Well, today was the first day of a new year. Okay, the first day of 2014 with the kiddos. Changes started right from the start. I meet the students at the door and told them that they could choose a single seat, but if they chose to sit at a group 2 then had to be one girl and one boy. I also told them there is still groups of 4 and that they needed to be half and half, but that isn't a new rule. I also told them that was their seat for the day, so choose wisely. Oh, and I told them that I would move them if needed. By the end of the day I had to move a boy and girl today for talking.
That was change number one. Change two came in Math class. Actually many changes. I gave each student a plastic folder with prongs. I gave each of the three front and back pages of division notes. I told them that would be their math "book" for this unit. We would add practice pages as we work through the unit. They were actually pretty excited about the new math "book".
I also told them our schedule would be different. We would no longer go over homework at the beginning of class. In part because they would be choosing three homework assignments to complete each week and had to have all three turned in by Friday. Each Monday there will be a number of homework sheets on the back table and they need to choose three from them. Of course, I pointed out that they need to choose ones that they really need to work on, not ones that they are already good at. One of my least responsible students pipes up, "that will make us responsible for what we learn!". Yes, I agreed with her it certainly would.
I also informed them that we would work on that day's topic, for example today we did estimating quotients, right from the start. Thirty minutes into class I loose seven students who get pulled out for EC services. When they left before I pulled two small groups to work on the skills while the others had their choice time. Well, choice time is no more. Instead, we will do some more skill work and then they will have to finish working on it on their own. The last twenty minutes of the day is where choice comes in. Students who are done with their practice work can come to a review group that I will have. Today's group was order of operations. I had two students. If they finish their practice work, and choose not to join the review group, they can review math facts in their agenda.
What happened to the laptops? Oh they may use them only when I give an assignment on them and on quiz/test days.Once they are finished with their quiz or test, and after the required check-your-work time, they may use the laptops to pull review games or view review videos. That went over with complete silence. I mean if a cricket had been in the room that would have been the only sound. Then I told them the last change.
I used to let them correct their weekly quiz and would give them bonus points, but no more. I told them they would have one shot at the quiz. That was still meet with silence and literally dropped jaws.
So we had our first math class of 2014 and I have to say I like the changes. Next post I'll tell you some other 2014 changes that started today.
