Math
Let's Talk About Math!
I believe that students can learn more
Advanced Math Earlier than has been customary.
Math is the Tool Chest of all the sciences.
Its tools of analysis are useful everywhere,
in every branch of study.
A good way to start a math class is to have a
problem on the board, covered (visually hidden).
The reason it's hidden is because we want the students
to use the first 2 minutes to talk and get settled.
It's best to have times alloted to different kinds
of activities. Given a few minutes to get their
"hellos" and urgent messages and quick socializing
done, they'll be ready to focus on the tasks.
After the 2 minutes of settling-in time,
greet them, uncover the problem, and they get down
to work on it immediately in total silence. It's not
a very demanding or long problem but it gets them into
work mode and stimulates their memory.
Meanwhile, the teacher takes roll from the group
leaders who can confer with the teacher at this
time if they have not already done so during the first
2 minutes.
Students will finish at different rates and those
who finish sooner can come up to the board and do a
homework problem. Keep track of this and give them
"extra credit" for it. They love it. It's motivating.
It works. Have them sign the work that they do on the
board. It's show biz.
Go over the problems, but don't spend the whole
period on it. To save time, go over problems
they select or ones that they appear to be having
difficulty with.
Boardwork can also be made part of team
competition games, accumulating points for those teams
who do board problems most often and best. If this
becomes a burden keeping score, give the assignment
to a student as a reward. They love the power,
responsibility, and attention.
After these review activities of the problems
in the previous section, we all open our Texts,
and the teacher goes over the next section, briefly
telling the students what it's about. Then, the
teacher does a few sample problems for them.
This would be a good time to have the students
arrange their desks in group clusters if they are
not already so arranged. Then, given time, the teacher
might ask for volunteers to work out a few problems
on the board, or just give them problems to work on
in their groups, and go from group to group assisting
them as needed.
This would be a good time for a competition
among the groups. Give a challenging problem and
awards for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place teams
with the correct answer. Or, to prevent the unfair
results if there's a star or two in the class, make
it individual work, but let the points accumulate for
a team. The varieties are endless. Rewards can
be points, getting dismissed a minute early,
or other little privileges. I doesn't really
matter. Just making a game of it makes it fun.
Give a short homework assignment 2 to 5 minutes
before the end of class. It should be short because
we want the students to have full, well-balanced
lives, and we know they should be doing other
activities. But a short assignment every night
spreads the learning activities out, improving
mental absorption and assimilation. And, of course,
it primes the pump for the next day's class when
we go over the homework!
During these last 2-5 minutes, loosen up,
because the students probably already have!
Some may want to get their homework assignment
over with. Usually they'll chat. They'll be
relaxed and composed and ready for their next
class, and so will the teacher!