There's Never Enough Time

I've been in a number of classrooms lately when the displayed objective has been something to the general effect of "SWBAT (teachers will know that stupid combination of letters) review content in order to be successful on tomorrow's test." The teacher then proceeds to hand out a packet of worksheets, play a game, or have the students skim their textbook to determine what topics they are shaky on.

What is the purpose of taking a whole class period to review? Is there a good way to do it? Most math teachers seem to feel that this is a valuable use of time. What I've determined from observing and listening to the students is that this becomes the time to confirm that they might not do well on tomorrow's test. Does it motivate them to go home and study for the test? Not, if the students I spoke to are being honest. One young man didn't have a single problem correct on his worksheet. When I tried to help him, he said, "I know how to do this stuff." I guess because I was a visitor in the classroom, he didn't quite trust my opinion that he needed some help. In another class, the teacher had the class broken into 2 teams to play a game that used problems from the chapter. As I watched I realized that only the team member who was 'on' was doing the problem. Her teammates were encouraging her but the teacher said they couldn't help her. Everyone was supposed to be doing all the problems and confirming their answers. the 'good' kids were doing that. When all was said and done, not every student on either team had a chance to solve a problem. Plus, what does the teacher really know about what the students understand? The teacher might know that a student knows or doesn't know how to solve one specific example. There has to be a better way!

My opinion...if you're going to spend a whole class period to review the day before a test, find and use a rich task that utilizes all the skills of the unit. Allow the students to work in collaborative teams to work on an engaging task together. Make sure the problem requires the students to use the content from the chapter in connection with prior learning. If the teacher circulates while the students work, he may have a chance to find out where the students are being successful and where they are still struggling. Individual intervention can be done or the teacher can pull the class together briefly to clarify something with which everyone is struggling.

I just think that if one class period is used for every test review...hmmmmmm, about 10 to 12 units times 2 (1 for review, 1 for test), the teacher and students have used 20 to 24 days. Add in a possible day after the test for error analysis and all the days lost for mandatory standardized testing AND there goes more than a month of valuable instruction. No wonder there is never enough time.

I think that teachers need to learn to be more efficient at continually building review into their lessons. If mathematics is truly a 'building block' curriculum, then each day should have very natural connections to the day before and the day after. We need to look at the big picture, the story of the entire course, and find ways to tell that story without chopping it up. Maybe there's never enough time because we are blaming all the wrong reasons? Again, hmmmmmmmmmmm.....

 

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Hurricane Sandy...Exciting Times

The east coast just survived a major storm. It certainly wasn't the first and won't be the last. Our schools have been closed for 2 days, so kids and many teachers are very happy. It is a wonderful feeling to not have to venture out of the house in dangerous conditions. Not everyone has that luxury; witnessed by the cars and trucks on the highways whenever the news would flash to a live picture of the interstates. But, must the closing of schools be a disruption to student learning?

As we, as a society, become more and more connected by the Internet, texting, etc., is there a way to put some sort of virtual learning in place so that our students don't really lose two days of school? My brain is coming up with many reasons why this isn't possible at this moment in time, but I'd rather think about how amazing this could be. The naysayers who read this can comment on the negative and list them, if they'd like to waste energy on that list.

Last night, even as each of my co-workers reported that they had lost power, they still had their smartphones and were able to continue to stay connected. Maybe our school systems need to begin to brainstorm ways to put some of these learning opportunities in place. This is such an exciting time. Putting virtual learning opportunities into place could be one more way that our school system could capitalize on days when the schoolhouse can't be open. Witness how quickly your own children become bored when the power goes out. But, as mentioned, my own son never lost his cellphone service. He was texting, etc throughout the storm. Could your students be Tweeting with you when school is closed? Could teachers have Facebook groups? Could you all come up with even better ideas?

Very exciting times!

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The Avengers

Watching the BluRay of the Avengers...less than 5 minutes in and Loki says, " I'm burdened with glorious purpose."

As a reflective teacher, I think this is my new mantra. In my mind, this says it all!

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