Approaching the finish line.

This summer I volunteered to teach an RTI course to help prepare incoming 9th graders for Algebra 1.  I spent a lot of time planning what I wanted to teach and how I wanted to run my 2 hour class.  As the start of the course approached I was very nervous about how all my activities would be received by these students, after all, they were the kids who had no reservations about telling me how much they hated math.  The first few days most of them entered the room with very glum expressions.  It was very clear to me that they didn't want to be here.

Most of my lessons centered around problem solving.  I wanted them to integrate skills while solving "difficult" problems.  I used 3 act lessons, Scholastic articles, hands on manipulatives and everything I could think of to make math "fun".  After the first 2 days I was exhausted... this was going to be a long 4 weeks.  I practically was pulling words out of them with sheer force.

By about the 4th day something happened, they realized that I wasn't going to give up, and I wasn't going to let anyone hide in the corner (a strategy most of them had perfected by now).  The first week was fractions, EVERYONE"s favorite topic, HA!  Well we survived and 80% of my students passed a fraction test. (For those of you who dont teach math, in a typical class where fractions are taught I have a 50% pass rate with all students).  80% of students who HATE math passed a test on Fractions!  YES!

On Monday I was greeted by one of the most touching emails I have ever received.  It was from one of my students parents, her daughter had struggled last year in math and received an F after putting in a lot of effort.  The gist of the email was that she was so grateful that I had broken down the wall her daughter had in regards to math.  She even quoted her daughter to say: "The class is actually fun!... well as fun as a math class can be."  The mother even Cc'd the district office administrator who asked me to do the class.  I felt empowered!  Even though the first week had been "rough" for me, I had made a difference with at least ONE student!

As the weeks went on, my students started to come out of their shells.  Most of them were talking, participating and doing the Math.  Many of them were even excited to solve each task.  They would compete over who could solve a problem or get the "right" answer.  Just yesterday we were working on equations.  Every day there is about 20 minutes of skill practice, boring but necessary.  After 20 minutes I told them to take a break.  As I prepared to take one also, I saw several kids move across the room with their papers, and sit down with friends to compare work.  I was thrilled, on their own, Math Haters were voluntarily doing math together!  Success!

Today they took their test on the 3rd topic, and I conferenced with each students about their progress and effort.  Almost all of my 45 students are passing.  As I showed them their scores and discussed their growth I was greeted by smile after smile.  Many of them admitted they had never passed anything in math EVER!

My goal this session has been to focus on effort and growth.  We focus very little on grades, more on trying and meeting a goal.  Most students are surpassing each goal.  I've also made a big a point that after we get an answer we need to revisit it and look for mistakes.  I have given all tests with a first edit (I check them and show them problems to revisit).  They then go revise and turn back in for a final grade.  Most of these students are use to immediately throwing away every test they take, now they go back and usually fix most of their mistakes. They are taking pictures of their tests and texting them to their parents.

Overall this had been so much fun, and I think we all have learned a lot!

Why HATE Math?

As I prepare for the start of any school year, I have come to the very realistic knowledge that about 30% of my students enter my room on the first dreading my class.  Not because I have a “reputation” but because I teach that four letter word: MATH.  And not only do I teach math, but I teach MIddle School Math, 7th grade primarily.  I like to think of it as the perfect storm: the most awkward and scary time in adolescence, most students are starting at a new school, and math tends to be a highly disliked subject.  Lets face it, if you walk up to most adults and say you like MATH you get looks, but if you say you TEACH MATH you get even weirder looks, and if you say you TEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH the look is usually followed by a: “oh bless your heart” or “yikes that must be rough” or “do you like that?”  (I’m pretty sure the reaction is similar anytime you tell adults you voluntarily chose to work with middle schoolers).  

But despite all of this I go to school on that first day excited to meet my students, and apprehensive for what the year ahead holds.  The discussion of why students struggle with math comes up in meetings often. My district is continually trying to implement programs and support systems to help kids be more successful in math.  So the idea of having a summer school bridge course was brought up, the focus would be students who struggled in middle school (MATH haters), to help them be better prepared for high school. Sounds great.  So naturally I volunteered.  As time when on, questions like: what should we teach? What materials will we have? How will we grade this?  Were answered with wide eyes.  

So I was excited, I would get to design and teach whatever I felt was most important.  This excitement was quickly met with anxiety: do I know what is most important?  So I talked to colleagues and got a direction on the topics I would focus on.  I sat down to plan.  I wanted to focus on hands on activities, application problems, explorations and growth mindset.  3 hours later I had successfully planned my first class.  Only 18 more to go… it was going to be a bit more time consuming than originally planned.  But I did it, and yesterday I had my first day.

This first day was a little different than the ones in my past.  This time I KNEW that 100% of those students who were entering my room were DREADING it.  A room full of 25 or so students who have never found success in Math and now got the privilege to give up a month of their summer to do MORE MATH.

Well I just finished day 2, the 2 hours periods have flown by, my students have been engaged, they got to “play” with pattern blocks, solve puzzles, play cards all while DOING MATH!  Now don’t get me wrong they aren’t all transformed into math enthusiasts, but they are ALL working, trying, and even smiling!  I told two of them today, that by the end of the month I wanted to hear them say that this really wasn't so bad after all.  And in all honesty I have had more fun teaching these past 2 days then I have had in awhile.