Topic: Where are you stuck in your practice right now? What have you tried in order to get unstuck? What works? What doesn't?
I am not good at blogging on the fly, so this post could be interesting.
Right now I feel a little stuck in planning classroom activities for practicing what students have watched in a video.
We're in a place of learning new skills. Skills that take practice.
But I don't want to assign book page after book page or self-checking worksheet after self-checking worksheet. Yuck. The flipped classroom has significantly lessened the need for traditional book work day after day, and I don't ever want to go back to that.
So...I'm perusing my favorite site, Teachers Pay Teachers, for varying activities to keep students happy and engaged but still mastering skills.
Another thing that helps when I'm stuck with planning meaningful activities is asking the kids. What kind of activities do you like? What don't you like? I learned after a mid-year survey that I also need to ask, "Why?" They surprised me by saying they didn't like classroom scavenger hunts, and when I did some investigation, it's because they don't want to get up and move! What?!?!?
I also like to talk to other math teachers. How have they or how would they approach a topic? I almost always come away from such conversations with good, usable ideas.
What doesn't work when I'm stuck with planning? Getting
OK...this was the quickest post I've ever written, but it was fun. I realized several days ago I haven't blogged in a few weeks, and I've wanted/needed to get back to it.
Maybe this post will be the jump start I've needed!
EDIT: A few weeks? I haven't blogged since Thanksgiving weekend. Yikes!
Kids in math always whine when I make them get up but not in science. It is really weird. Although I do see the whine in Gr 11 physics. So maybe the grade 9s are the only ones that dont whine...haha
ReplyDeleteWhen Cheryl surprised us with this I thought it would also get us out of our blogging rut. Well played Cheryl!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link to that resource, I don't think it matches my needs but I will be sure to share this with colleagues asking for something like this.
This rut does sound familiar. Asking the kids will always add some interesting activities to the class. Do you WSQ with your kids? Using WSQs have added some very interesting conversations and explorations to my math classroom.
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to get stuck, even when you're teaching two subjects that have infinite options for pedagogy. I see teaching math as SOOOO much harder, especially if you're trying to be creative or innovative.
ReplyDeleteKeep fighting the good fight!