I wasn't excited last year when I heard that I would be teaching the Honors Algebra 1 class this year. I tend to like the upper classmen more... but going from my Integrated (aka general) Algebra 1 to Honors was a move up.
I'm formally admitting that I was wrong. Today in class we were able to review some problems, take a quiz, and go over a new lesson. Do you think I could've done that last year? Ha! The new lesson was on Solving One-Step equations, which all of the kids are familiar with and I probably could have skipped. Tomorrow's solving two-step equations and I'm not going to be here, so I'm trying to decide what kind of notes/assignment to leave them. I'd like to leave an assignment on which they can check their answers... I need to check my puzzle/pun worksheets to see what I have.
What really has amused me is the seriousness in which they take correcting their homework answers. Someone asked me the other day if she should mark a problem wrong on her assignment because she wrote a number in a different form that I did (maybe she didn't reduce a fraction or something - I don't know). I told her not to mark it wrong but to make sure she reduces (or whatever) in the future. She was relieved. And they're really concerned with how to organize their notebooks... I feel like I should have some sort of set method, but I know every student is different and I don't want to tell them one set way to do it. Is that bad? As long as they're organized and keeping stuff I'm happy.
(Oh, and I just noticed today that they all have graphing calculators.... gotta love it!)
I'm formally admitting that I was wrong. Today in class we were able to review some problems, take a quiz, and go over a new lesson. Do you think I could've done that last year? Ha! The new lesson was on Solving One-Step equations, which all of the kids are familiar with and I probably could have skipped. Tomorrow's solving two-step equations and I'm not going to be here, so I'm trying to decide what kind of notes/assignment to leave them. I'd like to leave an assignment on which they can check their answers... I need to check my puzzle/pun worksheets to see what I have.
What really has amused me is the seriousness in which they take correcting their homework answers. Someone asked me the other day if she should mark a problem wrong on her assignment because she wrote a number in a different form that I did (maybe she didn't reduce a fraction or something - I don't know). I told her not to mark it wrong but to make sure she reduces (or whatever) in the future. She was relieved. And they're really concerned with how to organize their notebooks... I feel like I should have some sort of set method, but I know every student is different and I don't want to tell them one set way to do it. Is that bad? As long as they're organized and keeping stuff I'm happy.
(Oh, and I just noticed today that they all have graphing calculators.... gotta love it!)
I really enjoy my one Algebra 1 Honors class. I, too, typically teach seniors and juniors, but something about this class, I've always liked. I like to think I'm a good bridge for them to high school math classes of their future.
ReplyDeleteBrian, I totally agree. I want to make sure their Algebra skills are solid before they move on. Hopefully we're both successful in that!
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