Active Engagement Strategies

I utilize a variety of ways for active engagement strategies.  I try to utilize white boards to engage students.  Another thing I do is try to implement fun games, while allowing them to learn math.  In the spring, I want to use more games.  I want to include games; however, I want to ensure students are learning while having fun (rather than goofing around).  I believe that students will learn if you get to know them, so I believe that sometimes a good engagement strategy is knowing more about the name of your students.  If you get to know them, it will lower their affective filter, and it will help you teach the student.  I want to explore more engagement strategies in the spring.

Classroom Management -- the final weeks of school

For my classroom management strategies for the final weeks of school, I have kept in mind their desire to go on Christmas break (Holiday Break).  I realize that their willingness to learn has gone down, unfortunately.  However, I have worked to keep them motivated.  I have also given them more practice, so that they are able to talk and work.  I believe that having them work together is an effective way to keep them engaged.  As a positive incentive plan, I used a couple of ideas.  One is that I motivate them towards the life that they want (career) and the grade that they want in school.  I also have offered them a limited amount of extra credit, which I find motivates them.  Also, on the final day, if they finished early, I allowed them to do a Sudoku puzzle for extra credit.  Many of them enjoyed that, and were working together on that after the final.  I find that it is good for problem solving.  It also was a positive motivator, since I did not want them to be on cell phones during the final exam.

I also gave them positive feedback when they correctly solved a problem.  I find this is good, because they feel motivated when they are having success, from what I believe.

Counselor's

I have utilized my school counselors at Tolleson in many different situations.  I believe that my experiences in working with counselors has been very helpful.  I believe that they work very hard to ensure the best for the students.  I actually have been impressed, compared to how I thought they would help.  I thought that they would help the students, which has been true.  However, they also have helped me.  When I have talked to them, they have actually come into my classroom a couple of times to talk to students about certain things.  For example, we have been working together to keep the students motivated.  I have been working with them, and they came to talk to the students about motivation, because I thought that it would also be helpful.  They are helpful and available, and I have appreciated their role on campus.  Also, I have been in a 504 meeting, and that was good.  I have worked with parents and students to ensure that they have been given the resources that they need.

STEM Response

I have utilized the STEM process multiple times in lesson plans.  I teach mathematics, so that is one way that I can use a STEM plan.  In fact, during a couple of my lessons, I have used an inquiry based learning strategy, so that students can find out for themselves.  Last year, I let them discover for themselves how we graph a particular function.  I also let them discover how linear functions can be used in various settings.  I had them look at a particular cell phone plan, and try to discover a function that can model (if you have a fixed payment, yet text messages cost a certain amount).  I believe that this is helpful in allowing students to use discovery learning within STEM.

Common Core Standards Prompt

I believe, with common core, I believe that the standards make sense.  I think it makes sense to have everyone on the same page (ideally in every state).  I also get confused surrounding the controversy of why people do not like it.  I also do have some concerns.  I believe that we are putting standards much above where they were very recently.  I believe the implementation is too fast.  Also, I am not sure that this accounts for less motivated students.  I want to try to drive my students towards working hard.  Also, I want to continue having my lessons aligned to common core standards.  I am going to follow the district curriculum maps, since they are aligned to the Arizona Common Core Standards.