A catch up post, Week 10, Fall Break, Week 11

-

 Since I haven't posted in a couple of weeks, time for a catch up. 


Week 10: 

This was the week before break and we were all done. Completely. Totally. Done. 

Chemistry: 

Week 10: 

Started dimensional analysis (maybe that is why I was so done - teaching this is far harder than it should be). Did a little work on dimensional analysis. Then, on Wednesday/Thursday, I gave them a catch up day. They could work on their summative task, retake any thing they did poorly on, whatever. I did not feel like jumping into something on the day before break. I honestly didn't feel like working on the day before break. 

Over the fall break, I watched a webinar about mathematical reasoning. It really struck home because I realized that these kids had no concept of numbers or what they mean exactly or even really how to use them well. They know the algorithms but they don't really understand what they are doing. So over the break I created a lecture and some notes for them on this topic. I then laid out how they were to do things from now on and then made a worksheet for them to do to practice. 

Week 11: 

Monday/Tuesday: We went over the mathematical reasoning lecture and they worked on the worksheet. It was due the next class for a grade. 

Wednesday/Thursday: We began unit 2. I did the perfume demo and the food dye in hot and cold water demo. It was kind of a draggy, low energy day, that required a lot of thinking and processing from them. Some of the classes got it and some not so much. 

On Wednesday I blew at my 4A class. They are a very talky class to begin with and Wednesday they were particularly talky. I ended up just blowing. I kind of felt a little bad afterwards, but not really. I'm just kind of tired of the nonsense and the BS that goes on. It is getting to the point in the year where we are just worn down. So Monday, this class gets a new seating chart with all the talky people over on one side of the room and everyone else in front of me where we can learn. 

Okay, next week we start diving into gases and the gas laws. This should be interesting. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A lot has happened

-
 After my last post, I sat and went through the modeling curriculum and worked out that I was in Unit 6 of modeling. No worries, I just jumped right in. We did a lab, always a good way to start things, and next week we work on naming compounds - that should be fun. Anyway, the point is I feel much more comfortable with the curriculum. I know what I'm doing and I'm able to guide them to the correct answers. We went back to whiteboards at the tables instead of the standing at the whiteboards. We presented and did a power clap and it was good. Classes went much smoother and I was much happier.  It really did wonders for my mental health too. I was not completely exhausted by the end of the day. I had energy when I got home. I actually felt like doing things. It was amazing. So I can conclude that my total exhaustion was most likely due to mental fatigue. Well, I'm sure starting working out again helped a lot.  So things are a whole lot better. I am taking next Monday off and I
Read more

1st day done

-
 Yesterday actually went very, very well. Initially I was worried how they would respond to the whole notebook thing, but they actually did pretty well. And 4th period??? OMG, that class was awesome. Absolutely awesome. A couple of students were moved out of that class and I had a very well thought out seating chart and man it made a huge difference. So that was good.  Now I was another story. I was so tired. Sooooooo tired. My feet hurt, my legs hurt, my back hurt. I was a wreck. Then I came home and had to walk Mavy, ugh!!!! I did get things done though so that was good. But man, I was tired. Slept like a log last night.  The great thing about block schedule is that I get to do all that again today. Yay!!! The problem is that I get better and  better at it, so by the time I get to my last class, which will be the 6th time I've done that, I will be good and we will finish early. So I have to watch that.  Other than that, things are good. 
Read more

And we're back.....

-
 Today we are back to school. It's weird, this is my 13th year teaching and yet I still get the first day jitters. I kept waking last night and thinking about school today, usually things that could go wrong. It's just so funny that after all this time I still get nervous. Someone once said it's because I care and I guess that could be true. I do care about my teaching. It is something that I enjoy and take pride in and so yes, I care about how I do it and ultimately the outcome.  Today will be an easy day for them, and hopefully me. We are doing a sketchnote bootcamp. I want them to take ownership and pride in their notes and so we are going to spend the first day getting back into school and into sketchnoting. It will be good for most, but I know that I am going to get pushback from a few and that's okay, they can take the L when it comes to the notebook.  I'm not looking forward to the return only because it's work. We went to a friend's house yesterday f
Read more