256AE - Prompt 5

How will you address classroom management in the final weeks of school?  Will you change anything? What kind of positive incentive plan will you implement in your classroom?  How will you communicate it to students and parents?

My classroom management has progressively gotten worse over the course of the year.  I started out the year really strong and did well holding students to behaving while still keeping the class fun and the atmosphere positive.  In order to get back on track I rearranged the seating chart last week.  Coming back from Thanksgiving, I'm going to be contacting parents more and talking to students 1-on-1 about behavior.  One thing that has been bugging me too lately is that there are always people observing my class and I just don't feel comfortable giving consequences and correcting student behavior when people are in my classroom. Maybe I shouldn't worry about this so much since they were teachers too at one point so I'm sure they would understand.  Regardless, I need to be more strict next as I finish the semester.

256AE - Prompt 4

How do you plan to implement active engagement strategies in your classroom?  How will this impact your instruction?

For engagement, I really try to game-ify every activity that we do in class.  A huge component to building math skills is to practice, practice, and then practice some more.  The issue is, it’s difficult for even the motivated students to stay focused and complete worksheets.  By playing jeopardy, pass the problem, or white board games, students can get the practice they need and stay focused because they’re having fun.

256AE - Prompt 3

How can you incorporate the STEM concepts to a particular project or lesson plan in your classroom (or a classroom you’ve been in)?

Luckily for me I teach math so this is something I do everyday.  This semester I've been really trying to incorporate projects and lessons that cross over and have science or business applications.  Last year in my algebra extension class we had a business project that involved analyzing data, making decisions, and reporting back to a manager.  It's projects like these that I think get kids to make the connection as to why math is important.  

256AE - Prompt 2

Have you had to go to your school counselor to assist in a situation?  What was your experience in working with the counselor?  Were you able to get the student or parent the resources they needed?  If you have not had an experience with a school counselor, after hearing this webinar…what scares you the most about the topics discussed?  What thoughts did you have reflecting on the content of this webinar?

I love our guidance department at Agua Fria!  They are the best.   I stop by the guidance department at least a few times a week to talk about student progress.  Most of the time, I stop by to talk about students that are improving and are on the right track but every now and then I have them intervene with students I'm having trouble.  In these situations, they will usually call the student in to talk to them 1-on-1 and then report back to me about what I can or should do on my end.  If that doesn't work they usually set up a meeting with the parent and that usually does the trick.  For example, I had this senior that was in my geometry class (a sophomore level class), and she made it apparent that she did not want to be there.  After battling against her disruptive behavior she eventually started to act really apathetic in class.  After working with guidance we were eventually able to get her to realize that we were on her side and felt the class would be very beneficial for her if she put in the work on her end that was needed.  She is not one of my best students and is a pleasure to have in class.  I think after students see how many people want them to succeed, they eventually realize that we are not the enemy and they turn it around.

256AE - Prompt 1

Common Core and YOU!  After participating in the webinar about Common Core Standards, what are your concerns? What ah-ha did you have about CCS?  What will you continue to do or do differently to ensure that you are teaching to the CCS?

As we transition to the Common Core, I'm concerned with students who have been taught using the state standards all throughout school but are now going to be held to the Common Core standards in high school.  I do believe that these students can meet these standards, but it will take more support.   I also worry about students who are already far below grade level not being able to grasp the concepts being taught.  For example, if a student can't multiply, I'm not sure if he will be able to get anything out of a 2-day discovery activity on systems of equations.  I do believe that discovery activities and other teaching methods that promote critical thinking are needed, but it's going to be hard to do these with students that lack foundational math skills.