Is this the End or just the Beginning?

 My 8th graders graduated on Tuesday night and I miss them greatly already.  I have spent the past 2 days scheduling the current 6th graders and can't help but think ahead to next year.  I have found my mind wandering, focused on how can I make my lessons better!

I have to remind myself that it is still 3 months away and that I need to take time some for myself but then I think, HOLY COW 3 months to prepare!  Never the less, to settle my battle, I have started to come up with goals.

Goal 1:  Incorporate STEM.  I know it seems like a buzzy term right now but what I want to incorporate are the ideas and the exposure to my students.  The idea that math is related to other subjects often times stumps my students.  How could it be?  Well dudes and dudettes, it is related to other things!  The other part of STEM that I like is that my students would be exposed to math in real life.  I know that math is everywhere and slowly everyday I have attempted to share this with kids but if I can make the solid connections with engaging and high interest activities that focus on the process standards for science, align with the CCSS for math and the SAMR model, it's a win win for all!

Goal 2:  Tweak my SBG practices.   As this was the first year I followed the SBG model changes need to be made.  There are some things that I really liked such as students could show progression and I knew exactly where every student's strengthens and weaknesses were at a glance but there were things I didn't like either.  I need to figure out a better way to show that I care about homework but to emphasis that it is practice and get the kids to be intrinsically motivated to do it as opposed to extrinsically motivated by rewards.  This is a big one!

Goal 3: Let students help in the classroom.   I can admit that I have a hard time letting kids to things in the classroom because I may be slightly a perfectionist.  Slowly over the past two years, I had a group of students that knew this about me that helped me out and did a fantastic job.  Now that those beloved 8th graders will be replaced by unsuspecting 7th graders, this makes me panic! So, I promise to myself to create 'Classroom Jobs' so that students can take ownership of the classroom.  I also promise to not redo a job at the end of the day because students won't benefit from that!

Goal 4: Learn to really do the Rubik's cube.  I can do it about halfway but I would really like to dazzle the new kids by completing it without aides.  In addition to the 'cool' factor associated with this(yep, kids still think it's cool!), it sparks interest in transformations which relates back to incorporating real like mathematics into the classroom!  Double Bonus.

I will update my goals as I continue on into the summer.  Do you have any goals for next year?  I would love to hear about them.  Thanks for reading!

Bloom's Taxonomy

While planning a recent lesson, I once again started thinking about the SAMR model and how I can incorporate this more into my math classroom.  While doing a quick google search, I came across this picture and it intrigued me.  Thanks Neil!

Bloom's Taxonomy has also intrigued me more and more throughout my second year of teaching.  Teaching in a district that is 1:1 and constantly looking for better ways to teach, this absolutely intrigues me.  A few questions I have about the above are as follows.  Feel free to answer and of them in the comments!

- How can I use a wordle with concepts such as solving systems of equations? 

- Should I be using google sketchup (something I have always wanted to do) but where to I find the time to teach the basics of it to all students? 

-How can I use wikipedia for students to research a math concept without the language being too technical? 

How can I get these kids to go from 'Pete and Repeat' in math to actually living, breathing and loving math?  It's not easy but somehow I am making way.   

On a separate note, today when going through solving systems of equations with substitution, I told the students that ALL great mathematicians talk to themselves.  I got many looks of 'Yep, Ms. Wicklander has officially gone crazy.'  I challenged students to talk to themselves while solving.  Challenged them to question their every move AND answer themselves too!  It was tough for many but at the end of class, it was louder but not because they were talking to their table buddy but because they were talking to themselves!!!!!  Amazing I tell yah.  Days like today put a smile on my face and make all those 'non smile' days worth it.  

Technology in the classroom

Just recently at our "make up" institute day, we were educated about the SAMR model.  This model states that there are enhancements that can be done with technology and then there is transforming education with technology.

Image created by Dr. Ruben Puentedura, Ph.D. http://www.hippasus.com/rrpweblog/

This has me thinking how I use the 1:1 technology in my classroom.  Many of the activities I do enhance learning but how can i get to the coveted "transforming" level?  

This past week, I stepped into transformation for I believe the first time.  It was scary, it was frightening BUT i think that it worked.  We have been studying the Pythagorean Theorem and my goal was to increase students awareness of angles around us.  I created a pages file that each student downloaded.  I find that making a template for them works best for me so everyones work is organized!  

Below is a students work submission.  

This student loves sports so it was appropriate that he chose a goal post.  We talked about his picture because it wasn't square in the picture but he stated that he knew without a doubt that indeed, a goal post was a right angle.  As you can see, I had the student complete their work on a wipe board in class, take a photo using photo booth and insert it into the document.  

The second part of the assignment was the transformation part I was talking about.  I had each student post on eChalk their findings and then they had to leave constructive feedback for 4 other students work.  Looking at the responses,  the students really did well!  

If I had to do it again, I would think about the questions more and make them more meaningful.  I would also possibly make sentence starters for their responses to foster deeper reflection.   Overall, a good day math class!