Dan Lima Memo #3

This start of the school year schedule has been an interesting one to deal with. We have yet to have a full week of school, and today was our first Monday as a school. While I do not mind the days off, the inconsistencies in the school schedule has created some challenges in getting through the curriculum.

I gave my first quiz on Friday. We spent a few days covering the Order of Operations, and my students (and I) seemed really confident going into the quiz. After grading the quizzes over the weekend, I found many inconsistencies between how I thought my students would perform and the actual results that they provided.

Coming into today, I thought about how I would address this. Is it just a matter of all the days we have had off? Did my students just not study? Had I not prepared them enough? As all of these thoughts were running through my head, I decided that I would return the quizzes, address some common mistakes, offer test retakes after school, and then move on with the curriculum.

As I returned the quizzes, I found that many of my students were pleased with their grades. Students who received 65% were just as pleased as those students who received 90% on the quiz. I was particularly interested with these students who were happy with the lower scores. Through discussions, personal reflections, and even short videos, I am constantly trying to re-enforce the notions of hard-work, success, and achievement in my classes. In the past, I would look at these lower-scoring students and say, “Great work!” because they mastered (even if just barely) an objective that was difficult for them; perhaps math has been difficult for them throughout their education, so this is a great accomplishment. Then, I started thinking about our discussion in class about how telling our students, “Not everyone is going to college,” is heard in urban school districts, but not in wealthier suburban communities. So, if I applaud just passing scores or accept lower scores for some of my students, am I only encouraging a cycle of mediocrity? Am I telling my students that I am disappointed when some students receive an 85% but happy when others receive a 60%? What effect will this have in the in long run?

I have also been thinking a lot about how to best instruct my ESL students. By law, my principal has repeatedly told me that I cannot speak in Spanish with my students. Last year, I was able to group my students with little to no English ability with bilingual students. However, I do not have this luxury this year. I have a sharp contrast of 7-8 students in a class that only Spanish, and then 5-6 who only speak English. As a result, I struggle with what is “best” for these students. On one hand, I know I am not legally allowed to help them, even in small groups, in Spanish. On the other, I feel it is unfair for them to just sit and stare at me as I try to explain important concepts such as the Distributive Property. Word walls and color coding can only go so far.

I have had a great time supervising detention after school. Most teachers do not like/want to supervise detention, so I have been the sole teacher in charge Monday-Thursday after school. In many ways, this has become my “second classroom”. I have learned so much about my students and students that are not my own. I hear their stories about family life, their thoughts on the school, and their thoughts on the society at large. Some of my greatest connections with students have come from my time in detention with them.

Observations:

-Many of my students struggle with study skills. After surveying a couple of students, I quickly realized that they have never thought of studying for a math test. They assume “you just know it or you don’t”. I want to focus on study skills in the coming weeks.

-I need to get my classroom up and moving more. I am finding that my students are learning in a very traditional way (teacher up front, etc) and this is getting boring. I will try to incorporate stations or demos in the coming days.

Questions:

 -As “popular kids” begin to emerge amongst my ninth graders, how can I best channel these students to benefit my class as a whole?

-Am I doing my ELL students a service or a disservice by assisting them in Spanish?

-How much of an effect does praise have on my students with low proficiency when they receive “just passing” grades?