to be "cut" from our daily routine. So far this school year the part that has been cut out of mine has been taking time to blog and reflect. I really enjoy doing it and intend to continue...at some point.<br />
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The pilot that was started at Etowah High School last year has expanded through a partnership between AMSTI and It's About Time. This past week we had 2 days of professional development. Again, I have never seen a textbook company invest in the teachers who used their books in this way. They are truly committed to teaching teachers the best way to teach with their curriculum. Thank you to AMSTI and It's About Time for this opportunity.<br />
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One of my favorite conversations on day 1 was about "prizing the doubt." Michael Reitemeyer was the presenter for our algebra training and he had a course with a professor named Mandy Jansen who had told them that one "scholarly disposition" is to prize the doubt (<a href="http://base-m.blogspot.com/2015/09/prizing-doubt.html" target="_blank">Here</a> is Michael's blog about this topic). Below I am going to paste the notes I took during that discussion.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Prize the doubt - to be comfortable with uncertainty, embrace and welcome times of uncertainty, not having everything figured out all the time, people go through "early foreclosure" just to feel certain again</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">*assume that I think you are all smart</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">*an alternative way to engage is to wonder...or posing thoughtful questions</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">*get excited about having things in progress</span></blockquote>
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I am proud to say that I spent the entire year last year dealing with the doubt and uncertainty of teaching a new curriculum (IMP Meaningful Math) that was very different than anything I had ever done before. I truly believed the research and the testimonies of other teachers but it really felt so strange and different. I can relate to the "early foreclosure" part because I remember the first few times I tried teaching my students in groups I thought it wasn't for me. I kind of thought that teachers at other schools with different types of students might be able to teach that way but it just wouldn't work in my classroom. Thankfully...in the 2013-2014 school year I had already spent the year determined to make groups work in my classroom so the transition into teaching using the IMP curriculum (2014-2015) was not quite as hard. Since I trusted the curriculum I was willing to just have the attitude that I was going to do the best I could because I believed it was best for my students. As time went on I was less nervous and really enjoyed teaching with the curriculum. After spending the day with veteran IMP teachers/trainers and other incredible math teachers throughout the state of Alabama I feel like I have so much more growing to do. I just have to take a deep breath and remember I can not completely change my teaching practices in a year. But I will "prize the doubt," remember that I am smart, and get excited about the things I have in progress!!<br />
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Other things that stood out to me during our Day 1 training are listed below:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Wonderment wall/board - when students have good questions write them down and display them in class...then as you have ways throughout your lessons/units that you can address the question you have a visual reminder</li>
<li>I need a document camera!</li>
<li>Sometimes when you have a student to "share out" it would be good to sit in the desk that they vacated to have a visual cue that they are leading the learning at that moment</li>
<li>Give students space to ask questions and have "divergent thinking" - the questions may not be mathematical all the time but they own the math more when they have invested</li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">According to Michael the #1 quality of a good teacher - listening....compassion would listen, flexibility comes from listening, connecting comes from listening </span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: #222222;">Lastly, I was honored to be included on the panel for a brief question and answer session at the end of the day. Brian Lawler facilitated the discussion and afterwards we talked a few minutes. One of the questions during the discussion had to do with pacing and how much time to spend on the units. He said that Sherry Fraser (one of the authors of the curriculum) told them in a training one time that if the pacing guide says to spend 20 days that you should stop that unit after 20 days even if you are not done - which is mind-boggling but I intend to follow her advice! I told Brian that I took forever teaching Overland Trail last year. He said, "I know. I was following your blog and felt sorry for you students. I thought that they would never get to California!" HAHA! </span></div>
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Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-43987745015016548282015-08-24T21:54:00.000-05:002015-08-24T21:54:21.311-05:00Students teach the class - IMP Mini POW About Mini CamelToday I decided to do the Mini POW About Mini Camel activity from The Pit and the Pendulum. We decided to skip Corey Camel POW and do this one first. I had not worked through the problem myself prior to doing it with my Algebra IB class today. Please don't judge me on this. Haha! I find that I do not lead the students quite as much when I don't know the answer myself. Actually, the teacher's guide does give you the highest possible answer but doesn't tell you how to arrive there. It does give you the hint to ask the students if the camel has to go straight to the market. (In other words...can he go part of the way and put a portion of his bananas down?)<br />
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I knew that the camel had to have some "pitstops" along the way but I had not sat down myself and figured out the problem. I gave the students some manipulatives and gave them approximately 20 minutes to work. I walked around and helped them to model their ideas with the counters. When I had one of the boys in my class tell me he figured it out I was skeptical and made him show me. He and his partner talked me through the situation (which involves the camel only traveling distances of 1 mile at a time - and is pretty cool!!) I was amazed. I often find that my students are better than me at logic problems. I told the student that he had taught me something today and he was so proud.<br />
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Typically if my students do not come up with and defend a solution I will work through the problem with the entire class. If no one had come up with a valid solution I would have done that today. Also, if I model the problem solving process with the entire class and we don't come to a solution right away I just tell the class to help me think about the problem and let's see if we can work on it again the next day. It is so exciting to me when my students do it on their own.Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-68922420180897559832015-08-15T14:57:00.000-05:002015-08-15T14:57:01.710-05:00IMP Pit and the Pendulum Days 1-2 - The Question and Initial ExperimentsOn the first day of Pit I was actually issuing books. Therefore I used the WONDERFUL advice of Jim Roebuck and we listened to a Youtube video in which the entire story was read. If it were not for the fact that I needed the time to issue books anyway I probably would have gotten too impatient and skipped to the portion that read the excerpt from our algebra books.<br />
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After the story I assigned <b>The Question</b> where they draw a sketch of the situation and look for information in the story to answer the big question...does the story's hero really have time to carry out his escape plan? On the first day we didn't completely finish the sketches and didn't even start the discussion so we continued it on the 2nd day. We made a list of what we know from the story (especially the items that are mathematicaly relevant). They include the following:<br />
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<ul>
<li>The ceiling is 30-40 feet high</li>
<li>The pendulum swings perpendicular with his body</li>
<li>The pendulum was 3 inches from his body</li>
<li>He thinks he has 10-12 sweeps or vibrations (back and forth) before it will touch him</li>
<li>It will take the rats one minute to eat through the rope (yuck!!)</li>
</ul>
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Then we arrived at a "revised question" - How long does it take the pendulum to make 10 swings? We are also going to use the assumption that the ceiling is 30 ft high. </div>
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<b>Initial Experiments pg. 201</b></div>
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Okay...the fun part was then asking the students what we needed to know to answer this unit question. I had one boy who instantly said that we needed to know how long it took the pendulum to make one sweep. We had a class discussion about all the things that might effect this time and we narrowed it down to 3 things that we could actually test in class: weight of the bob (end of pendulum), length of pendulum (which is the height of the ceiling in the problem), and the angle of release (amplitude??) of the pendulum. I am not used to using the word amplitude for this type of problem. I keep picturing the perpencicular distance between opposite sides of a parallelogram!</div>
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<br />Anyway...the students enjoyed building pendulums. I assigned each group one variable to test but I didn't give them any guidelines other than to test each weight (or length or angle of release) 10 times. Therefore they did 30 total trials. Also they only timed one sweep. After the experiments they decided that the angle of release didn't matter but that the other 2 variables did. Then we discussed issues that may have effected our data like not using the same angle or pendulum length when you were trying to test different weights. Or not using the same pendulum length and weight when testing angle of release. Also, some student held the pendulums in their hands and kind of helped the swing by moving their hand up and down. I look forward to doing more investigations and tying in the statistics as we go!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyS305CR6aqvh_fD4o-9kRUGEnxG2tzV8q-r8G5Xrsme8mnKvM5fuWJqBxyxy1qtfZOAo5N2vg5tEJcAadQuaM02sJzumL-cAKvtNbn8qdpTXjrt5z4tludlmL-kQ4RPe4FZMt0dhWeUfz/s1600/20150812_143917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyS305CR6aqvh_fD4o-9kRUGEnxG2tzV8q-r8G5Xrsme8mnKvM5fuWJqBxyxy1qtfZOAo5N2vg5tEJcAadQuaM02sJzumL-cAKvtNbn8qdpTXjrt5z4tludlmL-kQ4RPe4FZMt0dhWeUfz/s320/20150812_143917.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Students working on their sketches</td></tr>
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<br />P.S. - Thank you Jim Roebuck for giving us helpful hints on how to best teach this unit!<br /><div>
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Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-79872483764954627832015-08-12T18:54:00.000-05:002015-08-12T18:54:35.540-05:00"Own your answer!"Today I was collaborating with Mrs. New concerning the next lessons in our algebra class. We actually started discussing how much we have enjoyed starting our classes off the week with Jo Boaler's "week of math" lessons from <a href="http://youcubed.org/" target="_blank">youcubed.org</a>. We were talking about how the activities really "set the tone" for having our students to explain their reasoning which is a staple in our IMP Meaningful Math curriculum.<br />
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Mrs New was telling me how one of her student reacted to the 4 corners activity that we did (using which one doesn't belong). She said that at one point one of her students stood in the middle of the room and said, "Why are we doing this?" Then Mrs. New told her that she is trying to teach them to "own their answers" and be able to explain their reasoning. I just loved the wording she used so I wanted to share it!Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-59708410702867974512015-08-01T01:04:00.000-05:002015-08-09T21:01:33.957-05:00First days of school ideas - adapted from basketball camp!My son and husband have attended a basketball camp this week. There are a couple of activities they have done in the classroom sessions that I want to adapt for the first days of my algebra classes.<br />
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First idea:<br />
Explain a little about what makes a good group member or leader, an average group member, and a bad group member (my students sit in groups of 4)...then give the students some classroom scenarios and ask them to work in their groups to decide how the 3 types of group members would respond.<br />
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Example scenario:<br />
The teacher puts a problem on the board and tells you it is review and you should all know how to do the problem. However, no one in your group knows how to do the problem.<br />
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Sample reaction of a good group member/leader: "Well, let's look in the book for similar problems."<br />
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Sample reaction of average group member: Raises his/her hand and waits for the teacher to come to their group.<br />
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Sample reaction of a bad group member: "She's crazy! What's for lunch today?"<br />
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I think this has a lot of potential. I want to improve my 3 names of types of group members and I want to come up with some GREAT scenarios! Also, I want to record the students' responses on chart paper and post them in my room as "rules" so I can ask them which category they fall under as we do group work throughout the year.<br />
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Second idea:<br />
Next, I want to do a "4 corners" activity where I give the students 4 different characteristics and ask them to determine which one is the most important one for a great student to have. The 4 characteristics (or however many you want) need to all be good...therefore there is no wrong answer. After the students go to the location for the characteristic they feel is most important each group brainstorms why they feel the way they do and then selects one person to "share out" and defend their answer.<br />
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I hope these activities will help establish a culture of good communication and quality group work. Who would have thought these ideas would be learned second hand from a basketball camp?!?! If you have any ideas please email me (towens@attalla.k12.al.us) or send me a tweet (@owensteri). I will add them to this post :)<br />
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**I tweaked this idea a little but and Mrs. New and I created <a href="https://docs.google.com/a/attalla.k12.al.us/presentation/d/1gSg8ioA5-7rycn944MyRbu4Fmo3tkndppQTGwQKuwKU/edit?usp=docslist_api" target="_blank">this presentation</a> for the 1st day of school. Mrs. New had a great idea to use "Which one doesn't belong" activities for the 4 corners. Also, we are doing Jo Boaler's week of math activities from youcubed.org.Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7590108428147591667.post-89477215902140713952015-07-20T22:52:00.000-05:002015-07-20T22:52:32.270-05:00The Pirate's Life for Me!Thank you Robin Bynum for letting me read your Teach Like a Pirate book by Dave Burgess. I must admit I was a bit skeptical at first. I mean....I'm a math teacher! I thought the book was only going to be about dressing up as historical characters and other "history-specific" hooks. However, as I got deeper into the book I found myself becoming re-energized for this coming school year. Here are some of my take aways:<br />
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<li>If your students aren't engaged don't get mad at them. See it as feedback.</li>
<li>It's okay to spend some time on activities that loosely tie into the curriculum yet promote creativity and fun in the classroom! </li>
<li>Ask yourself the right questions about how to "hook" your students into a lesson.</li>
<li>Pursue excellence as an educator. It is okay to want to be great at what you do!</li>
<li>Don't let fear of failure, perfectionism, or fear of criticism hold you a back. Failure is a part of growth.</li>
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I know I have left out way too much. However, I believe every teacher -no matter the subject area or grade level -can benefit from this book. It may not all apply to you...or you may not agree with all parts of the book...but I think anyone who reads will find at least a few ideas for the next school year. I believe that each time you read a book or hear a speaker at a conference you can learn something. I am probably not going to wear costumes or redecorate my room for certain lessons...but I still have many other ideas knocking around in my head because of this book.</div>
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So...I will accept the challenge to go daringly into next year and try some things I have never done before - a "pirate's life for me!"</div>
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Teri Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16854223336288174384noreply@blogger.com0