This article was sent to me today and I thought it was a good read that got me thinking.
I have been on a bit of a flipping journey since 2012 when my district went to 1-to-1 iPads for all students. As I sometimes do, I dove head first into the world of flipping. Even though there are some things that I really take my time and think about, there are others that I just dive into...this was one of them. I decided I was going to flip my Algebra 2 class. I found so many resources that had suggestions and ideas and it just seemed new and refreshing. I think to reiterate what I've said before, I'm always looking for new ways for students to learn math; I was hopeful this would be a great option.
My perspective on flipping has definitely shifted and changed over the past two years.
I flipped for a while and then I ran into some of the same frustrations that I had before flipping. Students weren't watching the videos (previously they weren't doing their homework), students had to be retaught many of the lessons in class the next day, students were not understanding any more or less than previously. I was putting in a lot of extra work to create videos and then spending about the same amount of time creating activities in class that were reteaching. I didn't feel like we were saving any time or learning any more deeply than previously.
At first I thought the problem was that the students weren't watching the videos. But more recently I'm coming to the realization that even my students who were watching the videos weren't getting as much out of them as they could have had I done what I have done in class for the last few years. Now, not to say my classroom is an amazing, engaging, thrilling place to learn math...but I like to think it's a little more interesting than sitting in your bedroom listening to your teacher talk at you about math. I don't lecture; I usually don't say more than 3 sentences before a question to my students is interjected and a discussion takes place. (I think it should be even less than 3 sentences, I'm working on that.) I try to create a math dialogue. Now, again, it's not perfect, but I try to pull the students in, ask lots of questions, engage them on finding patterns, trying things on their calculators. My students tell me they learn best by doing, so I try to give them that opportunity to learn by doing. Sometimes they have to be reminded that they need to 'do' in order to learn, but I usually have a large number of students participating...I don't know that you can always get 100%....but I do try.
Basically, I have found that flipping is good for a few things, but not for introducing new material in math...or at least it doesn't work for me. Flipping is good for review material. I have students who do like to have the videos to re-watch as review after we have had class discussions and practice together. The videos serve as a refresher for them. Flipping is also good for simple concepts that students need to bring back to the front of their minds; things they learned or had been exposed to in previous courses.
I think the best form of flipping I have experienced has been to have the students flip their assignments. Rather than turn in a worksheet full of problems, they can turn in a video explaining the work that they completed. These videos help the students really truly learn and understand the material in a way they may have not previously.
Flipping may work for some people. I think it depends on your teaching style and your students. My style is to be engaged with the students in conversation. This is how I build relationships with my students and let my students see my personality and it's an opportunity for me to model problem solving, risk taking, and mistake making (lots get made when I'm talking and writing at the same time).
I am all for new technology. I LOVE technology. But I'm not completely sold that flipping works the best for me and my classroom.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Monday, February 17, 2014
Makeover
A dear friend and colleague sent me this great Ted talk today. I have seen this guy's blog before and he has some great stuff, but this talk spoke to me even more today.
Math curriculum does need a makeover. I have been feeling this more and more each year of my teaching, but I have been especially aware of my own doubts of what we are teaching in the past few years. I question what I am told to teach, how I am teaching it, and why I am teaching it. I learned through this curriculum and still managed to find the fun in math, but perhaps I'm one of the few; perhaps we could get more engaged and excited about math and problem solving if we show them the light.
I LOVE his opening statements about selling a product to a room full of students who do not want it. I love my product. I love math. I love solving problems. But wow, it's hard to sell it to my students when it seems so irrelevant and useless at times. I do find that they are conditioned to be bored in math class. They show up wanting to just get this whole thing over with. "Fill my bucket and I will spill it out on some test and I'll be on my way," they say. I am done filling buckets. I don't want the contents of your bucket back. You keep them dear student of mine.
I have been straying from the traditional teaching methods for a while now. Now, I am far from non-traditional because I feel there are still some things that are holding me back, but I try, I really do, to help students see and truly understand the concepts we are asked to teach them. I have been working to tear apart the curriculum I have been given to group like concepts, to allow students to look for an identify patterns, instead of me just 'telling' them. I search for problems and activities that will help students understand and engage, but sometimes it takes some convincing to get the students to dive in. They need to be unconditioned to getting their bucket filled and find it in themselves to seek out and discover. My job is to set up opportunities for them to engage and seek.
I agree 100% with the speaker in that what the law says we have to teach is not adequate, but at this point, that is still the law/tested. So, I try my best to weave in my own style and love of math to help the students hopefully see and be pulled into the awesome world of mathematics.
It's great to be a math teacher right now. He's correct in that. We have such a great opportunity to change and shape mathematics education into something more than a textbook full of formulas and computations to be completed.
This year I was given the opportunity to teach a college algebra class. But this isn't just an ordinary college algebra class, it's a mathematical modeling class where my students are given problems that they create their own solutions to through their own research and mathematical understanding. It has really challenged my students. Some students love creating models and some are still struggling with it; however, I feel that all of my students in the class have become better at problem solving and seeking out information when something is missing. The problems have been rich with possibility for learning and it has been beautiful to see the growth in the students.
One step at a time. I have continued each year to implement something new, something to draw students in, something to better help students understand, something to better challenge students. I want to be a part of this change.
Math curriculum does need a makeover. I have been feeling this more and more each year of my teaching, but I have been especially aware of my own doubts of what we are teaching in the past few years. I question what I am told to teach, how I am teaching it, and why I am teaching it. I learned through this curriculum and still managed to find the fun in math, but perhaps I'm one of the few; perhaps we could get more engaged and excited about math and problem solving if we show them the light.
I LOVE his opening statements about selling a product to a room full of students who do not want it. I love my product. I love math. I love solving problems. But wow, it's hard to sell it to my students when it seems so irrelevant and useless at times. I do find that they are conditioned to be bored in math class. They show up wanting to just get this whole thing over with. "Fill my bucket and I will spill it out on some test and I'll be on my way," they say. I am done filling buckets. I don't want the contents of your bucket back. You keep them dear student of mine.
I have been straying from the traditional teaching methods for a while now. Now, I am far from non-traditional because I feel there are still some things that are holding me back, but I try, I really do, to help students see and truly understand the concepts we are asked to teach them. I have been working to tear apart the curriculum I have been given to group like concepts, to allow students to look for an identify patterns, instead of me just 'telling' them. I search for problems and activities that will help students understand and engage, but sometimes it takes some convincing to get the students to dive in. They need to be unconditioned to getting their bucket filled and find it in themselves to seek out and discover. My job is to set up opportunities for them to engage and seek.
I agree 100% with the speaker in that what the law says we have to teach is not adequate, but at this point, that is still the law/tested. So, I try my best to weave in my own style and love of math to help the students hopefully see and be pulled into the awesome world of mathematics.
It's great to be a math teacher right now. He's correct in that. We have such a great opportunity to change and shape mathematics education into something more than a textbook full of formulas and computations to be completed.
This year I was given the opportunity to teach a college algebra class. But this isn't just an ordinary college algebra class, it's a mathematical modeling class where my students are given problems that they create their own solutions to through their own research and mathematical understanding. It has really challenged my students. Some students love creating models and some are still struggling with it; however, I feel that all of my students in the class have become better at problem solving and seeking out information when something is missing. The problems have been rich with possibility for learning and it has been beautiful to see the growth in the students.
One step at a time. I have continued each year to implement something new, something to draw students in, something to better help students understand, something to better challenge students. I want to be a part of this change.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Unit One Done
This week my algebra class took the end of unit assessment on functions to end our first complete unit of the semester. I was very interested to see how my students would do with the new homework policy I implemented, along with the self-assessment they have been doing with their blogs.
I was pretty impressed with the end result. Right now, in my class of 37 all students the average was 41.6/50 on the test whereas first semester the average was 40.8/50 in one class and 41.2/50 in another class. Now, I realize that these averages are pretty consistent, only a little higher this semester, but the BIG thing I have noticed is the lack of failing students in my grade book. Not one student is currently failing my class. I cannot say that was the case at this point last semester due to all the missing assignments. Right now, I feel that taking away the 'requirement' and due date for daily homework has made homework more useful. Putting a deadline on homework, puts a different meaning on homework for the students. Homework becomes something they have to do, not a tool to learn content. Writing in their blog everyday has become a check in for these students to put into words for themselves what they have or have not been doing.
Many students have still been completing the practice problems each day, and used them as evidence for showing they are ready to take the test. Showing students that learning is my ultimate goal for them, not assigning them hundreds of points and just making them do things they may or may not need to spend their time doing. Having me put a zero in the grade book to tell them they didn't do something had very little affect on most students. Students writing in their blogs, "I haven't done anything to prepare" internalizes the lack of work and the blame is coming from themselves.
I am LOVING this new system for homework.
As for the blogging, I am still trying to figure it out completely. Getting quality posts is difficult, and I need to do a better job of modeling exactly what I want the posts to be...but sometimes I'm not 100% sure what I want the posts to look like. I have been using their posts as quick checks (formative assessment) to know where the students are after each lesson and as we progress through the units. My favorite posts are the feedback posts where they have been reflecting on the new system and how it's working for them as a learner. They are very honest, and having a class of 37, it's been a great way for me to quickly get to know the students, their names, and where they stand as far as math and my class. I feel like I know more about this huge class of 37 than I have this early in a quarter ever before about a group of students.
The feedback has been pretty positive thus far, I even had one student say he really didn't enjoy the blog at first, but has warmed up to the idea and that it seems to be helping him stay on top of his work better than previously.
It's an adventure. I'm only one unit in. We're still moving forward, I have these students trained in the blogging and we're going to keep working on it and improving the blogging system. As for the homework system, I am NEVER going back. All future math classes will be reorganized to be the same. It's such a stress off of me, off of the students and it makes the homework meaningful, there is a new purpose, not just completion but actual learning....what a concept!
Boo to those who say, "If you don't assign it, they won't do it." They will, if you make it meaningful and give them a purpose. Requiring my students to create a portfolio of evidence before testing is a pretty good purpose. We all win; we all learn.
Here's hoping that this awesome journey continues to show great results.
I was pretty impressed with the end result. Right now, in my class of 37 all students the average was 41.6/50 on the test whereas first semester the average was 40.8/50 in one class and 41.2/50 in another class. Now, I realize that these averages are pretty consistent, only a little higher this semester, but the BIG thing I have noticed is the lack of failing students in my grade book. Not one student is currently failing my class. I cannot say that was the case at this point last semester due to all the missing assignments. Right now, I feel that taking away the 'requirement' and due date for daily homework has made homework more useful. Putting a deadline on homework, puts a different meaning on homework for the students. Homework becomes something they have to do, not a tool to learn content. Writing in their blog everyday has become a check in for these students to put into words for themselves what they have or have not been doing.
Many students have still been completing the practice problems each day, and used them as evidence for showing they are ready to take the test. Showing students that learning is my ultimate goal for them, not assigning them hundreds of points and just making them do things they may or may not need to spend their time doing. Having me put a zero in the grade book to tell them they didn't do something had very little affect on most students. Students writing in their blogs, "I haven't done anything to prepare" internalizes the lack of work and the blame is coming from themselves.
I am LOVING this new system for homework.
As for the blogging, I am still trying to figure it out completely. Getting quality posts is difficult, and I need to do a better job of modeling exactly what I want the posts to be...but sometimes I'm not 100% sure what I want the posts to look like. I have been using their posts as quick checks (formative assessment) to know where the students are after each lesson and as we progress through the units. My favorite posts are the feedback posts where they have been reflecting on the new system and how it's working for them as a learner. They are very honest, and having a class of 37, it's been a great way for me to quickly get to know the students, their names, and where they stand as far as math and my class. I feel like I know more about this huge class of 37 than I have this early in a quarter ever before about a group of students.
The feedback has been pretty positive thus far, I even had one student say he really didn't enjoy the blog at first, but has warmed up to the idea and that it seems to be helping him stay on top of his work better than previously.
It's an adventure. I'm only one unit in. We're still moving forward, I have these students trained in the blogging and we're going to keep working on it and improving the blogging system. As for the homework system, I am NEVER going back. All future math classes will be reorganized to be the same. It's such a stress off of me, off of the students and it makes the homework meaningful, there is a new purpose, not just completion but actual learning....what a concept!
Boo to those who say, "If you don't assign it, they won't do it." They will, if you make it meaningful and give them a purpose. Requiring my students to create a portfolio of evidence before testing is a pretty good purpose. We all win; we all learn.
Here's hoping that this awesome journey continues to show great results.
Monday, February 3, 2014
Stability
My frustration from last week has passed. The annoyance from my students who kept saying, "I don't get it, I give up" was my own issue.
Yes, they shouldn't give up so easily and need to be taught a little perseverance, but I should have known. At least I do now.
After about 2 weeks with my special ed math basics class, I'm learning that what those students want the most is stability from me. They want to know what to expect and they want to feel success (who doesn't?) in the things we are doing. So, the next time I want to have a little wacky problem solving fun, I need to warn them days in advance and then be very super clear on the expectations of the day. I need to train 'em up; prep them for what is to come.
The rest of last week and today, my math basics class was great. I have 15 pretty hard working kids, with the exception of one or two, but they are coming along. When they know what to expect and it's at a level where they can experience success, they are happy. They are always compliant and are completing the tasks I ask of them as long as they know what to expect.
Now, life isn't always full of things you can expect, so I am planning to keep throwing some curve balls at them and try some new things, but I know that I need to approach it with very careful planning.
The tricky part of teaching this class is the variety of students I have in the room. Every student has an IEP, but all of course, for different reasons. Some really struggle in math, some really struggle emotionally which then has caused math to be an issue. It's an adventure every single day. But having some stronger math students in the room (even though they don't think they are strong math students) helps the other students in the room as well as builds confidence in a student that otherwise may have not had a lot of math confidence.
So, the point of all this....my new goal for this class is to be consistent and stable for the kids as much as possible. However, I am also going to push them to move outside their comfort zone and try something new. I want them to know it's OK to not know the right answer in math class...that's how you learn. I think I have been given the best possible environment to help them stretch themselves in math. So, here goes. I'll keep you posted on the journey.
Yes, they shouldn't give up so easily and need to be taught a little perseverance, but I should have known. At least I do now.
After about 2 weeks with my special ed math basics class, I'm learning that what those students want the most is stability from me. They want to know what to expect and they want to feel success (who doesn't?) in the things we are doing. So, the next time I want to have a little wacky problem solving fun, I need to warn them days in advance and then be very super clear on the expectations of the day. I need to train 'em up; prep them for what is to come.
The rest of last week and today, my math basics class was great. I have 15 pretty hard working kids, with the exception of one or two, but they are coming along. When they know what to expect and it's at a level where they can experience success, they are happy. They are always compliant and are completing the tasks I ask of them as long as they know what to expect.
Now, life isn't always full of things you can expect, so I am planning to keep throwing some curve balls at them and try some new things, but I know that I need to approach it with very careful planning.
The tricky part of teaching this class is the variety of students I have in the room. Every student has an IEP, but all of course, for different reasons. Some really struggle in math, some really struggle emotionally which then has caused math to be an issue. It's an adventure every single day. But having some stronger math students in the room (even though they don't think they are strong math students) helps the other students in the room as well as builds confidence in a student that otherwise may have not had a lot of math confidence.
So, the point of all this....my new goal for this class is to be consistent and stable for the kids as much as possible. However, I am also going to push them to move outside their comfort zone and try something new. I want them to know it's OK to not know the right answer in math class...that's how you learn. I think I have been given the best possible environment to help them stretch themselves in math. So, here goes. I'll keep you posted on the journey.
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Math Concepts
It's a Saturday night, what else would I be doing than thinking through and planning future math units? Well, OK, I'm not typically that cool, but grad school is making me that cool, so "Hello new exciting Saturday nights."
I just completed the start of a unit on Quadratics. Oh, the fun in quadratics. Now, I appreciate a good quadratic...but to get students to appreciate or even attempt to appreciate...that's another story. Sure you can spice up quadratics by singing the quadratic formula song to a number of different tunes so they never forget the formula. Although, they often forget what they use it for...
Anyway, writing units, thinking about what I want my students to know and be able to do, always makes me think about my purpose in life. It's deep, I know.
So, here are the things I really do want my students to know and be able to do (in no particular order):
I just completed the start of a unit on Quadratics. Oh, the fun in quadratics. Now, I appreciate a good quadratic...but to get students to appreciate or even attempt to appreciate...that's another story. Sure you can spice up quadratics by singing the quadratic formula song to a number of different tunes so they never forget the formula. Although, they often forget what they use it for...
Anyway, writing units, thinking about what I want my students to know and be able to do, always makes me think about my purpose in life. It's deep, I know.
So, here are the things I really do want my students to know and be able to do (in no particular order):
- Think for themselves. Be able to make a decision and own it.
- Be brave to try something new. And possibly fail at it.
- Make educated decisions. Don't just jump on board because everyone else is, do a little research and soul-search if needed and have some justification for your decision.
- Know they are cared for. By me. I really do care about each one of them...even the ones that drive me a little crazy; I still care.
- Care for others. Genuinely be willing to help someone else.
- Find a passion in life.
- Know that they don't have to decide today what they want to be tomorrow. It's a process, relax and don't feel the pressure to know what you are supposed to do with your life. I still don't know. And I'm OK with that.
- Look up. If even for a few minutes. Don't be attached to your electronics so much you miss the awesome things happening right in front of you.
- Cook a decent meal. This seems odd, I know, but at some point they may have to prepare a meal for someone, and they should have at least one thing they know how to cook and cook well. Food connects people, it's important to be able to cook something. Or bake, cookies are always good too.
- Ask questions. They need to advocate for themselves. They may not always have a bunch of teachers watching their every move and at the ready to pounce in for help when they are struggling. They must know when and who to ask for help.
- Be money smart. This may be the most mathy one of all my hopes for them. I don't want my former students buying into bad deals or being unaware of all that interest that builds up with credit cards. Know when to spend and know when to save...and then do both the best you can with what you have.
- Be able to tell a joke. Everyone needs at least one great ice breaker. My favorite mathy one: What's tunafish plus tunafish? Fournafish. Thank you favorite children's math book: Math Curse!
- Be proud of any nerdyness that is inside of them. Don't hide your brains and inner nerd. Let it shine.
- Have a hobby.
- Say "Thank You." Appreciate what others have done for you or do for you in the future.
That's my list right now. I know there is more. But what I also know is that most of them have absolutely nothing to do with knowing the quadratic formula. I love the quadratic formula, do not get me wrong. But sometimes it is hard to justify to some kids why they should know it. I have my reasons they should, but if they can't do some of the things on my list from above, I think it's more important they work on some of those things sometimes.
All right, back to my awesome Saturday night with quadratics...I feel better now, thank you.
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