tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779271385256625533.post7121953269365915056..comments2024-03-06T22:39:11.472-08:00Comments on cheesemonkey wonders: Starting the New Year Right — Buckle Up for Week 1 #made4mathcheesemonkeysfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09311170815422010013noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779271385256625533.post-1194970277704329342020-02-06T19:49:44.822-08:002020-02-06T19:49:44.822-08:00never say, ever, Love is everywhere, love your pos...never say, ever, Love is everywhere, love your post, your way of styling and the way you write, you are so much creative with your words<br /><a href="https://www.homespad.com" rel="nofollow">homespad.com</a>sadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04436116006373814672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779271385256625533.post-9854634462681622002017-12-05T13:24:35.082-08:002017-12-05T13:24:35.082-08:00This is such a nice blog for me. Really amazing an...This is such a nice blog for me. Really amazing and very informative blog. thanks for sharing.<br /><a href="http://catmariogame.com" rel="nofollow">Cat Mario</a> <a href="http://tosstheturtle.net" rel="nofollow">Toss The Turtle</a> <a href="http://snakeis.com" rel="nofollow">Snake.is</a>Phuloohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18124598527780733871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779271385256625533.post-32442727421333489312014-12-30T16:24:49.122-08:002014-12-30T16:24:49.122-08:00I liked what you wrote about your first week of sc...I liked what you wrote about your first week of school plans, but I did find the "nice teacher" comments interesting. May I share a bit of my own story? I, too, am known as the nice teacher which is why I don't get as much taught as the others in the building. Is that a problem? Sure, but I am not known for being "nice" because I let my students off the hook. It's actually for another reason all together. Up until 15 years ago, I had the reputation for being the "badass teacher," but something happened. I had a very, very difficult class that year, and no matter how strict I was, I couldn't reach these kids. Most of them hated school, refused to do homework, stole anything that wasn't nailed down, and bullied the weaker students. After a few weeks of "knocking heads" (metaphorically speaking), I realized I was going to have to change something if I was going to get anywhere with this class. I started praying for an answer. I came to realize that while I could have high standards for behavior and academics, my tough little group of 38 students were not going to learn much that year. I had to find some way to reach them. The answer became clear to me when I had one of my students stay after school. He and I called his mom for permission for him to stay. He became so angry that he screamed at his mom and tried to bully me. I stayed calm and explained that we could either work together after school or I would visit him at his home to help him understand the math concept. He looked at me like I was crazy. I smiled at and told him he had two choices. It was up to him. He didn't want me to go to his home, so after school, we sat down and worked together on the math lesson. He needed to know that I cared and would help him. It wasn't easy working with him that year, but his mother thanked me at the end of the year, saying that she couldn't keep him home when he was sick because he loved school so much - a first in his whole academic life. It was this year that I began to think of my students as individuals - not a "class of students." From that point on, things began to change for me and my students. I learned to treat my students as individuals which meant there was no one ruler to measure each student. This thinking changed my responses to my students and in turn began to change theirs. Now, the principal tends to assign me the difficult students, the shy students and the struggling students, but I don't see them this way. Usually, by the end of the fourth month of school, all of these students are thriving - not because I am an excellent teacher, but because these kids need something more than just math or language concepts. Sure, they need structure and high expectations, but they also need attention, acceptance, and to be heard. Far too many kids drop out of high school because we teachers are far more concerned about teaching concepts rather than teaching children. Yes, it's our job to teach them, but if we don't teach them social skills, help them to be successful academically (instead of labeling them) and see them as individuals (like we do with our own children), then some of them will fall through those cracks that we are always talking about. So, the next time a student or students slap a label on you, be careful that you think carefully of the meaning of that label. Whether it's "Badass" or "Strict" or whatever you have been labeled by your peers, students, and parents, just remember how you would want your own child, or grandchild, or niece or nephew be treated. Kindness and fairness can go hand in hand with being strict. Anyways, don't be too worried about being thought of as being "nice" if you have structure in class, train and retrain your students, hold them accountable without being mean or unkind, and remember to treat your students as individuals. The learning of the concepts will follow. Just an opinion of a 25+ year veteran teacher. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779271385256625533.post-39388008761638433982014-05-09T09:27:41.407-07:002014-05-09T09:27:41.407-07:00At the beginning of the year, in addition to the n...At the beginning of the year, in addition to the notebook itself, I require students to have or get a 2-pocket folder to carry loose stuff back and forth from home. In the beginning, I only allow them to take their 2-pocket folder out of the classroom. But gradually, as they get the hang of hanging on to their INBs, I will allow them to take the whole notebook home.<br /><br />But for the first month (at least), they have to shuttle loose papers back and forth in their 2-pocket folder.<br /><br />I have also allowed students to take a cell phone photo of their notes in case they need the information from the day's classwork. That way the INBs stay where they need to be and become a habit.<br /><br />Hope this is helpful!<br /><br />Elizabeth (@cheesemonkeysf)cheesemonkeysfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09311170815422010013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779271385256625533.post-60312845348889182852014-05-09T08:36:03.583-07:002014-05-09T08:36:03.583-07:00Hi! My biggest issue with interactive notebooks h...Hi! My biggest issue with interactive notebooks has always been the homework issue. If students can only take their notebooks home to study for tests, what do they do when they are completing their homework and have a question, but their notebooks (with their notes) are still in the classroom? Any advice would be great!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779271385256625533.post-4577940903682463592012-08-08T19:53:12.550-07:002012-08-08T19:53:12.550-07:00Love this! I also feel like I've become the &q...Love this! I also feel like I've become the "nice" teacher. However, I am at a "new" school that I was actually at 2 years ago, but all those kiddos have moved onto HS so I'm going to start as the scary strict teacher as well :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779271385256625533.post-45315207704380843332012-08-08T08:00:00.565-07:002012-08-08T08:00:00.565-07:00I LOVE your ideas for the first days. I also am c...I LOVE your ideas for the first days. I also am considered to be the "nice" teacher, and I have been trying to change that part of me for a couple of years now. Given up on changing that part of my persona, I now strive to make sure students know how we have an important job to do and every single minute counts. Thanks so much for sharing. Your ideas on reflecting~brilliant!Ms. Younghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02588319255335722802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779271385256625533.post-23707318383033363692012-08-07T10:16:43.524-07:002012-08-07T10:16:43.524-07:00BREAKING: I created a HW assignment to get student...BREAKING: I created a HW assignment to get students into the mindset of reflecting on what they are learning. It's on the Math Teacher Wiki at:<br /><br />http://msmathwiki.pbworks.com/w/file/56614412/Lesson%201%20HW.pdfcheesemonkeysfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09311170815422010013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779271385256625533.post-43013758314507158222012-08-07T09:40:28.845-07:002012-08-07T09:40:28.845-07:00I'd made something to introduce INBs... but no...I'd made something to introduce INBs... but now that's getting thrown out. This is way better. Thank you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779271385256625533.post-77471175268421289902012-08-06T21:00:24.128-07:002012-08-06T21:00:24.128-07:00That is a lovely story. I hope I get to have those...That is a lovely story. I hope I get to have those conversations too!<br /><br />- Elizabethcheesemonkeysfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09311170815422010013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779271385256625533.post-41651325457575324362012-08-06T18:33:29.699-07:002012-08-06T18:33:29.699-07:00I've been reading all the posts about the firs...I've been reading all the posts about the first days of school. Your plan comes closest to what I was thinking of doing myself. I'm still trying to figure out the vibe of my new school, though. Good luck, badass unicorn.Pattihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03669674796404246494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779271385256625533.post-68179659600073181162012-08-06T13:52:26.273-07:002012-08-06T13:52:26.273-07:00GREAT! Go get 'em tiger...errr...monkey!GREAT! Go get 'em tiger...errr...monkey!Nutter Buttersmithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05198744481876829069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779271385256625533.post-26729611133089360412012-08-06T10:10:01.548-07:002012-08-06T10:10:01.548-07:00At the beginning of last year (which was my second...At the beginning of last year (which was my second year at the school) some of my former students came up to me shocked that my current students were calling me strict. My first reaction, in my head: "Yes! I'm strict!" My second reaction, out loud: "You remember the end of the year me, at the beginning of the year I had to lay down all those ground rules so we could have a fun class the rest of the year." And the former students nodded wisely.<br /><br />I hope you get to experience a similar conversation.Tina Cardonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00549943329133396794noreply@blogger.com