Moderate Success

Had some success with the 30-2s and the Set Theory Unit, they have their first Unit Exam next period.  After giving them a formative assignment where they were to create their own Venn diagrams, I realized that they were really having trouble.

Created an interactive Venn Diagrams smart board activity.  Made a bunch of colored circles and infinite cloners of set theory terms (A, B, C, \, ', U etc).  Had students move around the circles and answer questions.  I saw significant improvement from the students afterwards.  Gave them a hard assignment after, the ones who persevered were the ones who I felt got the most learning out of it.

Found 2 really awesome games/applets that I did with them.  The sets game is really amazing (google sets game).  Students really got into it, I think I might make it a weekly challenge to beat our best time.

Been mostly successful in keeping my lessons short (< 30 minutes).  I find that if I have short periods of teaching interspersed with activities, they stay attentive longer and are more engaged.  Surprisingly, it reduced my classroom management issues.  All it takes is a few seconds to get their attention again and it has increased on-task behavior...monumentally.  Really.  Seriously.  Students are 100% more on task.  And it allows me to guide their learning by walking around and helping them.

20-2s are doing a unit project instead of a unit exam for their first unit (logic and reasoning).  I think having them do a project is better than an exam for logic.  Assessing them on their actual application of logic and reasoning is better than answering multiple choice questions imo.

I'm rambling.  But this blog is for me to reflect so I don't really care.

20-1 (honors) are awesome.  Classroom management isn't an issue.  On the other hand, they tend to be somewhat less willing to be creative/take risks than my other kids.  It's hard to get them to share their ideas, or volunteer to demonstrate their solutions in front of the class.  Have to find a way to get these kids to take risks.  They are also addicted to having a clear-cut way to solve a question.  Demonstrating 2 different approaches baffles them and they panic.

"I did it the second way.  I don't understand the first one." 

"That's fine, the second way works too."

"But the first way confuses me."

"Then use the second way."

"Can you only show us the way that's on the formula sheet?"

"..."

I wonder if this is common with higher-achieving students or if it's just me?