Hello everyone,
Thought I would add my two cents to what concepts are important.
Nothing earth shattering but definitely needs attention. Students often
see any variable, say x, as representing a postive value and -x as
representing a negative value as opposed to the opposite of whatever the
value of x is. Just one thing to be careful of. Listen carefully to
students' vocabulary. Debbie
Deborah J. Ferry
Mathematics Education Consultant
Macomb ISD
44001 Garfield
Clinton Township, MI 48038
586.228.3486
FAX 586.286.2809
-----Original Message-----
From: channel-talkalgebra-bounces@learner.org
[mailto:channel-talkalgebra-bounces@learner.org] On Behalf Of Mrs.
Dudones
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2007 9:13 PM
To: hfonseca@monterey.k12.ca.us; 'Discussion list for LEARNING
MATH: PATTERNS, FUNCTIONS, AND ALGEBRA'
Subject: Re: [Channel-talkalgebra] Multiple Questions
Thanks, Heidi! I have taught 90 minute reading and language arts
classes in the past, but I know that this will be very different. Our
state standards for reading and language arts are almost double those
for our math classes. However, I also know that I will have to move in a
much different and most likely slower methodology with the math
students. The pre-algebra classes must get far enough to be able to take
Algebra for high school credit in eighth grade, so I will be using the
eighth grade Algebra teacher often for a resource.
All of our grades and assignments are available to parents and
students through our district website. I also have a space in my room
where I will be posting this. We also have to post the standard under
study in each of our classrooms. This will be "new" for me because on
any given day in my reading and language arts classes I might be
addressing 40 or more standards in some way or another, as they are much
more general in some areas than the math standards.
We will have the students every day for 90 minutes, rather than
an every other day block. Although my pre-algebra students will have
been selected for the higher math class, the other classes will be
heterogeneously mixed. In fact, the two "regular" math classes will also
have inclusion of students with learning disabilities (hopefully with
their special ed. teacher).
[I am considering the following daily format: 1) review
previous day's concept; 2) introduce new concept; 3) practice new
concept together as a large group or possibly in small groups (using
hands-on activities as much as possible); 4) answer questions or review
work from small groups; 5) students work alone on what would once have
been homework type of problems.] Based on the schedule I proposed, do
you think this will be enough chunking on a typical day?
What concepts do you find the most difficult to teach in
pre-algebra or algebra?
Thanks,
Julie
-----Original Message-----
From: channel-talkalgebra-bounces@learner.org
[mailto:channel-talkalgebra-bounces@learner.org] On Behalf Of Heidi
Fonseca
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2007 11:32 AM
To: Discussion list for LEARNING MATH: PATTERNS, FUNCTIONS, AND
ALGEBRA
Subject: Re: [Channel-talkalgebra] Multiple Questions
Julie, I have been experiecing lesson facilitation in 90 min.
blocks. Colleagues agree that students
need to have some sort of activity that will allow them to move,
as well as having transitions
between activities. In our case, we have a minimum day each
week, which makes the blocks a tad
longer and a tad shorter during the week. We also have alternate
days: On day we see classes
scheduled for even periods (2, 4, 6), the next day odd class
periods (1,3,5).
Personally, I plan the activities in small continuous "chunks".
Sometimes it is not possible to have
all the same classes at the same point in the lessons:
individuals and groups will pace it, where it
is necessary to decide whether more depth is needed, perhaps the
group is ahead and there is room
for enrichment, etc.
Having taught Elementary school, being with a group of students
for what it would seem/feel an
"extended" period of time is not foreign to me. However,
colleagues used to teach five periods a day
plus a preparation period have found it somewhat challenging.
Here is where the format of the block
is important. We post a daily agenda, and the standard under
study (it is a schoolwide requirement).
Some of us have a designated area in the bulleting board where a
list of daily assignments/homework
is listed for students, parents, and school support personnel as
reference. Very useful during
meetings or when reviewing a student's progress & seeking
support/enrichment options.
---
Heidi Fonseca
hfonseca@monterey.k12.ca.us
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Received on Fri Apr 13 09:16:14 2007
