Log War!!!

We played Log War in Math III today. They had fun. To my surprise, someone actually won in the limited time I gave them. Turns out, she stacked the deck. Gave her partner all of the ones with a fraction as an argument. Love it!

Using Google Forms for Assessment

I don't know that I'll ever use Google Forms for formal assessments, but I'm experimenting with it for formative assessment. Instead of giving my Honors Math III a study guide for Exponential Growth (feel free to take it and see the feedback you get), I created this Google Form (feel free to take it). I used Super Quiz to automatically grade it and email results. I then used Flubaroo to do the same thing. The set up for both is pretty similar.

Super Quiz
Pros:

1. Real-time feedback.
2. Customizable Feedback
3. Customizable Grade (with some tinkering) to reflect SBG level.
4. Lot's of data

Cons:

1. Students didn't know which questions they got wrong.
2. Feedback not so pretty--somewhat convoluted for a student to read.

Flubaroo

Pros:

1. Real-time feedback if autograding is turned on.
2. Feedback is visual and provides the question and response.
3. Customizable points per question.
4. Streamlined data

Cons:

1. Can't create (yet?) customizable SBG level.

Neither will attach the images that went along with the questions. I think, to be more effective, I'll still print them on paper and hand them out, then let them fill in their answers on Google Forms. That way, they can see the questions, answer choices, and their answer. There is also an option for giving them the answer key, but where's the fun in that?

I'm thinking about (long-term) making one of these for each skill. Students can't take the formal assessment until they make Level 2 (3?) on the practice. I also want to be able to write a Google Script that will randomize the values for the questions.

One of those days...

Whoa, boy. Today was rough. There was an aura of negative energy across both of my classes after lunch. The only thing I can think of off-kilter was that the cafeteria did Thanksgiving lunch today and for some reason, it took them longer than usual to get it out each of our 4 lunch periods, so some kids were rushed getting to class. Don't know if this was part of the issue. It's a week until a full moon. Kids were cussing freely, talking over each other and me, and immediately getting frustrated when they didn't understand when they usually ask questions. I mostly kept my cool, but, forget being positive, the best I could do was remain neutral.

Gonna kick the dust off tonight and try again tomorrow.

Edit: I have some thoughts on why it may have been rough. I think today was the first day in a loooong time that those classes listened to me (weren't on their computers) for the whole class. That's not to say I lectured. We did Desmos's Parabola Polygraph. This got them amped up a bit and that was a good thing, but I didn't provide a transition to quiet--we just kinda went straight into talking about negative, positive, decreasing, and increasing intervals and doing some more graphing practice. The overall structure of my classes is inconsistent at best. I need to find a way to build structure and keep the self-pacing in place. Thinking...

Also, they earned new assigned seats for tomorrow. :)

Collaboration -- Yaaay!!!

So, I said I was going to try something new--I was going to take away the headphones and have them work in pairs when watching the video with the speakers on the Chromebooks, in hopes that this would spark communication and collaboration. It worked!

I had them pair up, watch the video, then come to me with their summaries. When a pair came up with different summaries, I turned them away to come up with a master summary. I was able to talk with each student and read their thoughts. It was a pretty easy section, but couldn't have started off any better. The other two classes will try their hand at it tomorrow.

I took a poll, 1-5, of how they liked it and got 8/12 5's. One student, who has been having troubles focusing and completing tasks gave it a hearty 5 with a big smile (and I think a big look of relief). The 1's and 3's came from people who like to work independently. When I told them they'd be working with a different partner tomorrow, they all said they'd give it a zero. Hahaha! We'll see.

Pros
It wasn't something I considered ahead of time, but their not having their headphones in allowed me to sit down and discuss with them without feeling like I was "interrupting". Definitely a pro. Allowed me to feel like a teacher again. ;)

Cons
Not sure. None? It took the slowest group 40 minutes to watch a 15-minute video and summarize. But I've noticed it always takes the slowest longer than I think and they don't seem to be off task. I guess I'll just keep on keepin' on and let them take their time.

What I Would Have Done Differently
Nothing? It went extremely well and we were even able to have a mini-lesson at the end so I could throw out some things that weren't on the video.

What I Will Do in the Future
Tomorrow, we'll be playing Desmos Polygraph to cement the vocabulary ideas!!! One of my favorites! We will also start applying, applying, applying!

Who'da Thunk It

I'll let the data speak for itself... Math III. HONORS!!!

Gonna show them this and I hope it gets through to those who aren't completing their work that it might be helpful. Certainly couldn't hurt...

I know correlation isn't causation and that there may be (are) other reasons, but still, effort can make up for so many deficiencies.

Chromebook Pilot - One Month Recap

It's been a month since I posted. I got busy. Who'd of thunk it? A teacher? In October? This was rushed, but I wanted to get something down so I can go back to posting more often.

I am going to organize this into pros, cons, difficulties, what (I think) the kids liked, what I would have done differently, and what I plan to do going forward. I haven't formally thought this through, so I'll be just as surprised as you!

Pros
Self-pacing/Not teaching
No excuses
Organization of materials
Desmos Activity Builder!
Sitting in Groups

Cons
Lack of peer-to-peer interaction at certain parts throughout lessons.
Not "teaching". I miss lecturing.

Difficulties
Trying to get the right mix of individual/group work
Finding the right formative assessments that don't interrupt their focus


What (I think) the Kids Liked
Believe it or not, the videos. Many groan when I say I'm going to teach a concept. Don't know if that's because they think I suck or they like the benefits of the video. I really want to have all my videos and packets done already, but I'm glad I don't because this is giving me a chance to really cement how I want my videos and resources to be and how they mesh. We went to a PLC conference (the DuFours) last week. It was awesome and could be a blog post on its own, but, in reference to my near-term classroom, it's going to change how I look at 2 things: Homework and Student Data Notebooks. In fact, that will be its own blog post if I can get around to it.

What I Would Have Done Differently
More hands-on activities or  problem-based learning.
Started more slowly, adding one thing a week (Classroom, Desmos, videos, etc.).
I think no head phones. I just can't control if they are listening to music. I think I'm going to have them pair up to watch the videos in spots throughout the room. That way I can incorporate peer-to-peer interaction, too.

Going Forward...
I may eliminate formal assessments on each skill and just do Mastery Checks, which they would take like a real test, but they would grade it. They would track the grades in their data notebook and I would post the grades online (with 0 weight). Their official grades would come maybe with a mid-unit assessment and a unit assessment, both separated by skills.

• they grade
• goes in the gradebook, but with no weight
• only the mid-unit and unit tests count?

I think I'm also going to make stations for summary, where I'll sit and where they'll go when they finish watching the video. They'll have to pass muster before moving to the practice stations. After they finish practicing and checking their solutions, they will go to the application/student tutor

Next Semester:
1. Teach as whole group by the video, modeling how to pause, rewind, and take notes.

2. I assume some will gradually begin asking me if they can watch on their own. Of course they can!

3. Eventually set all my birdies free.

Also:

• Data Notebooks, for sure
• Change homework packets--generally 6 new problems, 2-3 problems from earlier in the unit, and 2-3 problems from earlier in the year. I was told at the PLC conference that high school students should get 6-10 questions per night, including review.