Dear CONNECTors

Posted on by

Dear CONNECTors,

Despite feeling sad and heartbroken by where I am sitting or teaching from, I am encouraged by the community of teachers I have seen online, within my district, and among my teacher friends that we are still who we are and still putting our hearts into lessons and relationships we have built with our students. We are what our students still need and want. We are still making a difference even if it doesn’t feel the same. We are still teachers.

As I look towards the end of the year, I see that I have accomplished so much this year even with disruptions and disjointed days.

  • Desmos has been one of the best learning tools I have used. I love it for the aspects of discovery, visual, and technology enhancement. I have used pre-existing lessons that Desmos developed, others have developed, and I have developed my own, though not nearly as sophisticated. These are some of my favorites.
    • Click Battle 
    • Mini Golf Marble Slides
    • Pool Border Problem
    • Marcellus the Giant
    • Marbleslides: Lines
    • Adding Integers
  • Getting students to talk has been one of my ongoing successes. I feel that I have created a classroom where students feel safe and feel that they can access math from wherever they are on the learning curve. Ways that I have gotten students to talk have been through low-floor, high-ceiling questioning. On top of talking, I have gotten my students to move out of their chairs at least once a day.
    • What do you notice? What do you wonder? – These are the two most simple questions, but they are also the most powerful questions. I use these questions as introductions and as ways to further student thinking especially when they are stuck. Many times, I ask students to notice 5 things and have 2 wonderings. They stand up and share with a partner, which takes under 1 minute to do. Then as a class, they share out, and their ideas are recorded as notes. It amazes me every time I do this because they notice and know so much without me. It is important to acknowledge all ideas because it is that student’s access point.
    • Which one doesn’t belong? – I label the four corners of my room, and students actually walk to the corner to represent what they think. In the corner, they find a partner and high-five them and talk about why they choose that corner. In addition to talking to their own corner, they must also try to convince others to join them, getting a debate started.
    • What’s the same? What’s different? – These questions have the same effect as the notice/wonder ones but are most specific. Humans naturally compare things already, so why not capitalize on it in the classroom?
    • Would you rather..? – This question has sparked some major debates in my class, but again, it’s about getting students to talk and reason. Conversation is never ending with this one. 

These are the strangest of times in our lives and careers. I know that when I say that I had never imagined myself in this position as a teacher, I am just echoing the thoughts and words of every teacher around the country. But it doesn’t stop me from feeling success and feeling like I have done my job, my passion well. I challenge you to take time out and write down what you have accomplished. Your list is probably just as long if not longer than mine. 

We can’t do this without each other. Reach out and stay CONNECTed. 

-May (myvang1@gmail.com)