First Week 2018 Recap

In the years past, I tried to begin the curriculum as quickly as possible.  Usually this meant we were starting on the second or third day.  This year I considered all of the things I wanted to do to get to know my students, and it just made sense to spread them out over the first three days.  This allowed me to get everything done (almost).  Normally I end up over planning, and then stressing about getting everything done.  Spreading everything out was a welcome change.

Wednesday, September 5th
Our very first day started with the instructions to fill out an"All About Me" page and scan the syllabus.  My goal was to not rush students through the "All About Me" questionnaire.  This year, I used the questionnaire from Five Foot One Teacher (@fivefootoneteacher on Instagram).  It is available from her First Day of School Packet on Teachers Pay Teachers.  Overall, I liked the questionnaire.  It asked questions that I usually wouldn't ask.  However, if I use it again next year, I am going to have to make a few adaptations.  Very few students understood the prompt "My family consists of...", the question about goals suggests becoming a better reader or writer, which is not totally applicable to math, and one question asks about what students did over the summer.  After reading a post on facebook about how some students are just surviving the summer, the question does not sit well with me, especially because I work in a school district with at least 70% of the student population living in poverty.

After students finished the questionnaire, I went over the highlights of the syllabus, but didn't go over every little thing.  I encouraged them to read the syllabus (it was part of their Do Now after all).  Then we went over the important safety information.  I did no other rules after that because I wanted to students to understand how important our safety procedures are.  I did a brief "About Me" presentation.  When I was a student I always liked the teachers that shared a little personal information the most.  It helps students to see that you are human and relatable, and that you have more to teach than just your subject area.  I keep it simple.  I share my age, astrological sign, family info (husband, baby, pets, birth order), my favorite things, and my high school activities.

Side note:  I shared that I was the Battalion Executive Officer (2nd in command) of my NJROTC unit.  We don't have a JROTC in our school, so I get to explain a little about it.  I am proud to share that I am teaching a future Marine, and he salutes the flag every morning during the pledge.  I then had the opportunity to give him some pointers on his positioning.  A deeper connection was made.

The highlight of my first day was playing "Save the Dinosaur!"  This is from another Teachers Pay Teachers product from Five Foot One Teacher. (The original activity is titled "Save the Chicken," but I had a dinosaur instead.)  I don't want to share exactly how the game works because it is all explained in the product, but here is what I can share:  The game can engage the whole class.  It is a team effort, so if your students try to resist, they will be peer pressured into participating.  Students will need to strategize to complete the task, so you will see your natural leaders emerge, and get a sense of how your students approach challenges.  It was very low prep; I just had to act out a part and purchase a toy dinosaur.  I made this a competition between classes, so I also had Jolly Ranchers for the winning classes.  My only disappointment was that my students had a good strategy right away, so I didn't get to witness too much trial and error.





For the first time ever, I had extra time at the end of the first day.  I gave my students time to catch up with each other.  If I use the same plans next year, I want to have a simple, no-prep back-up activity ready.


Thursday, September 6th
I started the second day with a syllabus quiz. (It's not a real quiz.)  I projected 7 questions on the SMART Board, and had students answer in teams.  I used these buzzers from Amazon to make it more engaging.  Students in my smaller classes loved it.  Doing this activity with my one large class was a struggle.  I wish they had a set of 6 buzzers, but I worked with what I had.  We went over the basic rules about cell phone use and tardies.

Then we had a scavenger hunt to help students familiarize themselves with the classroom.  I taped cards around the room anywhere there was something I wanted students to know about and/or use.  Each card displayed what the item was, a description of what it was for, and somewhere in the description was one letter that was bolder and larger than the others.  After finding all the things, students had to unscramble the letters to reveal a message.  Students worked quietly throughout the activity, but it took forever.  On the student's recording sheet they were asked to identify each item, explain it's purpose and location, and record the letter from the card.  I've already decided to use this activity again next year, but I'm going to type the purpose for each item onto the record sheet so student's only need to find the item and the enlarged letter.

Friday, September 7th 
On Thursday, I intended to go over the procedures after completing the scavenger hunt (when students knew what I was talking about and where it was).  I had to do this on Friday instead.  For the Do Now, I projected each class' assigned seating arrangement.  (I number my desks, so I simply list each number, and the type the students' names next to their seat numbers.)  I started each class with an "Algebra Skills Inventory," and then we went over the entrance and exit procedures.

I decided to save the 100 Numbers Task for this day because I wanted students to experience working together with their table partners.  It also served as an ice breaker for any students that did not already know their table partners.  I'm sure everyone knows about the 100 Numbers Task by now, but if you don't, check out the original post from Sarah Van Der Werf.  Instead of giving out Jolly Ranchers for the team that found the most numbers, I gave the Jolly Ranchers to the team that had the greatest improvement.

After the 100 Numbers Task, I introduced Five Foot One Teacher's One Word Project.  The basic premise is that students choose a word they want to live up to for the year, and meditate on the word while writing it out repeatedly.  I love this whole idea.  It's an informal and different way to set a goal for the year, and I love that it is about becoming a better version of yourself and not about grades.  I made an exemplar to show students, and I chose the word 'Fearless.'  I opened up to my students that I chose the word because there are so many things I want to try to make myself a better teacher for them, but since these things are out of my comfort zone, I usually chicken out.  Being fearless when trying new things is my goal as a teacher this year.


This week has been difficult too.  It's a tough transition becoming a mom, but becoming a back-to-school mom is another thing I am going to have to adapt to.  I love teaching and I'm so happy at school, but I miss my little boy.  My older cat's health is declining and we have to give him subcutaneous fluids twice daily.  He's not eating and it seems it's only a matter of days before we have to say goodbye.  I feel like I'm already super behind in planning, but overall I had a fantastic week of school, and I'm honestly sad this is a three day weekend because I want to be with my students.

See the vlog of my first week here:

Back to School Teacher Outfits Try-On Haul | VIDEO

I'm so excited about my most recent video upload.  This is one of the videos I've been dying to do all month, I just had to wait for all my orders to arrive.  There's just something about starting the school year off with new clothes that can be used to create new outfits that is so exciting and fun.  It helps put me in "back-to-school" mode.

2017-2018 Planner Update Video Now Available!

As part of the Back to School series on my channel, I filmed an updated tour of my 2017-2018 teacher planner.  This summer I spent some time creating new planner pages.  If you are interested in any of them, the links are in the video's description box. 

Back to School Supply Haul | VIDEO

I wanted to wait until the last minute before Back to School shopping, but there were some sales that I couldn't pass up.  This year I'm keeping it simple.  Check out the video below to see what I got.

Note:  Sales end Saturday, July 29th!

School Supply Haul [#MTBoSBlaugust]

It's #MTBoSBlaugust 2016!  I'm challenging myself to blog daily throughout August, and you can too.  Join the fun!

There is no time like Blaugust to try something new with your blog.  Today I decided to try a vlog post.  Since I enjoy watching haul videos on YouTube, I thought it would be fun to make a haul video for my back to school supplies instead of the usual list of supplies.  I recorded the video with the front facing camera of my iPhone 6s, and then air dropped the video to my iPad and edited it with the iMovie app.  It was surprisingly easy.  I'm now eager to film a classroom tour the same way.  (I go back for the first time all summer tomorrow for August Regents review.  I think I'm going to start setting up my classroom this week.)

Here is my first ever vlog:

These are the supplies I ordered through my district: 
-Bottles of glue - 24
-Butterfly clips
-One gallon glue refill
-File folders - box of 100
-1 1/4" binder clips - 12 pack
-2" binder clips - 12 pack
-Masking tape
-Traditional compasses - 20
-Flat compasses - 24
-Pencils - 3 boxes at 96 per box (plus I purchased like 10 boxes of 20 before last school year ended)
-Dry erase markers - 16 pack
-Highlighters - 36 
-Tape re-fill - 6 pack
-Stapler
-Clear rulers - 10 pack
-Fine tip dry erase markers - 16 pack
-AAA Batteries - 60

I have not ordered any patty paper yet, but I plan to once the school year starts.  I probably have enough for this year, but I end up hoarding it in fear of running out.  If I have a back-up box, then I won't worry so much.  I also purchased a new box of laminating pouches.  I assure you I have more colored pens than any single person will ever need in their lifetime, but I might just buy more anyway.  Tis the season.

Am I missing anything that you think is an essential?   

Plan Project Update [#MTBoSBlaugust]

A few years ago I blogged about my beginning of the year project.  You can read about it here.  I started using this project my second year of teaching, after my mentor showed me the similar project she does.  We have an issue in my school where students are not always appropriately placed in their math courses.  This project ensures that students want to be in the course (because after Algebra they have a choice), and helps students create a plan for success.

Anyway, the point of this post is that I re-worked the project.  On the first day of school, I will assign students five questions to answer in paragraph form.

1. What makes a successful math student?  What qualities do you possess and what qualities do you need to develop? - This will be a repeat of the question we ask in class on the first day, but I'm interested to hear students' individual responses after they've had some time to reflect.
2. What do you need from your math teacher to be successful? - This is another repeat from an in-class question, but again it is helpful to hear from individual students. 
3. This course is optional.  Why did you choose to take it? - This helps with knowing which students want to take the course.  And gives me the chance to have dialogue with the students that don't want to take it.
4. What grade are you planning on earning in Geometry this year?  Tell me specifically what you will do to make sure that you earn this grade? - This is the beginning of our goal setting.  We'll later develop goals for Regents and NWEA exams.
5. What career(s) could you possibly see yourself in as an adult at this moment?  Tell me why they interest you.  You can also tell me why you're not sure about a career choice. - This gives me an idea of students' interests and their goals.  It also gives me leverage when they are not working as hard as they need to be.

You can see my Plan Project here.  If you would like an editable copy, you can email me and I will gladly send it.

School Supplies

For me...
Confession:  I am an absolute office/school supply junkie.  Staples is my happy place.  (My brother used to work there, and he would tell me about what was on sale, when something I wanted was in stock, and he would occasionally stash things that I wanted and that they would run out of.  It was the best!)

Here are the school supplies that I absolutely must have to begin the new school year:

I am selfish about my supplies.  I do not share.  I keep a set of thin line markers and colored pencils at home to plan my notebooks.  I start each new year with new packs, and I take the old packs to school.  I will then share my old old packs with my kids.

I have two new notebooks for INBs this year.  (I couldn't get a purple notebook.  I'm sort of devastated because I always use purple.)

Post-It notes are self-explanatory.  These I do share because I'm a nice person.  :)  Sharpie highlighters are the absolute best.  I separate the pack and keep half of it in my pencil pouch that stays in my bag for on-the-go planning (because it may happen one day).  The other half stays in my desk at work.  This year I bought a pack of Ink Joy pens.  I have some packs from two years ago still, but these are the clicky ones!

I also found those adorable self-inking stamps from the Target dollar spot for $3.  It will save me from using up all of my stickers.  (As if that would ever happen.)

For them...

Every year I go on a pencil shopping spree at WalMart.  Dixon Ticonderoga are the best pencils to buy for your students.  (Aside from the Bic mechanical pencils.)  During Back To School they are only $0.97!  After BTS, they are $1.24.  Still not bad.  I bought 10 boxes, which is 200 pencils total.  (They should last until December.)  I also bought 8 packs of colored pencils.  (Crayola of course.)  Just to freshen my INB supply.

I picked up a few bottles of glue, although I should have enough already, and two pairs of scissors.  I bought two packs of pencil cap erasers.  (My students really love those.)  I bought an adorable mini-stapler.  What's awesome about the stapler is that its bottom is magnetic, and so it sticks to the filing cabinet where my student resource center is kept.

Not pictured, I purchased 34 notebooks at WalMart/Target for $0.50.  I have to have a healthy supply of notebooks ready to go for students at the beginning of the year.  Many of my students cannot afford new school supplies, and when they get to me and I tell them that they need an old school "marble" notebook it throws them for a loop, so I've learned to be prepared.  I still have 17 notebooks leftover from last year.  I hope my notebook supply is enough because this year I have two courses that are using INBs!

Lastly, I picked up a 24 pack of the sparkly mechanical pencils.  I have a non-sparkly pack that I got in my supply order.  I only hand them out in emergencies.  Like when I'm in the middle of a lesson and a student decides that it is then that they need a pencil, or it is then that their pencil breaks, is too short, or their pen died, etc.  The sparkly ones I'm going to save until my end of the year awards.  Or for special students that are routinely unprepared and need me to keep a pencil just for them in my desk. ;)

What school supplies are an absolute must for you?  Is there anything that I am missing out on?

New INB Set-Up So Far

I'm still brainstorming, but I've made so much progress on the plan for this year's interactive notebooks that I wanted to write it out now.  (I'm worried that the school year will begin and I'll forget the things I planned.  I need to get my new master INB pronto!)

Inside Cover - I'm going to keep the notebook and important info that I used this past year, but I'm going to make it into a folded page.  Inside the fold, I'll have the important class info that I send home to parents and that students forget throughout the year.  (Students don't understand/forget the percentages attached to each grade category.  They will seriously make up one missing homework assignment and be flabbergasted that it hasn't counteracted the test they failed.)

I'm going to keep the page for Geometry symbols.  Students write the symbols in, so there is no printable for this component.  (But there could be...)

I'm adding a page(s) for postulates/theorems.  I'm still making decisions about whether I want to put just the very imperative and basic ones or all of them.  This means the difference between having everything in one place, or having things spread out through the notebook.  This is still under construction, and I will share it when I finish working on it.

During this past year, I added a few pages after notebooks were set up, so they went to the back pages.  One page just lists their NWEA and Regents goals.  This page helped to focus students before their end of the year assessments.  I also added in "How to Study Mathematics" and "Ensure Success on Your Next Test" pages.  These pages will be added to the beginning of the notebooks this year.

 

I found a great resource that explains "Problem Solving in Math" and "Writing about Math" from Rock Star Math Teacher.  I just rearranged the handout into INB form.

I plan to use the Growth Mindset questionnaire foldable made by Sarah Hagan to introduce growth mindset.  You can find the foldable here.  After teaching more about growth mindset, I am going to give my students a worksheet to fill out taking fixed mindset statements and turning them into growth mindset thoughts.  (This is not my original idea.  You can find a regular worksheet on Pinterest.  I changed it fit in the INBs, and used some sayings that I often hear from my own students.) 

The last thing I have (so far) is a grade tracker.  The tracker is broken down by marking period.  I listed all of the tests that I plan to administer in the marking period.  I added two blanks for retests on all unit tests and on the mini-Regents exams where I allow retests (and test corrections on the latter).  I also listed all of the quizzes that I know I will give during the marking periods.  I left some extra space in each marking period for any unplanned quizzes.

There is so much more than there has been before, I may have to also create a table of contents page for this section of the notebook!  This is the most progress I've made all summer besides reading.  I'm so excited and hope to somehow keep the momentum going.

Let me know if this has helped in you anyway.  Happy planning!

Made4Math: Feather Pencils

I've been trying to come up with an idea all summer long to maintain my stock of pencils.  I know it's inevitable that my pencils are going to just get up and walk out of the classroom, but anything I can do to minimize the loss will be a great help.  Last year I tried wrapping colorful mini duct tape around the top of the pencil to identify my pencils.  Within two weeks, I was finding the tape adhered to my desks, chairs, and adorning my classroom walls.

I've seen all over pinterest teachers that taped flowers to their pencils.  It will definitely remind students that the pencil does not belong to them, but I can only imagine how annoying it is to write with.  The real problem though is that a large flower renders the eraser unusable.  These teachers have stated that they just hand out erasers for students to use instead.  This would be a wonderful solution, but my students will take one eraser and magically turn it into several mini projectiles.  (In case you haven't picked up on this fact so far in this post, or any of my previous posts, my students are very destructive.)

I was stuck on the idea of attaching something to the pencil though.  Something small, flexible, colorful, and easily identifiable.  Finally it dawned on me.  I went shopping at Hobby Lobby and came across these:

I know.  1998 called and it wants its pens back.  They were only $0.99, and couldn't resist the fun nostalgia. 

So I decided that since feather pens are so much fun, why not try feather pencils?  I bought a pack of bright, colorful feathers, and attached them to the pencils with washi tape.  My only hope is that students don't take these apart.  And of course they do.  (The most annoying thing is when they have scissors for Interactive Notebooks, some of them will cut the feathers off.)  They complain that the feathers annoy them.  I have two things to say when they tell me this:  (1)  Just be glad I didn't put a large flower on it; (2)  If you don't like my pencils, bring your own pencil.

One of the things I love about this method is that there is no need to sign up to borrow a pencil.  Just take one and put it back when you're done.  (Although I've had to remind students that this is what we will have to resort to if they keep taking/mutilating my pencils.)  I will be able to scan the room before the end of class and notice who has one of my pencils and remind them to return it.  Another bonus is when students do find my pencils in another classroom, they bring them back because they know the pencil is mine.  In the past two months, I have lost approximately 30 pencils, which is a HUGE improvement from the pencils I lost by this time last year.

The Joy and Woe of the Perfect Point Pencil Sharpener

To say I've been busy is an understatement.  Tomorrow starts the second full week of school, and I am finally just now sitting down to plan it out.  Yikes!  I guess this is normal practice for many teachers, but I much prefer being one week ahead.  But in case you haven't noticed, I'm not planning right this second.  I just had to blog something quick.

After reading Sarah Hagan's post about the world's greatest pencil sharpener, and then hearing about it from countless other blogs, I decided to use the discount code Sarah offered, and try it out.  I was an immediate fan.  (Who doesn't love free two-day shipping??)  I'm not going to convert back from mechanical pencils, but this pencil sharpener makes using regular pencils bearable.

So on the first day of school, I enthusiastically introduced and demonstrated my perfect point pencil sharpener.  I successfully convinced my new students that I was crazy in less than five minutes of meeting me.  Mission accomplished.  They complained about having a super complicated pencil sharpener.  Every day.  Then something happened.

The pencil sharpener broke Friday morning.  It didn't really break.  It was clogged, and I was the one that clogged it.  (It doesn't seem to like colored pencils as much as regular pencils.)  So I removed the pencil sharpener so I could take it home over the weekend and unclog it (because I don't keep tools in school, silly me. - Some days I feel like I should, but I'm sure that could be viewed as a safety issue.)  I replaced the pencil sharpener with the old electric one I have.  (The one that kids always swear is broken, but when I try it for them it works.  It's like magic.  Or like they're not doing it right and instead of trying to hold the pencil a different way, they just assume it's broken.)  Then something funny happened.

The kids were devastated.  They wanted the special pencil sharpener back.  The pencil sharpener that they complained about is actually their favorite thing ever.  Luckily my co-teacher was able to get the sharpener unclogged at the end of the day.  However, I am now writing this post to tell this story because I've been compelled to buy a second pencil sharpener.  Just in case.  Because when that awesome pencil sharpener isn't there, the kids are legitimately disappointed, and I just can't have that.

(While proofreading this post, I realize how sarcastic it sounds.  I don't mean for it to be, that's just me.)

DIY Whiteboards

I have so many ideas going through my mind right now that I have three different posts that I'm working on.  Today, I wanted to share the project I just finished.  This summer I bought my own personal laminator.  (Yes, a laminator.  As in, you know you're a teacher when your favorite appliance is your laminator.)

I've wanted to have whiteboards for every student in my room for a long time, and in laminating all kinds of posters and classroom decor I realized that this was the solution.  So I simply laminated plain sheets of paper and cut them in half.  (Full sheets were just too big, and not as cost effective.)

For the erasers, I saw that many teachers recommend cutting up and using old socks.  (Ewww.)  Since it is imperative that boards are erased (to keep the marker from staining them), I knew that good erasers were necessary.  I bought 5-9x12"sheets of felt from Michael's for $0.33 each.  (I only needed two, but now I have plenty extra erasers.)  I cut the felt sheets into 3x3" squares (each sheet makes 12 squares), and now I have a class set of erasers.

For the markers, I am using fine dry erase markers.  I bought them on sale at Staples over the summer.  (Not pictured, they are currently housed in my classroom.)  To store them, I decided to keep whiteboards in the basket under each desk in a ziploc bag, complete with eraser and dry erase marker.

Now that I have this already set up, I'm considering putting all of the supplies my students will need in each bag under each desk.  I'm just worried about my supplies disappearing.  I'll wait on this idea for now and see if it's absolutely necessary.  (As it is, I'm worried about losing the markers.  Especially since I have exactly enough.) 

 

New & Hopefully Improved Retest Policy

After much thought and consideration, I've made changes to my retest policy.  Last year, I just had straight test corrections.  I have an organized form for students to fill out and re-work problems.  I have a list of error codes for students to analyze their mistakes and a to-do list for students to make sure the form is complete before they turn it in.  I gave students half the points that they lost on the test back through test corrections.

The problem with test corrections was that students wouldn't follow the rules.  They would only re-do the problems that they wanted to, they wouldn't write in the error codes, they would write down any multiple choice answer that they did not use before, and if they actually checked their work over with another student, they didn't stop there, they would actually copy that student's answers.  I didn't have the time or energy during the year to address any of these things to fix my policy.  I didn't have the time to find better solutions.

This year, I want to incorporate a retest component.  I will still use the same test corrections form.  I will not accept the form without everything being completed correctly.  Since there really is no way to deter copying, students will have to complete a retest to earn a higher grade.  Students will not be eligible to retest until they complete the test corrections form.  This will ensure that students are accurately assessed for the skills that they have, not the skills that they've copied.  Once students have completed the retest, I will average the grade on the original test with the grade on the retest for the final test grade.  (Unless of course they somehow score lower on the retest.)

I know that this will be more work for me overall.  (By the end I will have graded the same assessment three times.)  I'm hoping that it will be worth it.  I'll try it for a year, and we will see how it goes.

Want my test corrections form?  It's for sale on TPT.

Parent Survey

During the last #geomchat that I participated in, other teachers seemed interested in the survey I give to my parents the first night of school.  It only seemed natural that I share and expand on the topic.

The first day of school, I go over my course information with my students.  I have it formatted as a letter to them and their parents.  Their homework is to share the letter with their parents, and have their parents fill out their contact information and sign that they have both read and agree to the course requirements.  On the back of the contact sheet is a survey for the parents to respond to in regards to their child.  Last year I tried this not expecting great results.  I was pleasantly surprised by the volume and quality of the responses I received.  They were so helpful in planning my class activities.

I was also given the suggestion to offer the survey on Google Forms for parents to fill in.  I am seriously considering this as it will organize all the information into one spreadsheet.  However, the drawback is that not all of the families I work with have a home computer/internet access/smart phone. 

Here for you is the parent contact information and survey sheet that I use.  My contact information sheet is thorough, and I will scale it back this year since we have SchoolTool.

I also found a similar parent survey for free on Teachers Pay Teachers.  It's a shorter version, and I like that it's in a 3-2-1 format because I use them with my students all the time.

Found Something Awesome

I have a slight shopping addiction.  Now that I'm actually teaching, I love shopping for office supplies (actually, I always have) and anything for the classroom or that will make my life as a teacher easier.  All of the Post-It notes were on sale on Target, and I found GRAPH PAPER POST-IT NOTES!  I know, it's incredible.  My transformations unit begins on Monday, and these will be so very useful.  They're $3.64 for a pack of two (100 total).  Not the greatest bargain, but do you know anyone else making them?  I'll recommend these to my students.  It will make taking notes during this unit so much easier.

Buy Now!

I absolutely love these organizers.  First of all, they're cute.  Second of all, they're only $1.00!  What's not to like?  Okay, so they are somewhat cheaply made.  Stock up (they're only $1.00!) , and treat them kindly.  Target brings these back every now and then in the dollar section.  They are five section dividers.  Five sections, five classes.  It makes perfect sense for me. 

I use two in regular rotation.  One to bring home work to grade (one section for each class with color coded labels, of course).  The other one I use to bring back and forth other papers I don't want loose in my bag.  I don't have the tabs labeled yet because I like flexibility (although I did somehow end up with extra labels).  The sections I have now are things to print from work, things to copy, things to file, and things to hang.  

If these make sense for your organization scheme, get them!  They are only available for a short time.  Right now there's three sizes.  I picked up a medium size one that has 13 sections.  I don't have an assigned use for it yet, but I know that it will come in handy.  Check these out.