#Made4Math Monday - No Cell Phones

It's been too long since I participated in #Made4Math Monday...I know it's Saturday, but now is the time that I have to do this.

Our trimester ends on Tuesday.  We have exams on Monday and Tuesday and a "teacher work day" on Wednesday.  I use quotation marks because the morning is filled with meetings.  I'm getting a crash course on data director since we use that to grade our exams, etc.

With the trimester ending and new classes starting up on Thursday, I've been evaluating how things have gone so far and creating goals for myself for next trimester.

My main issue with the students has been cell phone use.  Our policy changed this year for using cell phones that allows students to use them in the hallways during class changes, etc.  Also, we can let the students use cell phones in the classroom at our discretion (mainly for academic purposes).  However, we teachers reserve the right to not allow cell phones to be used during instruction, etc.  With the change in policy, when I catch students using their phones when they are not supposed to, they seem to have this attitude of entitlement.  "We are ALLOWED to have cell phones now." is one of many excuses I get from students.  I've had several instances where students REFUSE to give up their cell phones and end up being sent to the office for insubordination and receiving in-school suspension/restriction all because they couldn't live without their cell phones for a day or part of a day.  Also, I think they are somewhat concerned that I'm going to go through their phone to look at their texts and pictures, etc.  (like I have time or care about doing that...)

In an attempt to make my policy clear, I created a sign to add to my classroom.  You may access it here.  If you want the word document, let me know and I will email it to you.  The picture that I used is from Luke's diner in the TV show Gilmore Girls.  Also, to promote more trust with them, I plan on changing how I handle a first offense: the first time I confiscate a phone, I'll keep it and give it back at the end of the day without involving the office.  I'll even let them take the battery out of the phone.  After the first offense, the phone will be sent to the office on repeat offenses.  I hope this will decrease my number of office referrals.

Also, on a completely different note, I tweaked my syllabus signature page to have parents to give me more contact information instead of giving them the option to do so.  You may access that here.  Again, if you want the word document, let me know. :-)

One of my projects for this weekend is to go through my class binders and streamline them for use in the upcoming trimester(s).  I will be teaching Algebra 1 B again 2nd trimester and will be teaching Algebra 1 C 3rd trimester.


In the spirit of opening up discussion, is there anything you want to change in your classroom management or policies?  Often times we think about things throughout the year but forget to change for the next year.

#made4math M-Tuesday - Course Binders

Since I am going backwards in technology this year (I'm using an overhead projector instead of a computer projector with an interactive whiteboard or tablet), I am compiling printouts into binders for future use.  Also, since we have trimesters instead of semesters, I'm going to be teaching the same courses a few times this year.  So, it'll be extremely helpful to have everything together in one binder.

 Recognize this syllabus?

Review Packet

We start Algebra 1 B in chapter 3.

I printed out guided notes on paper 

for the original AND transparencies.

Filing worksheets and fun activity sheets

Keeping all quizzes and tests together, including

originals and keys.

#made4math Monday Week 11 - Absent Work Bulletin Board

I updated my "Currently in Algebra" board to be more resourceful:

I posted the bell ringers for the week 

along with folders (from Target) for absent work.

Between this and printing out guided notes, 

this helps catch absent students up pretty quickly.  

So far, it's working well.

Addition:  I updated/revised my teacher binder:

I replaced the grade book section with discipline.

This includes office referrals and homework excuse notes.

I found that with my "fluid" rosters (changing a lot due to transfers),

it was easier to just use progress book.

I replaced the front "My Weekly Planner" with the current week's lesson plan.

When I used the dry erase marker,  it got smudged by the pencil pouch in front of it.  

I look for the current week's lesson plan the most, so I moved it to the front.

When this week's over, I'll move it back and move the next week's plan forward.

#hssunfun Organization - What works & What I need to work on

For me, the key to organization is folders, folders, folders...and I don't mean the type that were on sale last week...I mean computer folders.

I have accumulated lessons/examples for the past few years...I even used this today to pull questions for a review quiz:

What I need to work on is keeping organized throughout the day, particularly when I have several classes in a row...this is what my desk usually looks like at the end of the day:

In fact, it looked very similar to this yesterday at the end of the day.  I had to take a few minutes to reorganize and clean it off before I left for the weekend.

#Made4Math Monday Week 8 - Spiced Up Syllabus & Foldables Supply Boxen

Project #1: Spiced Up Syllabus

Inspired by @KristinABC123 and those that inspired her (see her shout out links), I decided to change my syllabus for the long drawn out 2 pages of information to a brochure.

Outside:

Inside:

Project #2: Foldables Supply Boxen

In an effort to take baby steps toward INB (interactive notebooks), I have decided to start doing foldables with the students this year.  It helps that we are on trimesters and have longer class periods than I'm accustomed to.  I feel like I'll have time to do these with the students without feeling rushed...

Anyways, here are some pictures of the foldables supply boxen that I put together for the students. (Boxen...you know, the plural of box...) I have 8 groups of desks. Some have 4, some have 3...that's just how the cookie crumbled:

Once have these laminated, I'm going to put one on each box.  I made 2 copies and am going to put one at each group to match the box with the group.  That will help with accountability.  For example, I know who has the Magnum Pi box, and if something comes up missing that day, that narrows it down to 4 people from the previous class as culprits. 0:-)

Tomorrow is my first day of teacher in-services - which is why I posted early.  Tomorrow's sessions are for new teachers, so I will be with a few others.  Tuesday, I will be with all the staff.  *EXCITEMENT!*

#Made4Math Monday Week 7 - Country Time Pencil-Ade & Update on Classroom

I have a pencil holder, but I want another one for my student center.  So, I went looking at Target for short Pringles cans, but they didn't have any.  Then, I remembered that we have a few Country Time Lemonade Containers.  So, I transformed one of them (leaving the contents in a sandwich bag along with the measure cap) into a Country Time Pencil-Ade:

Update on the Classroom:  I finally put up the dry erase boards.  I had to wait because we did something not so smart...left them propped up against a wall overnight...they bowed, so we couldn't get them to stay flat against the chalkboard:

So, I decided to line the rest with the magnet strips and weigh them down with 30 Algebra 1 books over the weekend...SUCCESS!!!:

Also, I finished the Currently In Algebra 1 bulletin board...since we are reviewing, I posted some of the review concepts:

It's Always Sunny In Algebra...covering the brick wall:

Miscellaneous New Additions to the Classroom:

Things on my agenda for the rest of the week:

1. Organize substitute folder/binder & create emergency plans

2. Create classroom rules & procedures posters

3. Evaluate how I grade binders/notebooks based on new information (such as INB)

4. Finish the student supply table

5. Create syllabi

6. Start lesson planning