I haven't written anything lately because there isn't too much new. I'm still getting the swing of things, and seeing what works and what doesn't.
With some recently released test results (The SAGE Test) Ogden has been placed as the lowest Utah district. My school was the lowest, especially in math, in the district. Because of these results, our district is pushing for improvement through interventions. If you want to look at the SAGE results, here they are: https://datagateway.schools.utah.gov/SAGE. Or if you google anything about Utah Sage Results, I'm sure you'll find some information about Ogden and our superintendent talking about our struggles.
First off, we are looking into implementing something called the Token Economy. Students would earn points and at the end of the semester, they would be able to buy a prize with the points that they earned. This is still in the planning stages. A struggle that we have is that the Token Economy will have to rely heavily off of donations. We have some money for it, but since our school doesn't have a lot of funds, then we will be going to local business to ask if they would donate rewards for our students. If you have any ideas of rewards that middle school students would enjoy, please share! Or if you would like to help out in any way, we'd accept it gladly. Just let me know.
Secondly, we have implemented a bell work activity that every single math student, 7th through 9th grade, is doing. For the first five minutes of class, students practice math facts. These fifteen minutes (I teach three classes a day) are the most blissful time of my day! It is unbelievably quiet in my classroom! Each student has seventy problems in front of them every day. Students work their way through addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division pages. The whole goal of this practice is to shoot for improvement. Yes, you may be thinking that this is something that you did in second or third grade, but our students need it. We started this week, and so far, they have been doing great. Many have pasted the addition, some are stuck on subtraction, and others have flown to multiplication. I'm excited to see how this repetition will help the students, and where I can help them most (some students still are drawing dots to help them with the subtraction problems). If students are unable to do simple math problems, how can they have fluency on pre-algebra topics? I'm excited to see what data we get get from doing this math facts practice.
At this point in time, you may be wondering why I wrote the quote at the top. If you weren't wondering, I'm sure you are now! I wrote the quote because sometimes I get discouraged. I fight so hard for these kids. I want to teach the best lesson that I can, so that they can have the best opportunity of success. But then these results come out. And yes, I know the SAGE results were from last year, but I still get discouraging results on my tests. I have some students who put in so much effort to get F's. Many don't even take out a pencil and paper to take notes. And yes, I do provide these materials if they forget them. They still don't use the material I provide. Another student will have his book on his desk, but not open it. I have to tell him to open his book. He'll open to a random page. Then I have to stand there until he opens the book to the correct page. One student consistently tells me that he won't do anything I ask. He even purposefully got a zero on a test. When I asked him to take notes, he of course said no. In the course of our conversation I said, "I have more faith in you, then you do in yourself." His response: "That was your first mistake." This breaks my heart. I want to help these kids so much. Who I am going to be for these students will be much more than anything I can teach them.
Today's Humor: Oh the joys of Halloween. Students can't focus. Students think they should have no homework. Students say the darnedest things.
Today in class-
Student 1: "What are you dressing up as?"
Student 2: "You should be a witch."
Me: I gave him the teacher glare.
Entire class laughs
Student 2: "I mean a nice witch!"
Student 3: "You'd be a good witch. You're tall."
Apparently, witches are tall. Good to know.
In a different class-
Student 1: "What are your plans for Halloween?"
Before I can get out any answer, Student 2 says "She's probably a loner."
Me: Gasp. "No, I'm hanging out with friends."
Entire Class erupted in laughter...
Oh, the joys of students thinking you don't have a social life. I even have proof. This week I carved a minion pumpkin. SEE!
Until next time...
