Exactly two months ago, I started writing this blog post. Here's what I wrote.
At what point are good intentions not enough? I've had this conversation with several students as of late. You can be apologetic and have all the good intentions in the world, but at some point, the behavior needs to change.
What about me? Classroom management is a huge struggle for me, but I always look for the positives. I'm doing better this year than my first, second, and third years of teaching. I had a really serious last-chance conversation with a student this year that I would never have had the guts or the words to have before this year. I've been way better about enforcing assigned seats. I don't make a lot of threats regarding consequences or punishments for poor behavior, but when I do, I always follow through.
I fully intend to be stricter when it comes to encouraging and demanding good behavior, but at what point are my good intentions not enough? My classes are still super chatty. I still have kids who are rude and disrespectful - towards me and their classmates. I still give kids too many chances. The "good kids" are still frustrated by the interruptions from their classmates and my apparent inability to stop them, and I'd venture a guess that the disruptive classmates are also frustrated.
I do everything I can to keep kids in class even when they're misbehaving. But why? I could say that it's because it only makes it harder for the kid when they miss instruction. Or that it's because I want to be understanding when a kid's having a bad day...or week...or... And while there's probably some truth to all that, I think the real reason I keep kids in class even when they're misbehaving is that I'm afraid of how it will look if I keep sending kids to the office. As if keeping kids in class is a sign that the problems must not be that bad.
And that's not fair to anyone. It's not fair to the misbehaving students who need those boundaries. It's not fair to the rest of the class whose learning is interrupted. It's not fair to me and my sanity. I need to hold my students to higher standards behaviorally. I need to have higher expectations for them because I know they will meet them. The average middle schooler is probably not looking to go above and beyond, but most kids will do at least enough to get by. So I better make the qualifications for "getting by" a lot more rigorous.
It felt negative and pessimistic and I didn't want to publish it. To me, it felt more like complaining than a reflection where I was seeking a better solution. Around the same time I wrote the original post here, I gave my students a Teacher Report Card and blogged about the early results. I gave students until the end of the quarter to respond, so it was only a couple of weeks ago that I got some of their final responses. I've been using our vacation week this week to really dig into their feedback and make a plan for when we return to school. Although Christmas break was only two months ago, and we've had snow days and holidays in between, I could not be more grateful for the time this week to refresh and reset!
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Strimko Puzzle Review
Right around Christmastime I was contacted on Twitter with the opportunity to review Strimko Book 1. After hearing about many other people using these puzzles, I was very excited to try them out myself! Disclaimer: I received a free copy of Strimko Book 1 in exchange for my unbiased review.
"I like these better than our regular Do Now's."
It's halfway through the year and I still find myself reminding students to get started on the warm-up when they come into class. Not with Strimko! Students were much more likely to actually work on the warm-up when I gave them these puzzles to solve instead of the regular Do Now (I blogged about the format I usually use here).
"I finished the whole page. Do you have more?"
When used as the warm-up, I gave my students a week's worth of puzzles copied onto one page. I told my students we would be solving two each day in the first 5-10 minutes of class. Some students really struggled to finish two puzzles, while other students would work ahead and finish the entire page. Then instead of just sitting and waiting or talking to their neighbor, they would ask for more puzzles! And these weren't only the typical overachieving students. Students who were typically less engaged were finding success with these puzzles and were asking for more!
"Can you check this? Oh, wait. It's wrong."
This was probably my most favorite comment to hear. As a teacher, I get asked so many times if an answer is correct, and I usually respond with, "How could you check your answer?" or "That seems reasonable, what did you do to get that answer?" or "You're right, that seems off. Tell me how you got that answer." It was a welcome change to see students checking their own work (or a classmate's) without prompting. Again, I think the simplicity of the Strimko rules led to this kind of independence.
One day instead of solving the puzzles, I asked my students to write about the rules and strategies for solving Strimko puzzles. Here are some of the things they said:
Overall, these puzzles were definitely a win in my classroom! And not just my classroom. I have to stop myself from writing in the book at home before I've made a copy of the page to use with my students! I am very grateful to the Grabarchuk family for the free copy of this puzzle book. Definitely recommended!
At first glance, Strimko appears to be similar to other number puzzles like Sudoku. As you fill in the missing numbers, you must not repeat numbers in any row or column. While Sudoku then has 3x3 grids where numbers cannot repeat, Strimko has streams. Numbers connected by lines to form a stream cannot repeat within the stream. For a 4x4 Strimko puzzle, you use the numbers 1-4. For a 5x5 puzzles, you use the numbers 1-5, etc. The simplicity of this puzzle made it quite easy for me to explain to my students. Let me repeat that. This puzzle's rules are simple enough to explain just once to my students! That means the challenge was really in solving the puzzle, not in understanding the rules of how to solve the puzzle.
Since receiving the book two months ago, I have used these puzzles several times with my students as a warm-up or time-filler for students who finish classwork early. Here are some of the most common comments from my students:
"I like these better than our regular Do Now's."
"I finished the whole page. Do you have more?"
"Can you check this? Oh, wait. It's wrong."
"I like these better than our regular Do Now's."
It's halfway through the year and I still find myself reminding students to get started on the warm-up when they come into class. Not with Strimko! Students were much more likely to actually work on the warm-up when I gave them these puzzles to solve instead of the regular Do Now (I blogged about the format I usually use here).
"I finished the whole page. Do you have more?"
When used as the warm-up, I gave my students a week's worth of puzzles copied onto one page. I told my students we would be solving two each day in the first 5-10 minutes of class. Some students really struggled to finish two puzzles, while other students would work ahead and finish the entire page. Then instead of just sitting and waiting or talking to their neighbor, they would ask for more puzzles! And these weren't only the typical overachieving students. Students who were typically less engaged were finding success with these puzzles and were asking for more!
"Can you check this? Oh, wait. It's wrong."
This was probably my most favorite comment to hear. As a teacher, I get asked so many times if an answer is correct, and I usually respond with, "How could you check your answer?" or "That seems reasonable, what did you do to get that answer?" or "You're right, that seems off. Tell me how you got that answer." It was a welcome change to see students checking their own work (or a classmate's) without prompting. Again, I think the simplicity of the Strimko rules led to this kind of independence.
One day instead of solving the puzzles, I asked my students to write about the rules and strategies for solving Strimko puzzles. Here are some of the things they said:
Overall, these puzzles were definitely a win in my classroom! And not just my classroom. I have to stop myself from writing in the book at home before I've made a copy of the page to use with my students! I am very grateful to the Grabarchuk family for the free copy of this puzzle book. Definitely recommended!
Thursday, January 18, 2018
Do I Have to Assign Seats?
I hate making seating charts. I hate enforcing assigned seats. I came to the realization this year that this may be partly because I rely too much on a seating chart to do the classroom management for me. As in, if I could just come up with the right seating arrangement, I would have so many fewer disruptions and issues in class.
Even after coming to this realization about how I (unrealistically) viewed seating charts, and knowing that a good seating arrangement is not the magic answer to classroom management, I still just don't like making seating charts.
After winter break, I had my students complete an anonymous "teacher report card" which I wrote a little bit about here (I hope to really dig through their responses and write more again soon). One of the most common responses to what students thought I should change was the seating.
You get the idea. And I don't think this is anything we haven't heard from students before. But what would happen if I actually listened to them here and made this change?
My favorite comment is the one where the student writes, "...have us pick our seats and tell her that's where we want to sit until otherwise based on behavior and work ethic."
What if I offered to let kids pick their seats under the condition that if I ask them to move for any reason, they move immediately and without argument to sit in the seat I assign for the remainder of the class period? As always, when I have to move a student's seat or ask a student to leave class for disruptive behavior, I would tell the student that they can try again tomorrow in the seat of their choosing.
For the first half of the year, they have been forced to sit and work with people who are not necessarily their friends. I think this is important so that they learn to work with other people, and they share ideas with people who likely think differently than them. At this point, is it necessary to keep mixing up the groups and requiring students to sit and work with different people? Are there major benefits to a seating arrangement that I'm missing? Is it just laziness on my part if I decide to let students choose their own seats?
Even after coming to this realization about how I (unrealistically) viewed seating charts, and knowing that a good seating arrangement is not the magic answer to classroom management, I still just don't like making seating charts.
After winter break, I had my students complete an anonymous "teacher report card" which I wrote a little bit about here (I hope to really dig through their responses and write more again soon). One of the most common responses to what students thought I should change was the seating.
- You should change my seat. And the seating arrangement. It’s hard to see with the sun glare and also from the side it’s hard to see the do nows.
- The seating chart because we would like to pick our seats.
- Ms Ess should change having assigned seats that she picks, but have us pick our seats and tell her that’s where we want to sit until otherwise based on behavior and work ethic.
- Ms. Ess should change around the desks.
- Let people sit where ever they want
- you should let the good kids sit in the back where ever they want and have the naughty kids have assigned seats
You get the idea. And I don't think this is anything we haven't heard from students before. But what would happen if I actually listened to them here and made this change?
My favorite comment is the one where the student writes, "...have us pick our seats and tell her that's where we want to sit until otherwise based on behavior and work ethic."
What if I offered to let kids pick their seats under the condition that if I ask them to move for any reason, they move immediately and without argument to sit in the seat I assign for the remainder of the class period? As always, when I have to move a student's seat or ask a student to leave class for disruptive behavior, I would tell the student that they can try again tomorrow in the seat of their choosing.
For the first half of the year, they have been forced to sit and work with people who are not necessarily their friends. I think this is important so that they learn to work with other people, and they share ideas with people who likely think differently than them. At this point, is it necessary to keep mixing up the groups and requiring students to sit and work with different people? Are there major benefits to a seating arrangement that I'm missing? Is it just laziness on my part if I decide to let students choose their own seats?
Tuesday, December 26, 2017
Teacher Report Card
Usually I wait until the end of the year to get feedback about my teaching and classroom practices from students.
Writing that sentence sounds crazy. WHY would I wait until the end of the school year?! I can't make any adjustments to my teaching practices then. I can certainly make changes for the coming year, but by then I'll have a new group of students; some changes will still be for the better, but current students are telling me what works for them now. It's like giving a formative assessment after the unit test.
A few days ago, I saw this tweet about giving students a Teacher Report Card.
And it just made so much sense! Get feedback from students during the school year so that I can start making adjustments now.
While January 1 and the new calendar year are natural starting points, that's just not feasible for me right now. I came across this tweet at the start of winter break, so I will not see my students until after January 1st. However, second semester starts at the end of January, which seems to me a great alternative to the new year starting date.
I edited the Teacher Report Card google form slightly - I am not brave enough to ask my students if they think I have bad breath, and there were a few questions I wanted to add. Then I emailed the link to my students. I planned on explaining the report card survey to students when we return from winter break and let them know that they have two weeks to get me their feedback. I was surprised to see that some of my students have been checking their school email over break and have already completed the survey!
Here are some of the comments on the open response questions so far. The enlarged ones are the comments that had the biggest initial impact for me.
Sometimes, the teacher ________, but not always.
Sometimes, the teacher lets the class ________, but not always.
What do you like BEST about the class?
KEEP: What is one thing Ms. Ess should keep doing in class?
CHANGE: What is one thing Ms. Ess should change about what she does in class?
START: What is one thing Ms. Ess should start doing in class?
STOP: What is one thing Ms. Ess should stop doing in class?
Anything else you want to tell me?
It's an ego boost and a lesson in humility all in one. While I'm really not surprised that my students have identified the same weaknesses that I see in myself, there's something about hearing it from them that is a little more motivating. Time to get to work.
Writing that sentence sounds crazy. WHY would I wait until the end of the school year?! I can't make any adjustments to my teaching practices then. I can certainly make changes for the coming year, but by then I'll have a new group of students; some changes will still be for the better, but current students are telling me what works for them now. It's like giving a formative assessment after the unit test.
A few days ago, I saw this tweet about giving students a Teacher Report Card.
And it just made so much sense! Get feedback from students during the school year so that I can start making adjustments now.
While January 1 and the new calendar year are natural starting points, that's just not feasible for me right now. I came across this tweet at the start of winter break, so I will not see my students until after January 1st. However, second semester starts at the end of January, which seems to me a great alternative to the new year starting date.
I edited the Teacher Report Card google form slightly - I am not brave enough to ask my students if they think I have bad breath, and there were a few questions I wanted to add. Then I emailed the link to my students. I planned on explaining the report card survey to students when we return from winter break and let them know that they have two weeks to get me their feedback. I was surprised to see that some of my students have been checking their school email over break and have already completed the survey!
Here are some of the comments on the open response questions so far. The enlarged ones are the comments that had the biggest initial impact for me.
Sometimes, the teacher ________, but not always.
- Freaks out over small things
- has moments
- let's kids take advantage of her
- controls the class
Sometimes, the teacher lets the class ________, but not always.
- Talk while doing work
- Talk
- run around too much
- get off topic
What do you like BEST about the class?
- She teaches the lessons clearly and not rush the lesson.
- i like that i can learn the math at the pace that helps me but also at the same time makes sure the class is fun and a great class to come to each day
- She makes sure I get the help I need and she cares that I want learn a lot more about math. I like that she listens to me. I like when I am stuck she comes over and help me. I glad she is happy when I ask a question. ( I might ask too many, in my opinion, she might think differently)
- I like how she is involved in our lives and helps us no matter what
KEEP: What is one thing Ms. Ess should keep doing in class?
- You should keep the number pockets with all the supplies and also keep doing the review on the do nows.
- Not giving home Work often.
- Explains things to a point
- Ms Ess should keep doing the same organizational note book for future reference or more help with units we don’t understand that well.
CHANGE: What is one thing Ms. Ess should change about what she does in class?
- You should change my seat. And the seating arrangement. It’s hard to see with the sun glare and also from the side it’s hard to see the do nows.
- Ms Ess should change having assigned seats that she picks, but have us pick our seats and tell her that’s where we want to sit until otherwise based on behavior and work ethic.
- maybe you should be a tad bit more strict to make sure kids listen to you and behave
- you aren't harsh enough on the kids if they're rude make them leave. none of them know respect sometimes including myself so just make them leave.
START: What is one thing Ms. Ess should start doing in class?
- You should play calming music.
- give more harsh punishments/control the class
- Ms Ess should start having efficient time limits on assignments to keep the class on task at all times and to have more time to go over more thorough topics.
- putting percents on tests and quizzes.
STOP: What is one thing Ms. Ess should stop doing in class?
- stop letting kids take advantage of her niceness
- allowing kids to do what they please
- letting the kids that disrespect her get by with out a punishment
- Ms Ess should stop treating the kids that are misbehaving with such simple simple punishments so the kids think it’s okay to continue their same ways.
Anything else you want to tell me?
- You are a good teacher you just freak out for no reason
- I like the way the lessons go but I am confused on your grading system and wish it was more fair with the way we understand things on tests.
- you're an amazing teacher! if i'm having a bad day i always look forward to your class to make it better! you're so nice and a better teacher than a lot of the teachers i've had. thank you for being so great and never doubting me. p.s. i don't really hate math like i say i do i just get confused too much keep being a great teacher :)
- you're cool as heck
It's an ego boost and a lesson in humility all in one. While I'm really not surprised that my students have identified the same weaknesses that I see in myself, there's something about hearing it from them that is a little more motivating. Time to get to work.
Sunday, December 24, 2017
Buddy the Elf's Journey to NYC
"First, I traveled through the seven levels of the Candy Cane Forest..."
I am sharing a few versions of this assignment.
1. Slope Assignment
Version A asks students to plot points given the coordinates for each location on Buddy's journey. You have the option of giving students cardinal directions or ordered pairs to plot the points. Students then find the slope of each part of the journey.
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| Version A - cardinal directions |
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| Version A - ordered pairs |
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| Versions A and B slope calculation chart |
Version B allows students to plot points for each location wherever they want. Students record the coordinates for each point and then find the slope for each part of the journey.
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| Version B - student-designed route |
2. Pythagorean Theorem/Distance Formula Assignment
Version A asks students to plot points given the coordinates for each location on Buddy's journey. You have the option of giving students cardinal directions or ordered pairs to plot the points. Students then create right triangles and use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the distances for each part of Buddy's journey (or you may choose to forgo the right triangles and have students use the distance formula).
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| Pythagorean Theorem version |
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| Distance Formula version |
Version B allows students to plot points for each location wherever they want. Students record the coordinates for each point and then create right triangles and use the Pythagorean Theorem (or distance formula) to find the distances for each part of Buddy's journey.
Which version should I use?
Use Version A if you'd like all students to do the exact same assignment - same calculations, same answers, meaning that you can create an answer key.
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| Version A |
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| Version B - Student Sample |
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| Version B - Student Sample |
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| Version B - Student Sample |
Saturday, December 23, 2017
Pythagorean Theorem Converse Maze
I recently tweeted a #teach180 picture of a maze I created for my students to practice using the converse of the Pythagorean theorem. I had originally hand-drawn my version of the maze after seeing the Combining Like Terms Maze that Sarah Carter used with her students, but when my photo got a fair bit of attention, I figured I'd type up a nice copy of the maze to share.
Version 1 of the maze lists side lengths in numerical order, meaning the numbers can be substituted in directly for a, b, and c.
Version 2 of the maze lists side lengths in random order, so students will need to determine which sides to substitute in for the legs and which side to substitute in for the hypotenuse.
View/Download: Right Triangle Maze
Version 1 of the maze lists side lengths in numerical order, meaning the numbers can be substituted in directly for a, b, and c.
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| Version 1 - sides in numerical order |
Version 2 of the maze lists side lengths in random order, so students will need to determine which sides to substitute in for the legs and which side to substitute in for the hypotenuse.
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| Version 2 - sides in random order |
View/Download: Right Triangle Maze
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
The Power of a Note
I've been without internet at home for two weeks now which has made blogging much more difficult. And planning. And grading. On the brightside, I've read three books! Who has time to do that during the school year?!
A couple of weeks ago, I had been struggling with the behavior of and attitude from a girl in one of my classes. Then one day, out of the blue, she walks in and says to me, "I'm going to have a good class today." She sat in her assigned seat without complaint, completed all of the classwork, and ignored the poor behavior of some of her classmates instead of getting involved and arguing with them. At the end of class, I thanked her and told her that I thought she had a really good class. I really wanted that to stick with her, so that night, I wrote her a thank you note.
In the note, I thanked her again for making the decision to have a good class, that I was proud of her, and that she really had made my day! Since giving her the note, her behavior and attitude have really improved. She came to academic support today after school and I noticed that she had the note I had written her tucked into her phone case. It made me really happy to see that she kept the note in a special place, and it makes me wonder how many other "difficult" students I could reach in a similar way. How much more of an impact does a written note have than verbal praise in class?
A couple of weeks ago, I had been struggling with the behavior of and attitude from a girl in one of my classes. Then one day, out of the blue, she walks in and says to me, "I'm going to have a good class today." She sat in her assigned seat without complaint, completed all of the classwork, and ignored the poor behavior of some of her classmates instead of getting involved and arguing with them. At the end of class, I thanked her and told her that I thought she had a really good class. I really wanted that to stick with her, so that night, I wrote her a thank you note.
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| I used to have a memo pad of sticky notes like this; when they ran out, I figured I could make my own and just use regular paper. |
In the note, I thanked her again for making the decision to have a good class, that I was proud of her, and that she really had made my day! Since giving her the note, her behavior and attitude have really improved. She came to academic support today after school and I noticed that she had the note I had written her tucked into her phone case. It made me really happy to see that she kept the note in a special place, and it makes me wonder how many other "difficult" students I could reach in a similar way. How much more of an impact does a written note have than verbal praise in class?
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