After our Start-of-the-Period Routine, my first period sat quietly as we made a foldable together. They asked pertinent questions about the Discriminant as we colored, cut, and took notes on colored paper.
I then gave them options for two different activities, one of which involves walking around the class and submitting answers on digital responders. The instant I put on Pandora[1], the entire class…
…went to work. Every one of them started one of the activities, grabbed whiteboards to show their work, and murmured quiet calculations in pairs or trios.
“Class, please return to your sea-! Oh… never mind.”
I looked around the class for something to do and I noticed…
…they don’t need me.
And that is how I define a successful class.
The class average for the responders was 90%. All that’s missing to make my class complete heaven is Han Solo giving me a high-five.
[1]The Pandora stations that I use for quiet studying are Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Ludovico Einaudi, and City and Colour (make sure explicit content is turned off).
As Always…inspirational! Amy
This is exactly what we are doing in my class as well. Thanks for the explicit lyrics advice. We listen to Pandora in the classroom a lot but I have narrowed it town to Demi Lovato radio which plays mostly disney teenage show music….lol. The kids like it ok, but I am getting tired of it. I don’t worry about things slipping through that way though. What were the 2 activities you had them do with this if you don’t mind me asking. Always trying to widen my toolbelt.
Very nice. Always good to find the students don’t need you.
Music is great if you find stuff that helps kids focus.
Minor quibble: prefer to say, d no REAL solutions. Why have to suddenly say further on down the line, “Oh, just kidding when we said, “No solutions”? Being accurate also makes students more aware that the domain of the set of acceptable solutions matters and needs always be considered.
You know what? You’re right. I try to build anticipation for math, and they will feel like the Discriminant is more important if they see a connection to the larger world of mathematics. Good call.