Mrvaudrey

Delighted

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mrvaudrey

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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).

Comments

5 responses to “Delighted”

  1. Michael Paul Goldenberg Avatar
    Michael Paul Goldenberg

    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.

    Reply
    1. Matt Vaudrey Avatar
      Matt Vaudrey

      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.

      Reply
  2. Amanda Land Avatar
    Amanda Land

    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.

    Reply
  3. Amy Zimmer Avatar
    Amy Zimmer

    As Always…inspirational! Amy

    Reply
  4. Michael Paul Goldenberg Avatar
    Michael Paul Goldenberg

    Hmm, not sure what happened with my comment. I tried to say that a negative discriminant implies no real solutions but it got butchered somehow. Anyway, obviously you figured out the point and I’m glad you agree. Some teachers in high school, particularly if they see their kids as barely hanging on with their fingernails to ANY knowledge in algebra, fear complicating things with supplementary information. I tend to disagree, though of course teachers have to make the call individually. I just like to give kids more to chew on if they’re willing to do so. ;^)

    Reply

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