Jan. 31st

Today was the first official day for me to take over the Algebra Classes I am teaching this semester. I walked into the school around 7:30 this morning with a slew of confidence in my mind, as I had prepared a somewhat simple yet elegant lesson plan. During my first two hours, since I have the same kids for both Pre-Algebra and Accelerated Mathematics, nothing out of the ordinary happened. It seems that I am making a decent connections with this group of students considering I see them for two hours a day instead of one. A few students, on the other hand, seem to have taken a disliking to me. As I am helping a few students during the Accelerated Math class, a class that uses math remediation as its focus, one of the students said to me "I like the way Mr. Blah says it better. Your way is confusing." In a way, my feelings were hurt, but obviously my cooperating teacher is going to be quite a bit better at explaining concepts to our students than I am, so I wasn't that distraught. On the other hand, I can't be that bad....right? Well my thinking when it comes to students is to not guide them to the answer as much as they might guide themselves to the answer. This, apparently, is not something this particular student liked. Oh wow, I started this post off with my first taking over Algebra class and here I am blabbing about Pre-Algebra class. My most sincere apologies....not. Seriously, though, back to the main topic.
I had prepared a lesson for my two Algebra classes multiplying binomials, but this lesson was on multiplying special cases of binomials. It was something that is rarely used, as I had forgotten about such a method since my efficiency with the Mnemonic FOIL was superb. One was the use of the difference of squares while the other technique, or shortcut, was about squaring binomials. I started my 4th hour class off with a little "Bell Ringer" assignment as a way to see what kind of answers they would give me. Many resulted in just squaring the two terms in the binomial separately, which is a common mistake at this point. All seemed to be going well until i showed them the "formula" for squaring binomials. They went ballistic with I-don't-get-it's and this makes no sense, until finally I calmed everyone down and worked out the same problems I gave them by using FOIL, and showing them where the formula is derived from. Luckily, this came with greater success and so I gave them the homework they would be working on. My cooperating teacher and I have the same mentality when it comes to group/partner work and time to work in class. We both know that these students have other classes as well as our class so the last thing we need to do is give them an hour of work to do at home. Anyways, many people didn't even use this "formula" for squaring binomials and were quite efficient as using FOIL. I was fine with this because the use of FOIL is more important than this little "formula." I did go around and let them know how it worked, so that they understood there was an easy way to come up with an answer. Most got nearly finished with the assignment before the lunch bell rang. The only thing that bothers me about this class is there is a pair of students, that I believe make fun of me every single class. I let it slide because they aren't really obvious, but then again, I do have some weird body motions.

Anyways, my 5th hour class roles around after the 30 minute lunch discussion about catastrophic snow storms in recent memory, or about 10-20 years before I was born. Students make their way into class and are constantly asking if I think we will get out of school the next couple of days. Of course I reply with "You are getting out Friday, is a three day weekend not good enough?" They reply with a resounding no. This class went relatively smoothly except for the fact that half the class didn't listen when we were explaining a topic, but then wonder why they don't understand it. I wish I could figure out what is going through their minds, when they think they can pass or do well in the class without paying attention at all. I get stern with a few students for misbehaving, and it was a surprise to some of them, considering I don't get mad very easily. Welp, here I go again on this tangent. Back to my lesson at hand.

My 7th hour, so far, seems to be my most cooperative and fun class to have. They seem to really listen to me when I am in front of the class, and they do a good job at completing their work and goofing off at the same time. During this class, they got even more confused about the "formula" for squaring binomials. I spelled it out for them multiple times until I gave up and decided to just assign their homework. While they were completing it, I walked around and made sure some were using this new technique. The ones who were trying kept leaving out parts. I told them if they weren't comfortable after I re-explained them the "trick," I would let them go ahead and use FOIL. Some understood it the second time through. Some thought they didn't understand it but flew through their homework using the method. I was surprised to find that almost the entire class finished their homework. Today the getting hit on antics have gone down a little bit, well a lot bit, but you understand where I am going with this. Instead of being blatant about it, some of the girls just try to ask me things, sometimes a little too personal that go unanswered, and then they just give me big old smiles. They also give me that "look." Girls and guys know what look I am talking about, I try not to keep eye contact for very long if I get this look, but either way, getting just this is a heck of a lot better than getting my nail drawn on or being asked if I'm married.

Summary of my First 3 weeks

Since I started my blog on student teaching so late, I just decided to put all my postings from the first three weeks in one post. Hopefully, throughout the rest of the semester I will update my blog daily in an effort to complete my student teaching journal.

WEEK 1

Jan. 11^th

It is my first day back into my placed classroom. I’m pretty excited and nervous. Many students remembered me from my visit and were excited to see me again. Today I simply observed and was re-introduced to each class by my cooperating teacher. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. In each class I helped students with their questions on homework and walked around the room during lecture to observe what the students were doing. The day seemed to take a long time since I sat in the back throughout most of the day.

Jan. 12^th.

Before school, we had a faculty meeting before school in the library. Here I was introduced to the entire faculty, as well as the other student teachers in the school. Here teachers of the month for each grade were introduced as well as upcoming scheduling changes that need to be addressed. The Math Department got to split out early due to us having our own problems and usually we have what is called a PLC meeting. Then onto my second day of teacher, which was on an off schedule. In my second day of student teaching, I was excited to see what could happen. I wasn’t disappointed. Though all I did, once again, was observe and help with homework, the reaction with the students seemed to be more welcoming. Most of the students were remembering my name. Nothing really happened throughout the day until 7^th period. In this honors algebra class, there is a group of girls that works together when given the opportunity to do so. One girl had a question and while I was helping her, one of the other girls proceeded to say “Don’t you want to just draw on his nails!” and drew, with her pencil, a mark on my finger nail. I gave her a stern look and said simply “I’m not mad that you did that, but don’t ever do that again.” You could tell she was embarrassed that she did something like that out of pure impulse. I could tell here I was going to have to work against many hormonal emotions throughout the semester.

Jan. 13^th

Before school my teacher and I have to supervise the cafeteria on Thursdays. Today, I asked my cooperating teacher if it would be alright for me to hand out note cards to the students so that they may learn something about me as well as me learning something about them. He said it would be alright and so at the beginning of each class I handed note cards out to each student and had them write their name, one fact about them they’d like to share with me, and one appropriate question they would like to ask me and answer. To me, due to my lack of experience, thought this would be pretty simple and nothing out of the ordinary would come out of it. I was wrong, and got questions about if I was married, and a question about how big my shoe size was. Due to the record of the girls who asked my shoe size, me and my cooperating teacher knew that it was a question that was not asked innocently so the question was not answered. Other than that, I had typical questions, except for a few funny ones; i.e. Did you ever have a Mullet? Have you ever been to Mars? During one class, some girls forgot my name and I overheard them say “Mr. Handsome?” and hear them giggle. I pretended I didn’t hear them since they hadn’t really gotten the hang of my name. So far, I have yet to have a regular day of class.

Jan 14^th

After the eventful Thursday I had, nothing too crazy happened. Out of the ordinary, all the eighth graders had to attend a conference about Project Lead the Way, a computer based class regimen that has to do with engineering and architecture. Here they learned about the different things students do in these classes and what kinds of things they get to experience that previous students have yet to experience. This set the entire day to a one hour delay schedule. Unfortunately for my 1^st hour class, we got out of the conference in the auditorium a little early, and they had an extended 1^st hour class. They didn’t like this, since the majority of the class participates in Accelerated Math the very next hour, thus resulting in over 2 hours of math. This Accelerated Math class is for students who nearly passes, but failed the ISTEP tests the previous spring. In here the students remediate in a way to understand common concepts that are learned in class. I like this class because I can focus individualized attention and it allows me to gain some sort of kinship with the students of these two classes. Throughout the day, I did what I had been doing throughout the week observing and helping with homework. On this day, however, I jumped in and helped out with a concept. My teacher liked what I had to add to this. In the Pre-Algebra classes, I created and gave out a quiz on finding slope by using a graph or using two points and computing rise over run.

WEEK 2

Jan. 18^th

Today was the first day back from a long 3-day weekend. On Friday night, I slipped in the ice and hit my head and face, and left pretty scratched and bruised up. All the students asked what had happened to me. I simply told them I had slipped and was unable to break my fall with my arm or hand. I’m sure some of the students didn’t believe me, because I had been asked if I like to party the previous week. I didn’t even acknowledge the question of partying. On Friday, I created and gave the Pre-Algebra classes a quiz over finding the slope. Today, we went over the less-than-stellar results. Me and my cooperating teacher seem to be leaning toward team-teaching without intentionally or planning ahead of time. I realized, today, there are students who don’t pay attention and then have the gall to say or ask “I don’t get it.” This makes me realize that some students don’t truly care or like mathematics. The work ethic of my Algebra classes compared to my Pre-Algebra classes is far superior in not only the willingness to learn, but the submissiveness to put forth some effort and succeed in the class.

Outside of the classroom, many of my students are saying hi to me. It’s nice to see that I’m liked, but at the same time I don’t want them to think that I am their friend before their teacher.

Some students have been giving me attitude and when I take “over” I don’t think I will be putting up with it. Also students think I don’t have the authority to write referrals, but I think they will learn soon enough.

In Planning: Two day lesson on finding solutions to inequalities using a graphing calculator.

Jan. 20^th

Had the day off yesterday due to snow, and had a two hour delay today. It was nice to sleep in a little bit, but it cut into my time to teach my graphing calculator lesson. It really wasn’t fair because one algebra class had normal time due to lunch, but the other Algebra class only had a 29 minute class. So instead of teaching my lessons, me and my cooperating teacher came up with some things that we would do instead of my graphing calculator lesson.

Jan. 21^st

Today was the day I got to teach the first installment of my graphing calculator lesson. This was just in the two algebra classes. The first day included a scavenger hunt of the graphing calculator itself, as a means to use and understand the syntax of the machine itself. I assumed this would take nearly the whole class, and in both instances they all got finished a little sooner than I thought. The odd thing though, was that my 4^th hour Algebra class finished an astonishing 15 minutes early, while my 7^th period class finished a mere 8 minutes ahead of time. In each case, however, I came up with multiple additional questions and things for them to figure out on the calculator. This way it seemed like I planned it ahead of time, even though I came up with many of the things off the top of my head. A day like today helped me to realize that things rarely go as planned, and that you must always plan lessons as if you know the students will not be finished. I am not one to lecture the whole time, so this activity was a fun self-guided lesson. Other than the algebra classes I taught, I also jumped into a class and sort of took over in one of the Pre-Algebra classes. Good timing too, since my university supervisor came in and observed me. In my head I was thinking “yes!” It also helped that I was wearing a shirt and tie.

In Planning: Fundamental Counting Princple

WEEK 3

Jan. 24^th

Today I had planned an activity to go over the fundamental counting principle to help cover standards that will be addressed on the January STI test for the Pre-Algebra Classes. It was an activity where they learned how to make a tree diagram to help them see the number of combinations a certain situation can have. They were to make faces with the parts I provided them. They were then to make tree diagrams and come to understand the fundamental counting principle. If the students had performed the task correctly, it would have taken the whole class, but they thought it was childish and kind of dumb, so they found a short-cut and finished way before I had previously planned. Since they finished so early, I came up with different situations they might encounter, including situations where you do not recount objects in the combination. This helped fill time in class, and I gave them no homework. Many of the students in my two Pre-Algebra classes seemed to be pretty unruly and most students used the opportunity to talk instead of complete the task. To me, this says that I am not going to do many group activities with these classes.

In the Algebra classes I got to finish my two day lesson on the graphing calculators. Here they started the class with a few finding the solution to linear equations with a graphing calculator. I assumed, since it had all the directions on the paper to find the answers, would have taken the students a mere 5-10 minutes. Especially since I only assigned 4 problems for them to do to start the class. This introductory task took each class about 20-25 minutes to complete. When they finished I handed out an inequalties worksheet. Here I explained to them how they were to find the answers to systems of inequalties. I was a little frustrated by the end of class due to the fact that I had to answer the same question about 7 times in one class. This let me know that I should explain them things before I either hand out the calculator or before they get into groups. I also assigned no homework.

Jan. 25^th

Today was a review day for the upcoming ISTEP Prep test they were taking the next day. My cooperating teacher and I split up the task as he made up something for Pre-Algebra and I decided to use the same idea and worksheets I had used with the previous days for my Algebra classes. Here we just covered multiple standards that were covered on that months ISTEP Prep test. In the algebra classes, we assumed it would only take part of the class, but many of the students did not finish in class, and so it was assigned for them to turn in the next class. Even in the Pre-Algebra classes, many students did not finish, so it was assigned as homework to be turned in the next day. Though my teacher made the assignment for Pre-Algebra, I basically taught every class today. In my 7^th hour Algebra class, I was invited to come and watch a show choir rehearsal, since I told the students I had participated in show choir over the previous weekend’s basketball tournament. I attended and was a little nervous at first because I walked into the choir room and it was just 7 eighth grade girls that all got giggly and excited when they saw me. To cover my butt and make sure I wouldn’t be apart of an awkward situation, I walked into the choir teacher’s office and talked with her for a few minutes. I helped the girls out with their dance routine a little bit and they even showed me a dance they had for a song they would be performing in their late April/early May concert.

Jan. 26^th

Today, we had a PLC meeting before school, which basically is a meeting to discuss standards and different things about upcoming ISTEP Prep and the ISTEP itself. On this day the ISTEP Prep Test was administered. This was not something that would take any of the classes the whole time so we had the Pre-Algebra and Algebra classes pick up where we left off before the ISTEP Preparation. Algebra picked up on adding and subtracting Polynomials while Pre-Algebra reviewed some things on slope and slope-intercept. I left early this day due to a funeral and wake I was attending near my home town in Northwest Indiana.

Jan. 28^th

Since I had missed the last day and a half, and my teacher knew that I had a rough and busy last few days, he took care of the lesson plans and worksheets for the day. In the Pre-Algebra classes he worked on finding x and y intercepts to graph an equation on a line, as well as remediation for students on slope-intercept form. I did what I had done in earlier weeks where I observed and helped with homework. In Algebra, students were working on multiplying binomials by first learning the distributing method and learning FOIL again. Though I did not teach the 4^th period Algebra class, I went ahead and taught the 7^th period class and it went really well. We gave them a problem to work on at the start of class and we discussed why answers were incorrect or wrong and how it worked. In that 7^th hour class, students finished a little early, so we talked about funny math jokes like abbot and Costello and their 28/4 = 13.