Things are finally getting (a little) easier

Something is finally starting to change in my classes. There are a lot of factors... more failed the first nine weeks of this year than failed any nine weeks in my classes last year, I am finally getting comfortable and more organized, and the students seem to respect and trust me more. I really am not sure why...this week my first period has changed from my "worst" to my "best" class. They push me on through the lesson...wanting me to go faster (although I try to wait for the majority to catch up) and asking me to give them more homework. They get it and they are eager to get to the work. It is crazy. I actually have felt like I am a teacher.

So this year is easier, but certainly not easy. I have said before it was not...but if nothing else, I do know what to expect. For example, homecoming was not nearly as crazy. I did not attempt to teach, but instead compromised by playing "math-o" all week long... and showed the beloved Donald in Mathmagic Land (for you math teachers, these are both valuable resources on those useless days of state-testing or what-not and I would be more than happy to share.) It varied what the other teachers did...from playing Madden to actually having class (for those veteran teachers with an iron-fist). I mean, it was crazy...but bearable.

And I knew I had to come back strong this week, the first "real" week of the second nine weeks. I had my roll book and gradebook ready to go, and I had a plan. I have made a few minor changes this nine weeks, and so far, it is going better:
1. Not a warm-up everyday-

Everyone says it is good to have this while they are coming in. And, yes, it is good, and my kids can come in and be too crazy, but I had a nasty habit of making them too long...so it would take me begging/reminding them to do their warm-up and then going through it with them for close to 20 minutes everyday, and I didn’t think it was that helpful. By the time we got to the lesson, instead of being interested and ready to go, they were worn out and irritated, as was I. So now-fewer warm-ups, more sets (which were rarely-to-never done prior to now).

2. More frequent, shorter quizzes

This one I took from Meredith. Many kids already have test-anxiety, plus math-anxiety, so give them a long test with a bunch of problems and large blanks and they have already given up. Instead, I’m breaking up the material more with these quizzes. They also are getting feedback faster, and (yeah) it’s easier for me to grade.

3. Delegating!

I’m getting students (who do not really have a class that period) come help me during my planning period. I’m also getting my students to take roll and to help me around my classroom in general, including helping other students. I forget that I don’t have to work as hard and that there’s only one of me and plenty of other resources around me.

4. Take up homework consistently and (if possible) grade it for accuracy so they know what they did wrong. They feel held more accountable and do their work more.

Here are a couple of other fun little tips:

1. (For math teachers) give a bonus (especially on major tests) that really has very little do to with math- write a poem, draw something (I had them draw a picture using certain angles, lines, and polygons in geometry) that helps those who really just don’t have the math background but really are trying.
2. Put stickers on graded work. They love it. They get mad when they don’t get one.
3. Watch a movie while you work on stuff at home. It might not seem like you get as much done, but all in all you are enjoying yourself more and are actually more productive.

I get down, so down, and irritated and want to give up. You've gotta come home and do whatever you need to do to get your spirit up, especially surrounding yourself with animals and people you love. Remember those students who make you want to keep becoming a better teacher, and do it for them.

Remembering what it's like to be a student

So I, along with three others in the program, went to a 3-day "Tech Prep" workshop. Oh, it was delightful...all of us thought it would be a waste of time. For the 3 of us math teachers, we really enjoyed ourselves... we all had tech prep wrong. We've seen it on our lesson plans, and I usually end up putting "graphing calculators" or "overhead" (which somehow can be included as 'tech prep' at our school). Turns out it really means connecting our lessons to real-life, integrating lesson plans, incorporating skills used in other classes...things I do and need to do more often. Of course, it's always easier on paper than in real-life. It's also easier when you have a classroom that you have control over, but that's another blog...

At one point during the workshop, when we were stuck with the boring-male-instructor, M. and I got stuck working on a math problem...we were so caught up in it that we weren't paying attention (god-forbid). In the midst of our quiet chatter, the instructor came over and asked us a question to try to bring us back to the class. He was clearly annoyed. We had a break soon after that, and when we came back all of us were instructed to change seats so that we were sitting next to someone in a different discipline...just (being teachers now we know) to get M. and I away from each other. After that, the boring-male-instructor got more than just boring...his voice was irritating, the way his mouth moved was almost disgusting, and just about everything he did became annoying.

I realized from this experience what it was like to be a student again...class is way more fun when you get to be by your friend. I was annoyed when we had to move away from each other. I got caught up doing something much more interesting than what we were so-called "learning" in class. After I knew I annoyed the teacher, I disliked him more. I forgot what that all felt like. I can see more why my kids feel and act the way they do.

Gotta be motivated before you can motivate

I wish I could tell the first years the solution to all homework/motivating problems. Often during mentoring, I find myself questioning what I do and finding possible solutions to my own problems through conversation with my "mentees" more than I feel like I'm actually doing any so-called "mentoring." I certainly don't have the answers. I can listen and I can give suggestions, but I'd love to know what the best thing to do is, too, in a school with very little support. I feel like I'm struggling more this year than last, perhaps because I am more aware of the problems at my school and in my classroom and what I do wrong. I am disappointed in my school and in myself this year. I expected much more from both. With every disorganized and pointless faculty meeting, every loud and uncontrolled assembly, every last-minute decision by the adminstration, and then with every day that I fail to enforce my consequences, every homework assignment that gets graded late, with every student failing, I feel like we're all getting nowhere. I've had my low-lows this year...lower than last year's. I've even felt like giving up. Geometry has been more challenging than I had thought...and with so many failing I know I'm not doing my job. Yet, I have maintained hope, with the help of my roommate, family, and MTC peers. With my grandfather (Pacca) passing away recently, and my brother coming to stay with us for a while, I've had to put things more into perspective. I've realized my sense of purpose more and that others know that I am capable of teaching these students, that my failures are not as bad as I see them, and that my small successes are larger than I think. I'm once again able to look at a bigger picture and not dwell on the everyday issues. I've regained my love of teaching and love (or at least like) for (most) of my students. I've needed to see that others still and have always believed in me, and I've started to regain confidence in myself.

And this is where I'll begin my advice. First, you've gotta have confidence in yourself before you can motivate your studetns. Next, you can't motivate your students to do a dang thing until they know you care about them and about what you're teaching. They've gotta know you'll work with them and for them, that you're in this together (but that they need to pull their own weight.) You've gotta fake it- you've got to be enthusiastic about finding the composition of functions even if they're completely lost and you're about to give up...cuz if you don't, you've really lost them. My first period has been a nightmare many days, and I'm still working on it. Monday-Thursday were small successes; Friday was a disaster (with the "pageant"). I've noticed that I often come into that period with a negative attitude- I already expect the worst from them. I've tried to change that, and it's gotten better. More people are doing their homework. Test grades are (slowly) improving. They know now that I'm on their side and that I'm trying to help them succeed, not fail.

On a very practical matter, I have tried to use Ms. Cornelius's idea (from a first year's blog) to take up one homework assignment once a week by rolling a dice on Friday that indicates which day's homework will be collected. This, unfortunatley, has been unsuccessful. If I were teaching in a highschool where the majority of students did their homework every night already, than this would be a good system. It's also confusing to me because, perhaps shockingly, I'm not organized enough (because of the lack of consistent scheduling by the school) to be able to have a homework assignment monday-thurs. and to take it up Friday. I also find now that students put off their homework til Thursday, making it difficult to teach throughout the week because the presumption that my students are getting their independent practice done for hw at night is false; I can't move on it if they haven't done it on their own.

It's annoying and perhaps I've lowered my expectations, but students are more likely to do their homework if they know I'm checking the next day. What I've done lately is to go around and put a check on their homework during the warm up, just so I know they've attempted about 3/4 of the problems and a check-minus if it's less than that, and then we go over any questions together. Then, I collect it and grade it later.

This all sounds a lot more organized and straight-forward than it really is. I'm still figuring it out. My students need short deadlines with immediate feedback. Perhaps students at other schools are different...I hope they are. I've told my students this...until they can prove to me that they can do their homework every night, then I can't just collect one assignment on Fridays. They have to earn it.

This is a long blog that's kinda gone all over. I wish it were easier. Just don't lose faith.