I work in a traditional middle school in South Minneapolis. I used to teach 8th grade. I taught Algebra 1 to all the 8th graders. I worked very hard to be sure all 8th graders were included, regardless of past performance. It had its ups and downs but generally went okay. I think some (maybe even many) of my students left me with a deeper appreciation of the beauty of mathematics.
My job has changed. I am now the "Math Specialist". My responsibilities are to teach support classes of 8 to 12 students who are struggling. I teach two sections each of 5th graders, 6th graders, 7th graders, and 8th graders.
I'm the one who is struggling. One-fourth of the school year has passed and I still have not figured out how to make it work. Behavior, disenchantment, and a little bit of outright sabotage have been too much for me to overcome.
I know this model of instruction is not a good one - segregating the lowest achievers. But that's what I'm stuck with for this school year. Can anyone help me?
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Hi Seth,
ReplyDeleteSuzanne from Math Forum forwarded your post to me as an EnComPASS fellow. I'd love to respond and give you some support.
I currently teach in a cushy, suburban school district. Speak of cushy, my job title is "Teacher of Gifted" in a K-5 school! What you should know, however, is that partway through my teaching career, 2000-2002, I taught in Australia. I taught in an "outer ring" school in Melbourne, which is roughly equivalent to our inner city schools. The other thing that's relevant to know is that currently I'm teaching the "low track" of our school's fifth grade class. I love teaching the struggling math students, despite their behaviors, slow acquisition of skills, etc.
To me, the most important pedagogical hurdle is coming to terms with needing to teach the kids what they need to know and where they are, and NOT worry about the curriculum for their grade level. I cannot emphasize this enough: teach the kids, not the curriculum. I realize this is easier said than done, because there's such pressure to follow the curriculum, especially in light of standardized testing. But RESIST! Use the curriculum to give yourself a sense of where the kids might ultimately get to, but then let it go.
The reality is that teaching the curriculum is a waste of time unless the kids have the requisite skills and understandings to build on. Instead, figure out what they understand and build… very slowly… on that. If that means starting four or five grade below where they're supposed to be, that's what you need to do. They will learn that and then be able to progress. Really!
The next step is to develop trust and get them to talk about their mathematical ideas. One thing I do is have the kids check their work, homework or classwork, with a friend. I tell them that if they both have the same answer, it's probably right. The really valuable time, however, is when they have different answers. Then they have to talk it through and figure out who is right and why. At first, this is challenging and I know they miss things, but eventually listening to them puzzle through homework checks can be a joy. When I'm teaching, I'm constantly asking them to explain the whys. Personally, I know that I'm teaching them in the same ways I teach my gifted students: focusing on the concept development instead of algorithmic accuracy. They really respond to being treated with respect, AND when they can think through an idea, they feel immensely successful.
Many low skilled math students think they're supposed to know (i.e., memorize) everything. No wonder they're frustrated! We need to show them that they can actually think and reason and figure it out! Therefore, our job is to teach them to think about these ideas, and to feel safe doing so.
Another important idea to keep in mind is that success begets success and these kids haven't had much, so if you can provide them with a feeling of success and trust, then you can really move them. Practically, this means moving forward in baby steps, giving them lots of practice where they can feel successful. Nothing encourages them more than getting a good grade on a practice sheet.
I'm going to stop babbling here. The composition window is really small and I've lost track of what I've said. If it's helpful, then great! I'm happy to add more later.
Good luck and don't give up.
Debbie.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heartfelt, thoughtful response to my call for help.
I agree with your take on what to teach - that's what I've been doing. But so many of my students are so disenchanted, I can't pull them in. I've tried as many approaches as I know. I've seen so much resistance to thinking, so much resistance to working.
I'll follow your advice and keep trying. I also accept your wish of luck - luck might certainly help.
Seth
Hi Seth,
ReplyDeleteI don't know that I can give you any advice that you haven't already heard, but from the brief time that I've gotten to know you, I can say that you are a very intelligent and interesting person who is quite capable of figuring things out. I have every confidence in you.
Nathan Kraft
Nathan.
ReplyDeleteYour vote of confidence is very much appreciated.
You challenge me to rise to the challenge.
Seth
HI Seth,
ReplyDeleteI think you've gotten great responses from Debbie & Nathan. And I agree with both. I haven't been there myself - the computer lab has it's own enchantment for the younger kids and is a great motivator for good behavior and fun learning.
I'd just add that you have to model perseverance - don't give up on them even though it sounds like they've given up on themselves.
Keep showing them the honest you, your love for teaching math and your dedication to your students.
Be patient. (it is something I struggle with myself) and best of luck.
Regards,
Laurel
Hi Laurel.
DeleteThanks for the note.
I don't think my students have given up on themselves - if they've given up on anything, it's on school. That's the battle I feel like I'm fighting. In the past, I've been able to win over students to the joy of mathematics (at least a lot of students). The strange dynamic of these support classes has confounded my efforts so far.
But I won't give up on them. There's a possibility I might give up but it won't be on my students.
Seth
Hi Ssth,
ReplyDeleteSo far you've gotten some great advice. Don't give up on them even if it seems they've given up on themselves.
I have done a lot of reading about the impact of one's mindset about themselves. Specifically the work of Carol Dweck. Her book is called "mindset' and I think it speaks to kids like the ones you are teaching now. I'll send you some of her research via email. Essentially it talks about a growth vs fixed mindset. Students with fixed mindsets think that intelligence is fixed and there is nothing they can do about it, essentially they believe they are dumb as so that's that. But it is possible to teach them that intelligence develops through hard work.
Clearly your students and any low track student aren't stupid. Most often their gaps are caused by lost opportunities to learn.
I also agree with Debbie, forget the curriculum, they aren't learning it now so where's the loss. I'll look for some interesting and engaging activities and email them to you. Some of the students will try them and then build on that.
Also I'm sure that you have thought about this too, but try lessons that have to do with things that they can do, build something out of wood. There's your geometry unit and likely a whole lot more.
Stay strong and keep up the good fight. You will see that it will work in the long run.
Best,
Hope
Hello Hope.
DeleteThanks for the suggestion of looking at the Growth Mindset stuff. A teacher I work with suggested the same. I will look into that.
I'll look forward to your ideas for engaging activities.
It's funny, though. Engaging activities are great. But I feel like I have to bring a more cohesive set of experiences to my students. This is especially challenging because I see each group every other day.
But engaging definitely beats unengaged. So, I look forward to seeing your ideas.
Also - thanks for the reminder to pay attention to the "long run". That's good advice.
Seth
Seth -
ReplyDeleteDon't give up! You can do this! Whenever I start feeling frustrated, I look at this (I have it posted on the markerboard beside my desk at school):
http://thisisindexed.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/card2085.jpg
Hang in there!
Coop
Kelly ---
DeleteI love it - thank you.
Seth
Hi Seth,
ReplyDeleteWhile I only taught 1-2 classes a day of the situation you describe (it was an algebra support class students would be recommended to take due to history of non-success in maths would take), I feel you on the frustration on trying to find things that work to engage the kids. I'll second what commenters before me have said and recommend a few things along the type that I used with my disenchanted 9th graders that seemed to pull them in. I definitely never found a 'magic wand' for every kid, but
Estimation 180 (http://www.estimation180.com/)
Visual Patterns (http://www.visualpatterns.org/)
Andrew and Fawn's websites have things that I think are critical to get things believing that they can engage with mathematics--specifically number sense. Many of my kiddos were convinced maths was an act of memorizing responses for every pattern and, since that's ridiculously difficult, they had given up well before I got them in 9th grade so turning back to the basics of number sense and trying to infuse logical were my focus.
Graphing Stories (http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=213)
I used these ever year for day 1 just to get the math talking going. There is even a new website with more and if your kids have some access to tech that can record perhaps they could make there own for the class to graph.
Best wishes to you for this year! Your kiddos are fortunate to have someone working as hard as I know you do to figure out how to meet their needs.
-Ashli
Ashli -
DeleteYour comment brings me back to where I was when I learned I would be teaching this class. I was actually excited. My plan was to bring interesting, challenging (but accessible) mathematics to my students. On the first day of school, I told my students my goals:
• to help you learn as much math as you can this year
• to help you see how much fun math really is
I've strayed from those goals. Your comments and your references to the great work that our colleagues are creating reminds me of my original intentions. That's where I need to go. I have to weave in skills but I must also not lose sight of my original goals.
Thank you for helping me keep my eyes on the prize.
Seth
Hello Seth
ReplyDeletePick a couple topics, ones you know everyone will struggle with, but ones which tie strongly into ideas you know they will need later (combining like terms, factor trees, whatever). then group students with a partner and give them a topic which it will be their 'job' to get the others to understand. let these pairs become the experts and tell them their grade will depend on their own growth as well as the rest of the class' comprehension of the topic..
Give your students time and keep them working on the goals. Let your experts take the lead and surprise the first few to show successes with positive phone calls home telling their parents about what leaders their students have become in math.
You're trying to figure out the brains of adolescents when they barely understand themselves (if at all). Best you can hope for is them knowing you care and them caring about what you feel is important. Make sure they know they're on that list and they will likely surprise you.
when one of their topics comes up, have them help with the lesson.
Have fun. help them to do the same
Thanks for the suggestion(s).
DeleteI'm happy that I posted this call of distress. One of my strengths as a teacher of adolescents has been to truly care and live that caring.
My discouragements were getting me down - really pushing me away from my students. Your comments, and the ones above, remind me why I love this work. Thanks.
Seth