and into Lesson 3

We checked Lesson 2, Set II and then moved into Lesson 3. We started working on Lesson 3, Set I together and I would like them to complete this for homework.

And, as I promised Yael, here are the billiard table rules...

length is even, width is odd - ends up in upper left
length is odd, width is even - ends up in the lower right
length & width odd - ends up in upper right

Moving right along

As can be expected, we checked our homework from last night first (Set I of Lesson 2) and then we moved onto Set II of Lesson 2. (This pretty much how Jacobs goes! Ha! Pretty sequential... pretty predictable...)

Some kids were even ready to move on to the next Lesson, and I told them go for it! This part of Chapter 1 is where classes normally start to split off and get a day or two ahead/behind each other. As long as I know where they're at, we're good!

Tonight's homework (for those who haven't already) is to complete Set II of Lesson 2.

Workday

We checked the first part of Set I (Lesson 2) and then double checked our numbers for our notebooks, and worked to finish Set I -- and this should be completed by tomorrow -- beginning of class. In order words, homework!

Moving into Lesson 2

We checked Set II of Lesson 1 today and then quickly moved into Lesson 2.

Tonight's homework is to complete #s 1-3 of Lesson 2, Set I. :) (They'll need graph paper...)

Checking and working in Set II

We started with an interesting warm up today and then moved into checking 1-4 of Set II. Then, the kiddos had to begin working to finish Set II in class... and they should plan to finish that over the weekend. :)

Lesson 1, Set 1

Today we began with a real-life word problem involving percents where we discovered that we need some review work with those percents!

Then we moved to checking our homework. There were some (we're not sure how..) that didn't know they needed to finish all of Set I--so those folks left the room while we checked and began work on the next section, Set II #s 1-4. They will need to complete Set II, #s 1-4 for homework!

The Jacobs Unit!

Hey! Been awhile!

On Monday the kids got their Jacobs texts. "Jacobs??" you ask! Let me explain.

Back many, many years ago there was a shift in the middle school math curriculum with respect to the amount of time we had to teach the course known as "Jacobs." As such, the first and second chapters of the Jacobs text were handed down to Pre-Algebra. I can't tell you what a great opportunity this is for kids. The next month or so will be spent in these two chapters of the Jacobs text. This will be one of the first real (other than their other textbook) textbook they will experience. (If you want to get particular, I use that text more as a problem holding vessel.) Regardless, the Jacobs text is unlike any other textbook they will see--especially in terms of math texts!

Jacobs at first can be demanding. Gone are the days of here is the skill, practice the skill, test the skill, you know the skill. :) Well, it sort of still is with Jacobs, but this is one of the ways I explain it to the kids. The Jacobs text is very reading intensive--a concept can be introduced in question #2 and will be referenced in question #15 of the same set... and could be referenced 30 pages later! It could be described as constructive as well (in that, within a chapter each lesson builds on one another, each question in each set builds upon the questions you've already answered).

I say all of this to give you a big heads-up! Tonight their homework is to complete Lesson 1, Set 1, #s 1-14.

This is where we sometimes can hit a wall. Most kids find the transition into this text to be not as easy sometimes as they think or thought it might be. That's part of the reason why I love that it's included now in Pre-Algebra! I get them, I get to answer all their questions, and hold their hands through this experience--which in turn prepares them to think critically and solve problems in totally new ways--and gets them ready for full-blown Jacobs next year.

Whew! I hope I have not given you too much to read! If you're wondering what this is all about, go grab your child's book and take a look. (It is a clear-covered, spiraled Kinko'd creation... ask them about what happens if something happens to the book!) Or if your children are being incredibly careful--come find me in the middle school and you can borrow a copy to read through.

I hope you are well as you read this. More soon!

Warm up

Warm up

Equations and notebooks

After our warm up we checked our homework from last night and spent some time getting our notebooks back in order. Kids can choose to keep working on their notebooks over the weekend if they want. :)

Monday we will move on to our time spent in the Jacobs text! More on that next week.

You guessed it, equations!

When I said we were working on equations, I meant it! We checked the ones from homework, and I gave them two more! (And yea, they need to do 'em for homework.) Tomorrow, however, will be a notebook day... plus they'll get their Jacobs books! (More on that one tomorrow!) HW is posted on class docs...

We've had lots of kids in and out this week and I want to remind them and parents that class docs (look over on the right of this page for Class Docs) is where I post all assignments, notes, homework, etc. if I don't put a link directly to it in the blog post. Enjoy!

Handsome devil!

The Mt Everest of Pre-Al

These harder, multi-step equations really are the climax or the Mt Everest of Pre-Algebra. That's why we keep coming back to them and practicing them!

Today we checked homework, and the kids got a few more to practice. I'll post those on the class docs in a bit. :) They have just three problems for homework (which will also get posted, at the end of today's doc.)

Distributing and Equations

Today we took some note notes to get back on the same page with distributing and longer, harder equations. They will have 2 problems to complete for homework (plus I want them to be finished or finishing up with Multi-Step Equations... that they've had for awhile now -- and you can get online on the class docs as well!).

HW

Hot Chocolate Day!

Yes, today was hot chocolate day. :) Lucas (with the help of his mom!) graciously brought in the most fabulous invention ever--the hot chocolate making machine from Williams&Sonoma. We've heard about it and been planning to use it for awhile now... and today was the day!

So, in appreciation for the way this wonderful group of kids picked up and worked while I was not feeling well yesterday (one of those debilitating headaches...) -- no joke, these kids did problems and helped each other and taught each other and answered each others questions... all on their own accord. They are magnificent. :) In appreciation, I had no problem having a non-math, hot chocolate day.

Next week? Back to those harder equations... they can handle the toughest I can throw at them!

Hot chocolate day!

Distributing!

And today we talked about the final... final piece of the puzzle. (The kids make fun of me because I keep saying "This is the best part" or "This is the last cool thing!")

That topic was: distributing! Check out the notes on the class docs. We didn't practice distributing on its own just yet. That will come tomorrow.

Tonight they should continue to work on those multi-step equations we've been working on for awhile now. I also gave them my worked out copy to help with questions. :)

Warm up!

Still on those equations

We're still working on those harder, multi-step equations. The kids are still doing really well on them, and I want them to keep at those equations tonight. It think 2-4 tonight will be a good idea. Tomorrow we're going to pick the skills back up and start on distributing!!

So, you should see your Pre-Algebra student working on some equations tonight!

I'll post my answers (worked all the way out) on class docs in awhile.

#1 Multi-step

#2 from Multi-step

Warm up

On Trimester 2 Evaluations

I wanted to send out a note about how to read your child's second trimester math evaluation which you will be getting in the mail (along with your child's other reports) in the coming days.

You may have heard through the grapevine (in fact, you might have even heard through me!) that the Middle School Staff has been engaged in an Action Research Project on assessment and evaluation this year. (For more information on what exactly Action Research is, see this Wikipedia article.)

We've been asking ourselves many, many questions over the past few months. Among those are questions like:

    * Who are evaluations for? Students? Parents? Future teachers (of the students)?

    * What is the best way to convey how a child is "doing" in a class?

    * How can we improve our process to meet the needs of all parties involved in the assessment/evaluation experience?

(Note: These are a summary of the questions that my brain has latched on to and mulls over before I fall asleep each night--not necessarily representative of the entire Middle School Staff's questions.)

And, as you can imagine, many of us have taken on the task of actively experimenting with how our evaluations look, what they say, and how they say it. Some of us have added rubrics. Some of us have focused more on project assessment.

For my second trimester evaluation, I decided to focus on truly involving the students in the assessment/evaluation process.

There are many overarching goals that teachers have. These are the goals, dreams, and visions for what students will take from their time spent with us beyond how to add fractions and diagram a sentence.

As you probably guessed, I have a whole slew of these. :) But the one that got tapped these past few weeks was this: Students (and successful human beings) should be able to accurately evaluate themselves on how they are doing according to a specific standard--whether internal or external. Put plainly, people should know whether they're good at something or bad at something and how to process that.

When you open up your child's second trimester evaluation packet and turn to their math evaluation, you're going to see what I'm talking about.

The week before evaluations were due in advisor's boxes, each one of my math classes took an online form/survey of their performance and experience in my class. On that day, we rolled out the Mobile Mac lab and I made a BIG deal about all that I've written to you so far. I explained myself, and walked them step-by-step through the survey, answering questions along the way.

Basically, the kids had to answer the following sentences with the choices of Never... Sometimes... Most of the time... Always. And they could only choose one of the four.

Take a look at the actual evaluation the kids filled out. (This is just a PDF copy, you can't make any more submissions--don't forget to scroll down!)

I explained to the kids that they were to fill out the evaluation and that they were essentially writing their own evaluations. I, of course, reserved the right to adjust and tweak where I saw fit, and I would make my own comments on their reports as always. But you would be surprised how little I actually had to go back and change.

As the kids filled out the evaluations, many questions arose that sounded like, "Matthew... What if I'm more towards Sometimes... or maybe Most of the time?... I don't know... Can I say in between?"

I encouraged them to think these things through, for it's in that conversation that I think the magic of this evaluation and assessment experiment lie. And this is what I want to encourage you to do as you sit down and process your child's evaluation.

For example, "My child put down 'Most of the time' for 'helps to create a productive learning environment.' That sounds pretty good to me. Good job!"

Or... "My child put down 'Most of the time' for 'helps to create a productive learning environment.' That sounds interesting. What was it that kept you from putting down 'Always' on that one?"

To add another layer to the process, I decided at the last minute to let the kids see their final evaluations before they were delivered to advisors. In this way, I hoped kids would be able to continue to be part of the conversation about how they were evaluated and assessed in math. This created the space for kids to ask me, "Matthew? Why did you move me from 'Most of the time' to 'Sometimes' on this one?" And what a great conversation we had then!

Take a look at what the second trimester evaluations look like.

So, Matthew. Why this long blog post/email?

There are a couple of reasons. One is to keep you in the loop. Another is to try and prepare you and go ahead and answer some of your questions about how to read your child's evaluation.

And finally, I want your feedback. :) Be on the lookout for a post or an email asking for your feedback soon!

Thanks for all that you do--I hope all of this makes sense and that it was an easy and straight-forward read. I appreciate your patience and kindness as well in this wonderful dance we're doing called education your children. :) Have a great day!