Ok, Ok, most of my kids did better on the retest, just not as many as I would have liked. I still saw some great things, though. Another funny thing happened on the way to the retest.
I inadvertently placed the number 7 too closely to the actual problem for number 7. Some of my kids read the problem as 7. 51 x n = 1479 instead of 51 x n =1479. My kids are still struggling with the elementary way of thinking where everything is literal. Even though we did similar problems the previous day with different numbers, written the exact same way, they still read the problem wrong. I, of course, gave credit for it. I immediately (ok, not immediately) saw their thinking. Every day is a new day for some of my kids. Some of my kids just don't build one day's knowledge on the previous day's yet.
Wish me luck!
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
An Incredible Thing Happened On The Way To The Retest
My kids really, really struggled applying and solving proportion problems. We reviewed. We tested. We (by we, I mean "I") decided to review the next day and retest again.
I was so frustrated. These were topics we had spent days and days and weeks and weeks on. We reduced ratios. We found "the best buy" in comparing prices. Every day our warm up problems were pictures of actual items sitting on a store shelf.
Once the context changed ever so slightly, my kids really struggled. It was as if they had never seen any such problem. I was really frustrated. Sooooooo, I decided we needed an extra day of review and another test.
I was amazed at the results. It wasn't just that my kids scored better. They did. But, they solved the problems in such unique ways. My kids finally started thinking "outside the box" to solve the problems. They solved their problems uniquely, not like any way we talked about in class. And yet, their methods were sound. Exceptionally sound. They couldn't remember the method we talked about, but they "invented" their own.
Excellent.
The trick is going to be to do it all again tomorrow.
I was so frustrated. These were topics we had spent days and days and weeks and weeks on. We reduced ratios. We found "the best buy" in comparing prices. Every day our warm up problems were pictures of actual items sitting on a store shelf.
Once the context changed ever so slightly, my kids really struggled. It was as if they had never seen any such problem. I was really frustrated. Sooooooo, I decided we needed an extra day of review and another test.
I was amazed at the results. It wasn't just that my kids scored better. They did. But, they solved the problems in such unique ways. My kids finally started thinking "outside the box" to solve the problems. They solved their problems uniquely, not like any way we talked about in class. And yet, their methods were sound. Exceptionally sound. They couldn't remember the method we talked about, but they "invented" their own.
Excellent.
The trick is going to be to do it all again tomorrow.
Friday, January 21, 2011
On My Way To Being A Techno-Geek
My entire lesson presentation changed today on the fly. My plan was to have my kids work the Warm-Up problems and present the lesson as I would normally. Normally the kids work together on the problem (in Connected Math), tell me what they did, I write it down for the document camera to show, and we discuss.
Today, I had the students show their classmates how they worked the Warm-Ups. I did a short introduction to their group problems and let them work. As I walked around, I began thinking, "These kids are writing the same thing I would write...some are even writing things I wouldn't have thought about." That's when my plan changed.
I decided to have the kids show what they did and explain why they did it. They brought their own work up to the document camera. They explained it. I pointed out important stuff. It was really great. I was able to focus on the math and not on what I was writing or on Johnny misbehaving in the middle of the room. The best discussion occurs when I step away from the document camera. I ask better questions, deeper questions, delve deeper into the topic de jour. That's the fun stuff.
Now, don't get me wrong. I have had students explain their work before using the document camera. In the past it was usually just special problems that had unique ways to solve. That has always been great.
I guess today I learned the document camera should be used by students a lot more frequently. A lot more. Wish me luck, then, next week. The hard part is finding volunteers.
Today, I had the students show their classmates how they worked the Warm-Ups. I did a short introduction to their group problems and let them work. As I walked around, I began thinking, "These kids are writing the same thing I would write...some are even writing things I wouldn't have thought about." That's when my plan changed.
I decided to have the kids show what they did and explain why they did it. They brought their own work up to the document camera. They explained it. I pointed out important stuff. It was really great. I was able to focus on the math and not on what I was writing or on Johnny misbehaving in the middle of the room. The best discussion occurs when I step away from the document camera. I ask better questions, deeper questions, delve deeper into the topic de jour. That's the fun stuff.
Now, don't get me wrong. I have had students explain their work before using the document camera. In the past it was usually just special problems that had unique ways to solve. That has always been great.
I guess today I learned the document camera should be used by students a lot more frequently. A lot more. Wish me luck, then, next week. The hard part is finding volunteers.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Take A Picture, It Lasts Longer
My wife is pretty amazing. She teaches teachers how to use technology in the classroom. She told me about a math teacher who uses a digital camera to capture real life and points out the any connections via the math of the day.
Recently, I have been trolling local grocery stores and discount stores taking pictures of two items to compare sizes and prices and (hopefully) to find the best deal. I throw the pictures on the screen via my data projector. That's been working pretty well. I took pictures of pop tarts, peanut butter, and anything else I thought the kids could relate to. We compare prices and sizes. It has really lead to some very good and interesting discussions, usually better than the examples in the book.
Thanks, Chris (that's my amazing wife).
Recently, I have been trolling local grocery stores and discount stores taking pictures of two items to compare sizes and prices and (hopefully) to find the best deal. I throw the pictures on the screen via my data projector. That's been working pretty well. I took pictures of pop tarts, peanut butter, and anything else I thought the kids could relate to. We compare prices and sizes. It has really lead to some very good and interesting discussions, usually better than the examples in the book.
Thanks, Chris (that's my amazing wife).
Friday, January 7, 2011
Is It Ok If My Kids Never Use Proportions To Solve Proportion Problems?
No matter how hard I try I can't seem to get my accelerated 7th graders to set problems up using proportions. I have tried and tried. Most of them figure out their own ways to solve the problem...they just skip setting the problem up as a proportion. In general, it's not a huge deal in 7th grade. But, eventually these kids will have to set problems up as proportions. The situation will demand it. These kids are fairly decent problem solvers so I hope I can encourage them enough to try different methods and be able to figure it out on their own. I just want to give them enough different tools to solve any new challenge placed in front of them.
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