Take 5

I have been meaning to blog, reflect and discuss our Take 5 problem solving approach, but have been in the whirlwind of finishing term 1 and starting term 2, but here goes. For those of you who haven't seen the template, our Take 5 model is linked here.
Last term, specifically with our 10A area unit, I introduced, modeled and spent a fair amount of time with our Take 5 problem solving strategy. Although I have the buy-in on the importance of all of the steps of Take 5 and the necessity of modeling and think-alouds that needs to go with it, my kids didn't take to it as well as I'd hope. I know that it isn't going to be a perfect system for everybody and the key is that it is a tool for those students who need a tool.
In general, I've found that the students who would benefit because it would slow them down and help them pay more attention to the details don't like it because they see it as unnecessary work. And those students who usually get overwhelmed and don't attempt word problems, may start with steps one and two, but it doesn't seem to help them visualize the problem and process the right strategy so they still get stuck or proceed in the wrong direction.
I'm curious how everyone has used the Take 5 problem solving strategy, how you introduced it, how often you use it, if you assess how it is being used, and your students' reactions toward it. I'm also curious if anyone else is pinpointing similar issues like students not being able to visualize the problem and choose the right strategy. I think it has to do with the transferability of notes and examples to a different setting in the word problem. How do you work with this issue?

What's working, what's not

I thought I would throw out what's working for me and what's not. Perhaps someone can take from the good and help with the bad.

What's working

• PBS with tickets and a raffle on Fridays. (Thanks Annette and Jen!)
• Handing each student a card with the coordiantes for a point and having them plot their point on the board one at a time. (Even my kids who ususally do nothing did this)
• Positivity
• Concrete, explicit directions
• Taking an interest in each student (The whole "I noticed ________" thing from the Teaching with Love and Logic book)
• Collaborating

What's not working

• 5th hour. It is still a challenge for me. I have many students failing the class and they seem to be starting to give up hope for the term. There's this "I don't care" attitude for many of the students in this class.
• Keeping the students' on task for the whole hour. This is primarily 5th period again, but also in other classes. I have tried to have a variety of activities for each day so it won't seem so monotonous, but once they lose focus it is very difficult to rope them back in for the next activity.

I would love any feedback and would like to know what's working for everyone else.

Teaching student expectations

I keep getting reminded that my expectations and the students' ideas of my expectations are quite different. It is hard to imagine that a direction such as "read this page" conjures up different ideas to me than the students. I have realized that "reading" to them is abstract so I continually have to be very explicit on what I want to see and hear. I can't make the student read and they know that which I think is why it becomes abstract to them. Instead, I remind them that I want to see the books open, their eyes in the book, the book right side up (just in case) and their mouths closed. This is much more concrete and I have much better results.

The next project I want to tackle is more obvious reminders/cues/concrete examples of what I expect if students get stuck. Too often, they are stuck and just don't have coping strategies in their toolboxes, such as how to use their notes or the textbook to help them. Then then talk to their friends and get frustrated when I come down on them for not working, saying they tried and were stuck and I hadn't read their mind to come help them. They feel like they have done every thing they could so why am I so upset. Plus, it is much easier to be defensive and blame someone else.

I have observed that students have a hard time transferring information from notes to other problems. Instead of blaming the students for being lazy, let's figure out a way to help teach and reteach these strategies and remind students of our expectations. I am working on a log type system for my students to record what steps they take when they get stuck with very visible choices posted in the room. More to follow, but let me know what you think!

Struggles with the SmartBoard

This is a cross post with the Global Learner's blog.
After taking a math technology course this summer, one of my projects was to prepare a tech lesson extending past our comfort zone. With me, it's the SmartBoard. I planned a lesson around congruency shortcuts of triangles because I thought that the ability to manipulate the tools (ruler and protractors) as well as the triangles themselves would be an appropriate use of the capabilities of the SmartBoard. I felt a had a great lesson, with background-building vocabulary, questions with answers covered with the screen shade, sequential topics to investigate which short-cuts work, and conversation topics for each slide--all prepared on the SmartBoard notebook.

However, as I'm sure we've all experienced, the lessons that seem great in theory flop in the classroom. I struggled very hard to line up my ruler and protractor using my finger, so measuring 3 pieces of two different triangles was long and frustrating. Even sorting objects by dragging them around seemed difficult and tedious. If I got a student brave enough to attack the tools, it still left the rest of the class unengaged and bored quickly. I adapted the rest of the lesson in order to cover the main points. Any writing I did was very hard to read since my orientation was off no matter how many times I tried to readjust (and my SmartBoard was against the wall.)

The main points of the SmartBoard that I would like to exploit are the ability to work out problems and record in real time and/or save and the manipulablity. Without these features, I don't see much difference than projecting on a regular screen. I try to be very cautious about using technology effectively and not just for the sake of using technology. However, I do not feel that the ability to save is great enough to offset the difficulties in writing and reading the work. And the ability to manipulate items can be powerful... for the person doing it, but leaves the rest of the class unengaged. It would be no different than me manipulating something from my laptop or with a wireless mouse for the class to view on a regular screen.

With this, I am looking forward to the Global Leaner chat this week, which happens to be about SmartBoards. I would love feedback on how the SmartBoard is used effectively in your classes, especially with secondary students. How does it keep the whole class engages? How does it benefit students who miss class? How can the benefits over projecting on a screen be maximized? And how can all of this be done on a regular basis?

Nice Change

Who has all the time to blog? During conferences I do. I just had a cool thing go on today. I was talking with Paul in W118 about how I don't know what to do with my 5th hour and how I get real frustrated with them. He suggested to just try putting on a super positive front. I had to have them take some notes because we are starting a new topic and he suggested addressing the class and telling them how great they are going to do on this topic and how I need them to pay very close attention and take notes for the next 10 minutes so that they can be as successful as I know they can be. I tried to keep this positive mentality going all the way to class, I greeted students at the door by name and told all of them hello. I was super positive and front loaded them with compliments and how I know they will be very successful....etc. The crazy thing is that it worked! The students were very productive today and exceeded my expectations on their assignment. Just wanted to give anyone else who's facing frustration with their classes some hope. Fake it until they make it.

PD sessions

Hey Guys and Gals,
I want to share a few thoughts about the PD sessions we have had up to this date. Personally, I am not very comfortable standing up front as if you were my students. I also don't feel I was prepared to be the presenter/facilitator, as I didn't really know what to plan for. After talking to Kevin I feel I will have a better chance to get ready ahead of time, when I know what our task will be and a calendar of objectives will be established. I propose moving to a setting where we will be arranged in a more collaborative setting, where you are all facing each other, rather than front center as if in a classroom. I have tables and chairs in my room. Any objections to moving?

I also welcome any thoughts, suggestions, or criticisms you have in how our meetings are managed. You can even post anonymously or speak to me personally or by e-mail if you prefer.
TD

1st Full Week Completed

Hello! Congratulations to everyone for completing the first week of school. I know many of us have had some difficulties, but I do feel like I might be starting to get the hang of this new teaching thing. Not to say that I don't have a long way to go, but I am starting to feel a bit more comfortable.