Where did they all come from?

This week has gone well, I'm exhausted! I don't know where all the students have come from? My regular geometry classes have 34 students each! I'm not giving up on my vision, I just have to make some adjustments. Will figure it out this weekend.

Day 1

Wow what a day! I focused on creating those relationships with students and it was great. I will never forget the look on their faces when I asked what their expectations were of me. It was a great conversation.
You to teach me geometry
Don't overload us with homework
Be in a good mood
Keep us from failing
Explain things
Don't go too fast

One student complained I don't like these kind of questions! I am going to have to work hard to keep my goal of inquiry based learning. My two geometry classes have 35 & 34 students!! There is hardly enough room to walk around with so many students, but I am not giving in!!

Overall it was a good first day, looking forward to tomorrow.

First Day Again

Tomorrow the journey begins, I both excited and apprehensive about the beginning of the new semester. I have made my list of notes and objectives for the day.

Why is it so many students (people) find it acceptable to say they can't do math? I do not have an answer to this question. It has been asked and an answer is attempted by minds greater than mine.

My goal this semester is to convince students they can do math! I understand why students feel like they can't do math, often when I look at a students progress reports to see how they are doing in their other courses, geometry is the worst grade. Sometimes these same students struggle in foreign language, but that's a topic for another day. My point is I want to help students not hate math, I know it is too much to ask they like or even enjoy math.

This means I need to get their attention during these first days of the new semester. I have to find a way to "rope them in." It is going to be important to establish relationships with my students, which means I WILL get behind! I have been told if you spend time getting the students on board in the beginning it is possible to get them to work well enough to catch up. I hope it is true!

So tomorrow it is all about beginning relationships, I will check back in at the end of the first day . . .

My journey away from lecture to inquiry based learning in geometry.

This week begins a new semester at the high school and with the new semester a new group of students and an opportunity to start at the beginning again.
I am going to change how I teach geometry this semester and have decided to keep a blog about my progress. Our high school is big on tradition, and traditionally the geometry teachers have taught the course through lecture, memorization of definitions, theorems, and postulates to be used in 2-column proofs. The students sitting in my classroom do not see the relevance and often become overwhelmed with the amount of memorization and the pace of the course.
I do not want to spend another semester feeling like a failure as I watch students decide to give up on geometry. This approach (lecture) may work for others, but it is not working for me with my current students.
My hope is as I begin the new semester with a new group of students is to inspire them to enter my classroom each day eager to learn. I will incorporate more group work, and discovery of concepts through the use of technology. I know this will be a difficult change for me as I feel pressure from my professional learning team to keep up and to cover all the curriculum. I hope I can continue to hold to my vision even as things get difficult.
Tuesday is the first day, so tomorrow I need to finish up the details. Structure is going to be important. I will check in and reflect on the day.