Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages

This is one of the biggest challenges I have every year. When I don't manage to get through my curriculum it is usually because we spend so much time on this concept. This might be a way of making some of the review or comprehension checks a little more tactile. I like the idea of having them on some kind of plastic bottle caps...

What is the Problem?

This is one way of getting my students out of thinking there is only one right answer. It allows students to come up with their own problem and that they can each work at a level that suits them. Students who pick something too easy can be challenged to use different strategies or more difficult numbers. Something to keep in mind as I start to put my math centres together...

Class Promise

I like this idea even better than the idea of class rules. This defines what good people do. It makes it very clear that these are the behaviours we exhibit when we care about others. When there is an infraction, I can refer to this promise and help the students recognize that their behavious is not conducive to learning, whether it is their learning or the learning of others.

I especially like the last line where is reminds them that this is who we are "even when no one is looking".

Absences

This a great way to make the student take responsibilty for missed work. It doesn't take up much space and it's easy to maintain. It will be easy to verify who is picking up missed assignments and who is not by writing students' names on the sheets before placing them in the files.

Rules of Divisibility

This is an interesting visual way of putting it all together. This could obviously be used for many different concepts, but this is one that students struggle with regularly. They see the rule highlighted on the 100 chart and then they can verify the rule instantly. It's worth a try anyway. This could be the final entry in a math journal before assessing their grasp of this concept.

Request to Retest

This is a step that I think is essential when we are allowing students to retest. In the past, many of my students have expected a restest and have come to the conclusion that there is no need to study. "I'll just do it another day."

I tell my students this privelege is not free. Their eyes get all wide the first time, thinking they will need money and then I tell them the cost is time and effort. They have to prove that they have done something differently to ensure they will show an improved understanding of the concepts assessed.

After all, Einstein himself said it when he defined insanity as doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results. Some of my students will learn the long way that their teacher is not insane... (at least not where it comes to assessing).

What Stuck With Me This Week?

This is an interesting idea as well. Students add one thing to the chart every week so that I can see what is having an impact on their learning. This allows me to hear from those who never say anything aloud. Those who are not sure what to include will soon have lots of ideas from those who ALWAYS have something to say.

It would also help me see what is working and what needs to be reviewed. No more will I get to test day and realize they are still wondering what the heck we've been talking about for the past 2 weeks.

Idiom of the Week

This is a great idea for French or for English. Idioms can be so much fun, especially when you can find the origin of the expression. There are so many expressions that are less known to students today because of the technological language shift. This would allow me to fill them in on "Old-fashioned" language. I like the visual presentation of it as well...

My Class Gardens

What a great way to combine my love of photography with my work. Making a bouquet of my students like this for my desk is an easy way to show students that they matter to me. Now that I am in a high school, I no longer get that class photo as a memento and this would give me a little reminder of each student after the year is done.

Note to self: Get the petals made in the summer because once the school year gets started, time will be a precious commodity...

100 Questions

This idea comes from a younger grade's teacher, but I thought another good use for this would be my science class. When I teach ecosystems, we watch some awesome videos about different ecosystems in the world and this would be a very visual way of posting the questions students have about what they learn and what they might like to research later on in the unit.

It can also be used to have students respond and ask questions about what they are reading in French or English. Responses could be categorized (questions, connections, opinions, frustrations...) Just a thought.