Check My Arithmetic

Wednesday. Sophomore math, eighth period. 

While most of Mr. R's classes are co-taught, his eighth period is not, which means that I get to teach it. Woo-hoo!

They just started a unit on geometry. (Back in the day, freshmen took algebra 1, sophomores took geometry, and juniors took algebra 2. Nowadays they've mixed all the topics up and distributed them over the three years differently.) We did a day of definitions (which they should have learned the previous year), and on this day it was time to go over some problems having to do with those definitions. 

I showed the kiddos how to set up one of the problems. I gave them some time to try it out. And then I worked it out with them to make sure they knew what they were doing. 

As I worked the problem, I got to a point where I had to subtract two numbers. And I paused. 

I tell this like a joke, but it's true. I got through calculus just fine, but I stumble when it comes to arithmetic. 

I mean, I can add, subtract, multiply, and divide. But not fast, and not well. 

Give me an algebra problem, and I have no problem. Geometry is even easier. I took four semesters of calculus in college. I majored in physics. I can do the math. Just not the arithmetic. 

I was trying to subtract two numbers in front of the class. It was something like 123 - 15. The mental gymnastics weren't happening. A student helpfully provided me with the 108. 

And so, I admitted my problem. I told them, "Seriously, check my arithmetic." 

I figure it's better to admit it. They all use calculators, anyway. I'd rather they catch me if I write down the wrong number. If they let me know where I made an error, I can fix it right away, thereby not confusing them with mistakes. 

As I proceeded through the page of problems, I made sure to check the key, just in case. I didn't make any major errors. I miswrote a bunch of things (I wrote a 6 when I meant to write an x), but I got the arithmetic mostly right. 

Still, I'll never entirely trust myself. It's too easy for me to slip up. 

Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter

Keeping Track

It's just one of those little things I normally do. Whenever a teacher leaves me notes of some sort (or gives us a chapter to read as a class), I take down the number of times I have to stop to get the class' attention.

Whenever there's a sub, the class will not stay focused. Sure, full-time teachers tell me to kick out the kid that is the ringleader. But when I'm in the class for one day, I have a hard time identifying who that might be. And besides, it's usually at least half the class that's talking while I'm trying to go over whatever material the class needs to get through that day.

So, rather than spin my wheels trying to figure out who to kick out or who to move, I just take a tally mark for each time the class starts talking again, necessitating that I stop and get their attention again.

7th grade science. The PowerPoint was on evolution.

I'm not sure why I didn't bring up the usual sheet of paper with me. I guess it was because I didn't have a podium. But at the third time I had to stop to get them to stop talking, I realized that the white board was right there. It wasn't like they were going to notice, right?

"What's that?"

Me: "I'm keeping track of the number of times I have to ask the class to stop talking."

And then a funny thing happened. The front of the room started to get worried. And tried to shush the talkers (who were in the back of the room). It didn't help much, but it made me think. I had not considered letting them see this tally before.

Perhaps I should let them know I'm doing this in the future. I could easily do it so they can see.

One class got to 11. The second class got to 19. And the third class got to 22. (The other classes had a different lesson.) When they knew I was leaving that number for their teacher...

What do you think? Should I let the classes know I'm keeping that tally? Do you prefer PowerPoints or Prezis?

Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter...

This letter available for the giveaway

And Then a Miracle Occurred

It was a bad, bad day. Algebra readiness. These classes were filled with freshmen who were not ready for algebra. And many were not fans of math anyway.

2nd period came in like a herd of wild elephants. They were loud. Wouldn't let me get a word in edgewise (and I was supposed to go over notes with them). And they thought it was fun to play around. Throwing paper at each other. Screeching.

I keep a tally of the number of times I have to stop and get their focus back. (I leave that number for the teacher.) It was north of 20.

So, typical freshmen. And I knew my day was going to be very, very long.

3rd period was pretty much the same.

I wasn't expecting much from 4th period. I started off the period by explaining that I had a bunch of stuff to go over with them (the notes were on scientific notation), and if they would help me out by paying attention while I did that, they could talk afterwards.

I got into the meat of the lesson...and the class settled. One student even commented on how quiet the class was.

I held my breath. I crossed my fingers. And somehow they remained settled for the entirety of the lesson.

A miracle.

Too bad 5th and 6th periods went crazy. At least I had a period of not-so-bad.

Seeing, Not Doing

8th Grade Pre-Algebra

The teacher was teaching a new section. I was subbing for the special ed teacher who had eight students in the class. My job was to assist those eight students, but since the teacher had the whole class's attention, I hovered around, watching for misbehavior.

(This was the same class I did battle with on Friday, so there was much misbehavior to clamp down on.)

One of "my" students was playing around. (He thought the middle of the lecture was the perfect time to try to hit the trashcan with his blank wadded up paper.) I meandered over to investigate.

His desk was devoid of notes. Notes that he should have been copying from the projected ones the teacher was modeling. (Note: this was the same projector I knocked over last week.) So, I pointed this out.

"I'm a visual learner."

Mmmm...

Several thoughts flashed through my head. In no particular order:

• If you don't have any notes, you have nothing to visually learn.
• This is a math class. You take notes in a math class.
• I'm a visual learner too. And I always took notes in class. To help me. Learn. Visually.
• Math is a do skill. You must do the notes to practice. To learn.

Yeah, all of these things occurred to me. And I knew not a one of them would make a difference. Because no matter what I say in a situation like this, what I get back is a counterargument.

Don't ask me why I'm so certain of this. Or do. If you have a week or so to hear my examples.

Instead I stood over him. Looming. Until he got out his notes. And started copying down what the teacher was modeling for the whole class.

If only the looming had worked on the kid who told me he was "lazy" and wasn't going to take notes just because.

I had such trouble with these kids when the teacher was out. It's really good to know that it wasn't just me.

(Curious what kind of learner you are? Try the VARK questionnaire.)

Reprieve

Monday was a bad day. A really bad day.

I covered an 8th grade pre-algebra class. The lesson plan had me going over fill-in-the-blank notes with the classes. I couldn't get them to stop talking long enough to complete those notes.

I tried everything. I called out the talking students. Moved a couple around. Kicked a couple out of class. Took away time from their break. Nothing worked.

I was scheduled to return on Tuesday. I tried not to think too much about it overnight.

I got back to the school Tuesday morning. The secretary told me, "You've been reassigned."

YES!!!

There was a bit of a sub crunch, so I was sent to the other middle school.

Subject: 8th grade pre-algebra. The classes: Oh, so much better!

They weren't silent. But they let me get through the stuff I had to tell them. And I think the fact that I didn't have a lecture/notes to give them helped. Of course, the fact that they let me do anything at all tells you how much more cooperative they were than that other class.

Same grade. Same subject. But the classes were so completely different. Tuesday was a good day.

(I ran into the sub who ended up in the other class on Tuesday. He had the same experience with them that I did. So, it wasn't just me.)

Newfangled Notes

It was the third time I'd covered for the AP US history teacher this year (since January). And a couple of those times I was the sub on the second day of her absence. This is unlike her. I hope she gets better soon.

This time, the class was supposed to prepare for a test the next day. They were a bit bewildered. They hadn't gotten the official notes on these two chapters.

As the absence had been unexpected, papers were strewn about the teacher's desk. A student noticed one of these--the Power Point slides for the current chapters. The chapters on the test.

"Can I take my phone out and take pictures of these?"

I've gotten such requests before. In most cases, the students should just copy the notes. But this time I had no projector or computer, and I wasn't about to write all those notes on the board (there were a lot).

In next to no time, the rest of the class got wind of the found notes. And many wanted pictures. But photo sharing is easy, right?

Turns out, the class has a Facebook page. So, the one student shared those photos to the page. Now everyone had access, or at least everyone who had a Facebook.

Technology. Ain't it grand?

(I also noticed the test on the teacher's desk. That I hid away before anyone got wind that it was there. Pics of notes is one thing. Pics of test--not happening on my watch.)

Voiceless

I've had this weird congestion thing for about a week now. I can breathe. I don't feel sick. But I've got this awful sounding cough, and my voice...well, my voice either cracks or drops an octave. I don't sound like myself. And I don't have a "loud".

Algebra class at the continuation high school. The teacher left me notes to give the class. Simple stuff: adding integers. I could have gone over it in about five minutes if they would have let me.

Giving notes is always a challenge for a sub. They've tuned out. (And it didn't help that it was Halloween.) This is why most teachers leave bookwork when they have a sub.

I can usually berate and guilt them into attention long enough to get done what's required. I've done it before. I remind them that it's stuff their teacher wanted them to learn. I explain that they'll have work to go along with it (if there is). Most of the time, if I remind them that it is school time and they are there to learn, I get enough attention to get through whatever notes they need to take.

But this class was off-the-charts loud.

And I could not raise my voice so that I could be heard. (Although, I don't think even my normal loud would have been loud enough for them to hear me.)

It was beyond frustrating.

I saw the teacher the next day. He confirmed that that period was loud. How he deals with them every day... That is one tough class.