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.

Photo Feb 22, 9 52 57 AM

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."

“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).