I did it. I made it to the end of the week! It's not so bad! I had to create a whole new seating chart and hand out books to my class that grew today. So I handed them a paper on order of operations and had them work on that while I figured out what was going to work best for them. It felt like chaos to me, but they were working. Looks like we're going to have to take it slow for a while. They really need to work on some of the beginning skills. I have some experience teaching Geometry, but Algebra may be a struggle as far as knowing the best way to teach it. I have some ideas, we'll just see how long it takes me to really be ready to put them into action.
After my marathon mornings of 4 classes in a row, I have a study hall. It's only 30 minutes, and once I take attendance, get seated, and figure out what I should work on during that time, the time is typically half gone. Not to mention the interruptions that come from trying to figure out where the 3 students who haven't come to my study hall at all this week are. Turns out two of them were scheduled to two different study halls. I don't know about you, but I thought the last Time-Turners had been destroyed after Hermione and Harry rescued Sirius and Buckbeak from the tower... so I don't know how they're to be in two places at once! They're going to stay in the other one, so they're not my responsibility anymore.
Had a double lunch period again after that, so I worked some more in my classroom, ate with those I normally have my lunch with (but I walked to the lounge before the bell rang and the students crowded the hall, of course), then worked through my prep to get Monday's guided notes for Geometry finished. Didn't want to have to stay late on a Friday!
I am sure you will do fine teaching Algebra. Myself, I will never be a math teacher; I understand math, but I have no idea how to explain how my mind works in that area to others.
ReplyDeleteChaos in the classroom is always fun... makes you have to think on your feet (is that the right expression?).